Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Hornets
December 29th, 2010 at 8:05 PM EST
Opening Line: L.A. -1.5
Current Line: L.A. -3
Opening Total: 191
Current Total: 191
Opening Moneyline: L.A. -155 / New Orleans +135
Current Moneyline: L.A. -160 / New Orleans +140
The Lakers are struggling. They are facing their longest losing streak of the season and Kobe Bryant is not playing like Kobe Bryant. Last game against San Antonio, he had 21 points, but points don’t tell the whole story. Bryant was 8 of 27 from the floor and in the three games prior to last night’s he was averaging only 17.5 a game. Over the last four games he is shooting only 39% from the floor.
“I’m just (mad) at myself. I didn’t play well. We’re all moody. Everybody’s a little moody right now.” Bryant said following the 15 point loss to San Antonio. L.A. was a three point underdog, but San Antonio was 17-2, and now 18-2 at home, and they weren’t about to lose to a struggling Laker teams that is having problems scoring.
Tonight might be the right circumstances to take Bryant out of his funk. He’s averaged 31.1 points in his last ten games at New Orleans and he had 31 in their most recent game on March 29th of last year.
New Orleans, meanwhile, has struggled after getting off to a red hot 11-1 start this season. Since then they have gone but 7-12 and have averaged only 92.5 points per game.
“I don’t think we’re going from start to finish,” forward David West(notes) said. “We have spurts and stretches where we’re solid defensively. In terms of completion, we aren’t going from start to finish.”
Some Betting trends: The Lakers have won 8 of their past 12, but have dropped three straight. They are 5-1 over their past 6 road games and the total has gone OVER in 4 of the Lakers’ last 5 games in New Orleans. The Lakers have won 6 of their past 8 in New Orleans and are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 at New Orleans. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the Lakers’ past 5 games in New Orleans.
New Orleans is 7-14-2 ATS this season and the total has gone UNDER in 12 of their past 15 games. The total has gone UNDER in 7 of their last 8 home games and they have won 5 of their past 6 at home. New Orleans is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 home games against the Lakers.
Some key matchups for tonight’s game:
Kobe Bryant vs. Trevor Ariza
Ariza is not technically the shooting guard of the Hornets, but he is their defensive stopper and best defender and will draw the task of covering the struggling Kobe Bryant. Last season when Bryant scored 31, he was not facing Ariza, as Ariza was acquired this off season, so we’ll look at how Bryant faired against the Rockets last year, when Ariza was covering him. On March 27th against Ariza, Bryant had only 17 points and in the game before that on January 5th, he scored 22, and in the game before that he had 18 on November 15th. So Bryant averaged only 19 a game last season against Ariza and the Rockets. Expect Ariza to force Bryant left as much as possible and to stay in front of Bryant as Ariza is the quicker player at this point in their respective careers. If Ariza can keep Kobe in check like he did last year, expect the Hornets to have a good shot at covering the spread.
Pau Gasol vs. Emeka Okafor
Okafor isn’t much of a threat offensively and hasn’t even looked like a skilled offensive player when playing with the best point guard in the game in Chris Paul. He is, however, a very good defender, and while he is undersized almost every night, he will give Pau Gasol problems with his tenacity and effort, the hallmarks of the hard working Okafor. Pau Gasol will still get his points, but Okafor has the lower body strength to keep Gasol off the offensive glass, where Gasol averages 3.6 offensive boards per game. If Okafor can keep Gasol from having a big night on the glass and the rest of the Lakers are kept in check, New Orleans has a legitimate shot at winning the game.
They have the third stingiest defense in the league and L.A. has been struggling offensively, making this an intriguing matchup.
