Lakers Visit Thunder In Friday Night NBA Marquee Matchup
By:
Michael Robinson |
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City
NBA Betting Preview
Date: 12/7/2012 at 9:30 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: OKC -8½, O/U 210
(click for latest NBA odds)
Television: ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers (9-10 straight-up, 8-11 against the spread) started their three-game road trip with a 107-105 loss at Houston on Tuesday and then got a much-needed 103-87 win at New Orleans on Wednesday. Kobe Bryant (29 points) became just the fifth player in the NBA to reach 30,000 points in the latter. He also helped Los Angeles improve to just 2-5 SU and ATS on the road. Big man Pau Gasol (knee) missed the first two games of this trip and is expected out Friday (click to check updated NBA injury report). Antawn Jamison started in his place and played well with 30 total points. Point guard Chris Duhon also got the start the last two games and had 17 total assists. Look for Duhon to get the nod again over Darius Morris with Steve Nash and Steve Blake both still out.
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder (15-4 SU, 13-5-1 ATS) have rebounded greatly from some early-season jitters after the trade of James Harden. They are 6-0 SU and ATS in their last six and 9-1 SU and ATS in their past 10. The last game was Tuesday night, a 117-111 win as 4-point favorites at a tough Brooklyn team. Oklahoma City has been very healthy all year and leads the NBA in scoring (105.7 points per game) and scoring differential (9.6 per game). Newly acquired guard Kevin Martin (15.6 ppg) has helped replace Harden’s bench scoring while forward Serge Ibaka (14.5) is a third scoring threat as a starter alongside superstars Kevin Durant (26.5) and Russell Westbrook (20.9). The Thunder are 9-2 SU and 8-3 ATS at home this year. These teams last met in last year's Western Conference semifinals with the Thunder beating the Lakers in five games and going 3-1-1 ATS. The "over" is 5-1 in the last six matchups overall.
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