PREMIUM
Rogers' NBA TOTAL MASSACRE >> +$12,692 This Season!
(NBA) Charlotte vs. LA Lakers,
Total: 216.00 | -108.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 216.00 | -108.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: The LA Lakers are 19-41 after 60 games, not bad considering the team won just 17 all of last season. However, they currently look more like a team angling for a better draft position, with three straight losses by at least 17 points and four consecutive setbacks, overall. They get set to host the 25-34 Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, who still harbor hopes of getting into the Eastern Conference's playoff field. Charlotte currently sits 3 1/2 games back of the 8th spot, although the Hornets will have to climb over both Milwaukee and Miami before trying to catch Detroit.
Charlotte: The Hornets opened the season winning eight of their first 11 games but they have not come close to playing that well since. Charlotte is currently on a seven-game road trip and fell to 1-3 on the excursion with Sunday's 124-121 OT loss here in Staples to the Clippers. That OT loss hurt, because the team's 99-85 win at Sacramento the previous night was an encouraging performance. All-Star PG Kemba Walker (22.7-4.1-5.4) is doing his best to keep Charlotte in the race. He posted his second 34-point effort in three games since the All-Star break on Sunday. However, the Hornets are still awaiting the return of starting center Cody Zeller, who remains day-to-day with a quad injury and has sat out 13 of the last 14 games. Zeller averages 10.8 PPG and 6.5 RPG but is it just a coincidence that the Hornets are 2-11 in the 13 games he's missed these last 14 or that when he's not played this year, Charlotte is just 3-17?
LA Lakers: Magic is now in charge of basketball operations but I'm not sure how sending the team's leading scorer (Lou Williams at 18.6 PPG) to Houston for Corey Brewer does much to help. Word is that the main thing Johnson will be focusing on the rest of the way is whether youngsters Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram are pieces around which the franchise can build.
The pick: The Lakers are a poor defensive team, allowing 110.9 PPG (27th) on 48.0% shooting (29th). That doesn't figure to change the rest of the season and I look for Charlotte to play a second straight high-scoring game here at Staples Center, following Sunday's 124-121 OT loss to the Clippers (226 points in regulation). The Over is an 8* play.
Charlotte: The Hornets opened the season winning eight of their first 11 games but they have not come close to playing that well since. Charlotte is currently on a seven-game road trip and fell to 1-3 on the excursion with Sunday's 124-121 OT loss here in Staples to the Clippers. That OT loss hurt, because the team's 99-85 win at Sacramento the previous night was an encouraging performance. All-Star PG Kemba Walker (22.7-4.1-5.4) is doing his best to keep Charlotte in the race. He posted his second 34-point effort in three games since the All-Star break on Sunday. However, the Hornets are still awaiting the return of starting center Cody Zeller, who remains day-to-day with a quad injury and has sat out 13 of the last 14 games. Zeller averages 10.8 PPG and 6.5 RPG but is it just a coincidence that the Hornets are 2-11 in the 13 games he's missed these last 14 or that when he's not played this year, Charlotte is just 3-17?
LA Lakers: Magic is now in charge of basketball operations but I'm not sure how sending the team's leading scorer (Lou Williams at 18.6 PPG) to Houston for Corey Brewer does much to help. Word is that the main thing Johnson will be focusing on the rest of the way is whether youngsters Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram are pieces around which the franchise can build.
The pick: The Lakers are a poor defensive team, allowing 110.9 PPG (27th) on 48.0% shooting (29th). That doesn't figure to change the rest of the season and I look for Charlotte to play a second straight high-scoring game here at Staples Center, following Sunday's 124-121 OT loss to the Clippers (226 points in regulation). The Over is an 8* play.
