The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t going to be heading to the playoffs this season, but they have played really well in the past several weeks. That gives hope for the future and they aim to keep it rolling with a win next time out against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This game figured to be a lopsided one when the season started but Los Angeles has been better than expected while Cleveland has underachieved. The home court advantage should give the Lakers a chance to come away with the win although the Cavs do figure to be favored. This is a big game for Cleveland as it tries to hold on to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Staples Center at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 11, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Sunday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Cavaliers are 38-26 straight up and 21-42-1 against the spread. Cleveland has covered in 14 of 31 attempts on the road this season, a much better percentage than how it performed at home. The Cavaliers are just 11-38-1 against the spread as the favorite.
The Lakers are 29-35 straight up and 35-29 against the spread. Los Angeles has covered in 17 of 31 attempts at home this season. It is 26-24 against the spread as the underdog.
Key Stat
6. That’s the number of wins in the past seven games for the Lakers. They have a lot of young players and they have made some good strides this season. The addition of Isaiah Thomas has helped give the group some scoring punch.
The Lakers reeled off five consecutive wins within this span. It began with a win over the Dallas Mavericks, followed by victories over the Sacramento Kings, the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. Most impressively, all but the Dallas win came on the road.
The Lakers fell to the Portland to break the winning streak, but they did respond last time out with a 108-107 victory over the Orlando Magic. Thomas is doing a nice job both scoring for himself and distributing the ball, as he has totaled 16 assists in the past two games.
Player To Watch
LeBron James -- The Lakers may be feeling good about the way they have been playing of late, but they are still going to have to stop the most dominant player in the NBA. James is 33 years old but has shown no signs of slowing down.
While the pieces around have been inconsistent, James is doing everything he can to keep Cleveland in the title chase. He is averaging 27.0 points, 9.0 assists and 8.4 rebounds per contest. The Lakers have to figure out a way to keep him in check.
James had 39 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds last time out in a narrow win over the Nuggets and may need to have a similarly dominant performance to help his team past the Lakers on the road.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Cleveland has been inconsistent all season and at this point does not have the look of a true title contender. The Cavs seem to be a little better since swapping out multiple pieces at the deadline, but this team still revolves around James.
Look for him to dominate this contest and lift Cleveland to a much-needed road victory. The Lakers won’t make it easy on him as Thomas will want to have a big game against his former team. If the NBA betting spread is too high, consider choosing Los Angeles to cover the spread at home.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers 113, Lakers 110
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