Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, April 3, 2011, 3:30 pm Eastern, TV: ABC
Opening Line: Lakers -7
Current Line: Lakers -7
Opening Total: 204.5
Current Total: 202.5
Money Line: Lakers -320 / Nuggets +260
The Los Angeles Lakers (55-20) are playing like the two-time defending NBA champions again and hope to continue their charge for the top seed in the Western Conference playoff race on Sunday when they host the new-look Denver Nuggets (46-29). The Lakers (-7) are a near-perfect 17-1 since the All-Star break and ride a nine-game winning streak into the Staples Center following a 96-85 come-from-behind victory at Utah on Friday.
Los Angeles trailed the Jazz by as many as 17 points but dominated in the second half en route to what ended up being another easy win. Kobe Bryant led five players in double figures with 21 points while Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom each added 16. Derek Fisher had his highest point total in seven games with 15 points and was one of three players on the team to hit two 3-pointers.
The Lakers have won their last four games by an average of 17 points, beating the spread in the past three after failing to cover four straight. They have cranked up their defense to a playoff level during the winning streak, holding the opposition to just 93.9 points per game.
The Nuggets have also thrived since dealing former star Carmelo Anthony to New York, posting a 14-4 straight-up record and going a remarkable 15-2-1 against the spread. They have won their last five games and will be facing LA for the first time without Anthony as a member of the team.
Denver head coach George Karl has done a tremendous job managing his new personnel, which includes point guard Raymond Felton and forwards Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. Gallinari is only one of the three that moved into Karl’s starting lineup, and he has averaged 15.2 points per game compared to 15.9 when he was with the Knicks.
Defense has been the biggest different though for the Nuggets, who are limiting opponents to 95.2 points per game sans Anthony. That is an improvement of 7.5 points on the season average of a team that also leads the league in scoring at 107.5 points per game.
Los Angeles has won only two of the last six meetings with Denver, going 1-4-1 ATS in those games. The UNDER has cashed in three of the last four meetings and is 14-5 in the past 19 games between the teams. The UNDER is also 7-1 in the last eight games overall for the Nuggets.
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