Free NBA Picks: Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies

Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies
Tuesday, 11/30/10, 8:00 PM EDT
Opening Point Spread: Los Angeles -5
Current Betting Line: Los Angeles -5.5
Opening Total: 204
Current Total: 204

Los Angeles has dropped two consecutive games that includes a 95-92 home loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. “Focus, our energy and effort,” said Lamar Odom. “We need to sustain it throughout the whole game.” The Lakers were averaging 112.5 points in the first 14 games of the season, but have been limited to 95.3 per contest the past three games while shooting a combine 39.9 percent. A visit to Memphis may solve the team’s offensive struggles, considering they scored a season-high 124 points in a home victory against them on November 2. Los Angeles leads the all-time series 43-14, but is just 21-13 versus the Grizzlies since the team moved to Memphis. The club is 9-8 ATS on the season and the NBA lines page has them listed as a road favorite.

The Lakers have been led offensively by All-Star guard Kobe Bryant, who scored a season-high 41 points versus the Pacers. “We’re going to score points, but we’ve got to shore up the defense,” said Bryant. “We’ve got to execute better. We missed too many assignments.” He ranks third in the league with a 26.5 points per game scoring average. Los Angeles is rarely in the position of coming off back-to-back losses, but of the 18 two-game skids the team has suffered since acquiring Pau Gasol, only once have the Lakers dropped three straight.

Memphis is coming off a dreadful 92-86 loss at Cleveland and will now try and stop a team that scored the most points against them this season. The Grizzlies matched their second-lowest scoring output of the season against the Cavaliers, with many experts attributing it to the team getting into Cleveland around 4 a.m. “I’m not going to get into excuses,” said Rudy Gay. “We’re basketball players. If we weren’t professionals, there would probably be times we’d be in a pickup game at 11 o’clock at night.” The team is an even 5-5 versus the Western Conference this year, including a 2-3 mark on the road.

Memphis is 7-9 ATS this year and 2-0 ATS after an upset loss as a favorite.

The Grizzlies have packed a punch of late from their bench, as the unit is averaging 38.3 points over the last four games. Memphis moved guard O.J. Mayo to the second team and the team has responded with at least 32 points a game over that stretch from the reserves. Memphis has suffered 10 losses this season and they have come against teams with a combined record of 96-68. A key factor in trying to avoid another loss against the two-time defending champions is rebounding, with the club possessing a 4-1 record when grabbing more boards than its opponent on the season.

Bettors will be interested in knowing that the Lakers are 7-16 ATS over the last 23 meetings, while the Grizzlies are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games as a home underdog.