Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Los Angeles Lakers are 14-2 straight up in their last 16 games as a double-digit favorite but are just 6-9-1 against the spread over that stretch. The Lakers will try to pick up a win and cover as a big favorite on Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Los Angeles is an 11-point home favorite on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last six games heading into the All-Star break, the Lakers went 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS.
Grizzlies at Lakers | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Lakers come out of the all-star break on a three-game winning streak after defeating the Denver Nuggets 120-116 in overtime as 3-point road favorites on Feb. 12. That win gave Los Angeles a four-game cushion for first place in the Western Conference with a 41-12 SU and 28-24-1 ATS record through 53 games.
Los Angeles is well on its way to making the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13 and is seeking its first season finishing atop the Western Conference standings since 2009-10, the last year the Lakers won an NBA championship.
Through their first 25 home games this season, the Lakers are 18-7 SU and 13-11-1 ATS according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
Memphis entered the regular season projected to win just 26.5 games, one of the lowest projections in the NBA. The Grizzlies have already exceeded that total with a 28-27 SU record through 55 games, most recently going 15-5 SU and 14-6 ATS over their last 20 games.
Ja Morant has been a sensation in his rookie season averaging 17.7 points and seven assists per game. In their last five games playing in the second night of a back-to-back like they are against the Lakers, the Grizzlies are 5-0 SU and ATS.
Friday night’s total is set at 232.5 points at sports betting sites. The UNDER is 6-0 in the last six games between the Lakers and the Grizzlies.
The first quarter of this matchup will be interesting as Los Angeles is coming in off of nine days’ rest and the Grizzlies just played last night. Will the Lakers show any signs of rust, or will they pick up where they left off with the strong play that led them to three straight wins before the break? Lakers fans will soon find out.
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