Portland at L.A. Lakers
Time: 9:30 PM CT, ESPN
Spread: LAL -2.5
Total: 225

Odds c/o Bovada

The Portland Trail Blazers are 10-3 and 3-1 on the road where it will face the L.A. Lakers in the second half of an ESPN double-header. The Blazers are 2.5-point underdogs according to NBA oddsmakers at Bovada, and the game has an over/under set at 225 points.

POR

Portland has been rolling this season, and it has won its past four outings. During that streak, it defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and most recently, the Boston Celtics. In the 100-94 win over Boston, Portland got a well-rounded scoring effort from its starters, placing four of the five in double-figures, paced by Damian Lillard’s 19 points on 7 of 15 shooting. Portland shot 45.3 percent in the game, and it was 14 of 36 from three-point range. It held Boston to 38 percent shooting, and it out-rebounded the Celtics 55-42 in the game.

Lillard, for his part, has been sensational this season. The All-Star is averaging 26 points, five rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. His backcourt sidekick CJ McCollum is rounding into form too, averaging 20.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The Blazers use its starting center Josuf Nurkic just 24.9 minutes a game, but he averages 15.3 points and 10.5 rebounds in that time, making the most of it with his high energy play.

The reduction in his time means more for Zach Collins, and the second-year big man has also looked good. Collins is averaging 10.2 points and 1.23 blocks per game in 21 minutes a night. The Blazers have good depth, and its bench is greatly improved with the better play of Evan Turner and Nik Stauskas, who has revived his career in Portland. Stauskas is averaging 7.8 points per game in his 19 minutes a night. The Blazers now seem to have the depth it has lacked in previous seasons, and it is making a great difference evidenced by its No. 2 position in the Western Conference thus far.

LAL

The L.A. Lakers are now gaining steam as winners of its past three games. Wins over Minnesota, Sacramento, and Atlanta have propelled the Lakers to a plus-.500 record at 7-6. The Lakers are getting typical LeBron James production from the superstar, averaging 26.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 35 minutes a night. Kyle Kuzma has been the No. 2 scorer at 18.5 points per game, serving as a stretch-4 alongside James in the starting lineup. Brandon Ingram continues to disappoint in most respects, averaging 15 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the field.

The Lakers have got a lot out of journeyman JaVale McGee, who is starting and averaging 13.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and three blocks per game. The Lakers are still something of a mess defensively, allowing 115 points per game and ranking No. 26 in team defense. It does, however, average 116.2 points per game and a No. 5 best 26.1 assists per game. Both are the effects of having a passer like James in the offense, and the Lakers should only improve as the season wears on. It will have a tough test with Lillard and McCollum, as its backcourt defense has not been good. Expect a close game reflective of the “EVEN” odds set by oddsmakers.

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