Thursday, May 17th, 2012
The LA Lakers will continue their east coast road trip with a stop in Atlanta for an NBA pro basketball game on Wednesday night. Tip off time from Atlanta is set for 7PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by the NBA package.
The LVSC NBA odds makers have set the opening point spread in this contest and the game was opened as a pick with the over under coming in at 198 ½.
The early money from the NBA betting public has come on the side of the home team, as the LA Lakers are currently a 1-½ point betting favorite. The total has seen the early movement come on the side of the under, as the game is lined at 195 for the bettors to play into.
Bettors on the side of the favored Atlanta Hawks on the money line will find –115 odds with the underdog LA Lakers returning -105 to win this game without having to lay the points.
These playoff teams are meeting for the second time this regular season. It was the LA Lakers with the 118-110 home victory against the Hawks as 8 ½ point betting favorites at Staples Center back on November 1st. LA enjoyed a good shooting night hitting on 52.9% of their shots. Atlanta was very sloppy with the basketball committing 19 turnovers in defeat.
With only eight games remaining in the regular season the LA Lakers sits with a 54-20 record on the season and 5 games ahead of Dallas for the top seed in the Western Conference. LA has a bad shot of making up 5 games in the loss column to top Cleveland for the best record in the NBA. The Lakers are entering this final game of their 5 game road trip off a 108-100 loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night. The Lakers had a poor defensive game allowing the Hornets 49.3% shooting in defeat. The Lakers were atrocious from three making only 7 of 29 from beyond the arc. The Lakers had no answer for point guard Chris Paul who had 15 points and 13 assists on aging Lakers guard Derrick Fisher. Kobe Bryant led LA with 31 points on 10 of 18 shooting and Gasol contributed with 26 points and 22 rebounds.
Atlanta sits with a record of 47-26 tied in the 3rd spot in the Eastern Conference chase with the Boston Celtics with 9 games to play. They are a long shot for the number two seed as the Orlando Magic holds a 4 game lead in the loss column. The Hawks are coming off a 94-84 victory against the Indiana Pacers as an 8-point favorite on Sunday. The Hawks played well on the defensive end allowing the Pacers just 40.7% shooting. Atlanta destroyed the Pacers on the boards by winning the rebounding margin by a 61-44 margin. Forward Josh Smith had a consecutive 20 plus point performance as he scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in victory.
Trend: Atlanta Hawks are 7-2 ATS in their past 9 games
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