New York Knicks AT L.A. Lakers
January 9th, 2011 at 9:35 PM EST
Opening Line:  L.A. -6.5
Current Line: L.A. -6.5
Opening Total: 211
Current Total: 212
Opening Moneyline:  L.A. -295 / NY +245
Current Moneyline: L.A. -295 / NY +235

Both teams enter tonight’s game with three game winning streaks.  New York has been a bit of a surprise, rising from obscurity to be one of the top 5 teams in the East, and despite a 21-14 overall are superb on the road at 11-7.  The problem isn’t the fact that they are on the road, but rather that they haven’t beat the Lakers since February of 2007.  That was before the “new era” in New York, though, a team which has experienced a revolution since signing highly prized free agent Amar’e Stoudemire.

Last game against Phoenix, New York point guard Raymond Felton posted his first career triple double, and Amar’e has been on fire, helping to form a tandem that people never considered could be anything like the Nash-Stoudemire tandem in Phoenix.  It turns out that Amar’e needed coach D’Antoni more than Nash.  D’Antoni has Knicks fans excited about the team’s future and has the Knicks playing an exciting brand of basketball, quite a contrast from the slow bang em days of Ewing’s Knicks.

L.A. has recently got their acts together after a strech in which they struggled and Kobe Bryant questioned his teammates’ dedication.  L.A. is one of the teams that has historically given Amar’e trouble too, as he averages just 15 points per game at the Staples Center.

Some betting trends:

New York is 18-6 SU in their last 24 games and 9-3 in their last 12 road games.  The total has gone OVER in 4 of their last 5 against the Kincks and they are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games against the Lakers.  The total has gone OVER in 5 of their last 6 road games against the Lakers and they are 1-6 SU in their last 7 in L.A.

The Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5.  The total has gone UNDER In 18 of their last 25 games and it has also gone UNDER in 8 of their last 11 at home.  They are 19-6 SU in their last 25 home games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 at home.

Key Matchups:

Amar’e Stoudemire vs. Pau Gasol

Amar’e has been tearing it up this season, but Gasol will give him problems, as well.  Gasol is one of the league’s best offensive rebounders and is the most skilled offensive center in the league (that’s saying Amar’e is a PF of course) and Amar’e is not known for being a great defender, though he has improved.  He’s going to have to make an effort to box out Gasol and then hope that Wilson Chandler can keep Odom off the boards.  L.A. is the third best rebounding team in the league and getting garbage baskets is often the remedy to their offensive struggles.

Landry Fields vs. Kobe Bryant

So how many of you have heard of Landry Fields?  That may change in time as he is proving himself to be one of the better rookies in the league, known for his defense and three point shooting, he is also an excellent rebounder from the shooting guard spot, grabbing 7.4 board a game.  We all know what Bryant is capable of, but Fields should surprise people the more they get to see him.  He was drafted early in the second round (rd 2, pick 9), but is easily out performing most of the first round.

Tonight’s game should be a high scoring and exciting affair.  For the Knicks it is a chance for redemption; for L.A. it is “just another game.”