L.A. Lakers at Boston
Time: 7 PM CT (TNT)
Spread: BOS -8.5
Total: 227
Odds c/o 5dimes
The Los Angeles Lakers have lost six of its last 10 and its last two overall to fall to 27-27 on the season. It trails No. 8 L.A. Clippers by 2.5 games for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. The Lakers are 8-9 against Eastern Conference teams, and it will travel to face the Boston Celtics as 8.5-point underdogs in the first of a TNT Thursday night doubleheader. The over/under is set at 227 points according to NBA oddsmakers at 5dimes.
LAL
The Lakers are just 11-15 on the road this season, and it has lost two of its last three on the road, as well. Most recently, it lost the first game of this Eastern Conference road trip, falling 94-136 to the Indiana Pacers. The loss was embarrassing, and the Lakers shot 46 percent in the loss but allowed the Pacers to shoot 57 percent. Los Angeles committed 19 turnovers to Indiana’s 10, and it was also outrebounded by a six board margin. Even LeBron James struggled in the loss, attempting just 12 field goals and finishing -17 for his 30 minutes of court time.
The Lakers had flirted with jettisoning most of its young talent in hopes of acquiring Anthony Davis, but the Pelicans simply were not taking the deal, no matter how much butter and icing Magic Johnson put on it. Instead, the team will likely make its run at Davis in free agency, which is probably for the best as it is. The Lakers have built up some young talent that needs to be given time to mature, rather than dealing the whole wad of it for one proven superstar.
Kyle Kuzma has looked to have some “superstar” in him at times, and Brandon Ingram is an enigma worth seeing out, as well. The Lakers have seemed to demote Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the bench, and that is something of a surprise since he was initially acquired to be the defensive 2-guard L.A. needed in its backcourt rotation. Josh Hart sat out the last game with knee tendonitis, and he, too, likely has a promising future of his own. The Lakers simply have too much going on to let it all go in hopes of acquiring Davis, and it should consider itself lucky that Dell Demps asked too much for Davis, because L.A., really, was already offering too much with Lonzo Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, and several other parts (including draft picks).
BOS
The Boston Celtics have won five straight to improve to 35-19 on the season but it still trails No. 1 Milwaukee by 5.5 games, and it trails No. 2 Toronto by 3.5 games. The Celtics are 22-6 at the TD Garden and have won its past three at home.
Boston still sports as deep and quality a rotation as any team in the East. Jayson Tatum has quietly improved his efficiency in his sophomore season and is averaging 16.3 points per game on 45.1 percent field goals and 37.2 percent three-pointers. The Celtics have seven players averaging eight points per game or better, and it has a solid 10-man rotation that will serve it well in the postseason, even if Brad Stevens tightens up the rotation to 8 or 9 players, as most coaches do.
Franchise player Kyrie Irving still lingers as a potential loss in free agency, as he will have to be re-signed, but he is having an outstanding season.
Irving is averaging 23.8 points, five rebounds, and seven assists per game while posting a team-best PER of 25.46. Tatum, Marcus Morris, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Gordon Hayward all average double-figures, and the C’s still are not really getting from Hayward what it thought it might when it signed him as a free agent. Hayward was a borderline superstar with the Utah Jazz, but he still is trying to regain that form following his broken ankle he suffered in the opener last season.
