Despite a 23-point performance by Kobe Bryant, the Lakers dropped their tenth straight game on Sunday night, tying their longest losing streak in franchise history. Over their last 15 games, they’ve got just a single win, but that win came against the New Orleans Pelicans who will be out for revenge on Thursday.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Los Angeles hasn’t been quite as bad ATS as they’ve been SU in their last 10 games, but at 3-7 ATS, they’ve been anything but successful.
Right now, the Lakers are a mess with no consistency on either side of the court.
There are some nice pieces in place, but this is a team in transition and while New Orleans isn’t a strong team either, they’ve delivered more over the course of the year than the Lakers.
They’ve also seemingly turned the corner since their loss to the Lakers, winning seven of nine SU and six of nine against the closing pointspread.
WHEN THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS ARE ON OFFENSE
LA’s offense has a good matchup against the Pelicans. While they’re shooting just 41.1 percent from the floor and scoring only 95.8 PPG, New Orleans doesn’t provide much of a threat defensively.
The Pelicans are currently allowing more PPG than their No. 8 ranked offense is scoring, allowing 105 PPG.
In their last meeting, the Lakers scored just 95-points though that proved to be enough. They shot a dismal 36.8 percent from the floor, but were loaded with opportunities from the Pelicans.
Look for the presence of Anthony Davis on the court to make a difference in that, but keep an eye on Jordan Clarkson and Louis Williams in the backcourt. The starting guard duo combined for 37 points in the win.
The health of Bryant’s shoulder is still an issue, but the future Hall of Famer is the team’s best scorer with 15.9 PPG and his 23-point game on Sunday is encouraging.
Still, the Lakers’ chance of another win over New Orleans falls upon D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. Keep a close eye on the stars of the future.
WHEN THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS ARE ON OFFENSE
Anthony Davis is back on the court. The Pelicans’ star forward is averaging 22.9 PPG and is the life blood of the team.
He missed the game on January 12 in Tinseltown, but should be back on the court Thursday following some back and concussion issues that’ve sidelined him over the last couple weeks.
Still, it’s important to keep up to date with his health as the Pelicans live and die with his performance on the floor.
As for the team’s backcourt, watch for the health of Tyreke Evans early in the game. Evans has missed the team’s last two games with a knee injury and the Pelicans are already without Eric Gordon who delivered 14.9 PPG when healthy.
Despite the injury concerns, offense really hasn’t been that big of an issue for New Orleans. They’re ranked No. 8 in the NBA with 102.8 PPG and over the team’s last six games have scored at least 105 each time. They’ve also scored at least 111 in five of those games.
With the Lakers’ No. 27 ranked defense and 46.5 percent shooting mark against, bank on the Pelicans getting on the scoreboard early and often.
If New Orleans has Davis on the court, but falters early on offense with a low shooting percentage, jump on the likely depressed spread and total. The Pelicans have been a consistent offense of late and shouldn’t have any trouble continuing their success against the Lakers poor excuse for a defense.
BETTING TRENDS AND MATCHUPS
The Pelicans’ offense is rolling and should deliver more than the 91 it scored against the Lakers previously.
A healthy Davis alone makes the difference with the team averaging north of 110 PPG since losing to Los Angeles. With the offense rolling, the Lakers’ defense is in trouble. They don’t have a reliable offense to combat that either, reaching double-digits just once in their last 12 games.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans is scheduled for Thursday, February 4, 2016, at 9:30 p.m. ET at Smoothie King Center. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
