For the second time in three days, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs will face off against each other at AT&T Center in San Antonio, and I have to take a closer look at this Western Conference clash after winning both my wagers in their previous encounter this past Wednesday.
The Lakers beat the Spurs 121-107 as 7.5-point favorites with a total of 231.5 points. This time, the reigning champs opened as 7-point favorites with a total of 230.5 points on BetAmerica Sportsbook.
Los Angeles looks for its fifth straight win over San Antonio
The Lakers have won four straight matchups with the Spurs while covering on all four occasions. They dominated San Antonio on Wednesday, controlling the flow of the game for all 48 minutes and leading by as many as 18 points.
LeBron James had a solid game, finishing with 26 points and eight assists. Anthony Davis accounted for 20 points and eight rebounds, Dennis Schroder had 21 points and four assists, while Wesley Matthews added six triples out of six attempts.
The Lakers bounced back from a disappointing 115-107 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers this past Monday. They are 3-2 on the season, scoring 117.9 points per 100 possessions (3rd in the NBA) and yielding 106.5 to their opponents (9th).
The Spurs failed to cope with the Lakers on the defensive end
The San Antonio Spurs struggled against the hot-shooting Lakers on Wednesday, allowing them to make 56.1% of their field goals and 53.8% of their 3-pointers. On the other side, the Spurs shot 46.0% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc while committing only 11 turnovers, but it just wasn’t enough.
LaMarcus Aldridge sat out Wednesday’s clash due to a knee injury and is listed questionable to play Friday. Dejounte Murray led the way for the Spurs with 29 points, seven boards, and seven assists, while DeMar DeRozan added 23 points and six assists.
The Spurs suffered their second straight loss after opening the season with a couple of wins over Memphis 131-119 and Toronto 119-114. They score 109.3 points per 100 possessions (15th) and surrender the same amount in a return (14th).
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”nba/spurs” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]Trends:
LA Lakers:
- 9-3 ATS in the last 11 games against San Antonio
- 6-0 ATS in the last five games against Southwest Division
San Antonio:
- 4-8-1 ATS in the last 12 home contests against the Lakers
The Winner Prediction
It’s tough to beat someone twice in three days, but I doubt the Spurs’ chances to upset the odds even if LaMarcus Aldridge suits up. They lack the height and strength to cope with the Lakers on the defensive end, so I’m taking the Lakers to cover a 5-point spread once more.
It’s still early in the season, and we can expect a lot of ups and downs from each team. The Spurs can keep it close if they have a good shooting night or the Lakers start to struggle which is possible, but I think LA has San Antonio’s number, going 9-3 straight up and ATS in their last 12 head-to-head duels and 4-0 SU and ATS in the previous four.
Pick: Take LA Lakers -5.0 at -150
The Total:
Wednesday’s game went in the under by three points, although the Lakers executed very well offensively while the teams combined for 24 triples out of 50 attempts from deep. Therefore, I’m going with the under again, hoping to see a much better defensive display by San Antonio.
If they want to beat LA, the Spurs just have to be more aggressive and force some tough shots. The Lakers surpassed a 120-point mark three times already, so they might slow down a bit here.
Pick: Go under 230.5 points at -110