Lakers vs. Spurs Betting Line – NBA Playoffs Round 1
Carrie Stroup here with your Lakers vs. Spurs betting line for the NBA Playoffs Round 1. Bet this and all other NBA Playoffs games at Sportsbook.com here and claim your FREE $100 WAGER.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: San Antonio -9 & 189.5
After relinquishing the No. 1 seed with a late-season slide, the Spurs try to regroup when they open the postseason on Sunday against the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers.
Los Angeles enters the playoffs on a hot streak, winning eight of its final nine games (5-3-1 ATS), including five straight victories to earn the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio lost seven of its final 10 regular-season games, and was an atrocious 2-12 ATS in its final 14 contests with seven straight ATS defeats. Its season-ending, three-game skid began with a 91-86 loss on the road against the Lakers, who avoided a season sweep at the hands of the Spurs with that win. But the two San Antonio victories over L.A. came by just two points (84-82) on Nov. 13 and by three points on Jan. 9, by a score of 108-105. Although the Lakers are a respectable 5-5 SU in their past 10 road games, they were pretty awful away from home all season with marks of 16-25 SU and 15-26 ATS (37%). The Spurs were just 1-7 ATS in their final eight home games to finish the season with a 19-20-2 ATS record at AT&T Center, but they only lost six games straight-up at home, going 35-6 (85%) this season.
Scroll Down For More...
Los Angeles has played very well on both ends of the court during its five-game win streak, scoring 105.0 PPG on 46% FG, while allowing just 99.8 PPG on 43% shooting. During the regular season, the Lakers scored 102.2 PPG (6th in NBA) on 45.8% FG (10th in league) despite a subpar 35.5% threes (19th in NBA). The defense has struggled for most of the season though, allowing 101.0 PPG (9th-worst in NBA) on 45.3% FG (14th in league) and 35.7% threes (also 14th in NBA). Without SG Kobe Bryant (27.3 PPG) in the lineup, C Dwight Howard (17.1 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG) and PF Pau Gasol (13.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.1 APG) have been carrying this team on their large shoulders. Howard has averaged 22.5 PPG on 63% FG and 13.0 RPG in his past four games, including 16 points and 18 boards on Wednesday's 99-95 overtime win over Houston. Gasol was even better in that victory, recording a triple-double of 17 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists. That increased his April numbers to 17.5 PPG (51% FG), 12.1 RPG and 6.6 APG in eight games this month. Howard has also thrived against the Spurs this season, tallying 13 points and 15 boards in the Nov. 13 home loss, and then producing 26 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks in Sunday's win. Gasol has shot horribly in this series, making 3-of-10 shots in the November meeting, and producing an abysmal 3-for-17 night on Sunday, but he has pulled down 13.0 RPG in the two games versus the Spurs. SF Metta World Peace (12.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG) is slowly regaining his form after being out with a torn meniscus. He's made just 35% FG for 7.0 PPG in 21.2 MPG in the past five games, but had his highest-scoring output since returning with 12 points on Wednesday. With SG Steve Nash (12.7 PPG, 6.7 APG) having missed eight straight games with a hamstring injury, and listed as questionable for the series opener, PG Steve Blake (7.3 PPG, 3.8 APG) could once again start in his place. Blake has been on a scoring surge over his past three contests with 20.3 PPG (13-of-14 FT) and 5.3 APG. He contributed 24 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and just one turnover in the win over Houston. PF Antawn Jamison (9.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG) has 15.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG in his past two games, but SG Jodie Meeks (7.9 PPG) has been ice-cold in the past four contests, scoring just 5.8 PPG on 7-of-27 shooting (26%). Both players will need to look for their offense in this series, especially with Bryant sidelined and Nash questionable.
San Antonio is a great offensive team, scoring 103.0 PPG (4th in NBA) on 48.1% FG (2nd in league) and 37.6% threes (4th in NBA). The club leads the NBA in assists (25.1 APG) and ranks second in Ast/TO ratio (1.78). Defensively, the Spurs are also pretty strong, giving up only 96.6 PPG (11th in NBA) on 44.2% FG (8th in league) and 35.3% threes (12th in NBA). Their 8.5 steals per game rank 6th-best in the league. The team continues to be led by PG Tony Parker (20.3 PPG, 7.6 APG) and PF Tim Duncan (17.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.7 BPG). Parker has been bothered with neck and ankle injuries this month, and has shot horribly in his past two games, making just 4-of-20 shots, but has made up for it with 16 assists and just six turnovers. Parker has also struggled a bit versus L.A. this season with 15.7 PPG on 43% FG, but has also notched 7.0 APG. Duncan has a well-rounded stat line of 16.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 4.3 APG and 3.7 BPG in three meetings with the Lakers this season, which includes 23 points, 10 boards, four assists and two blocks in Sunday's loss. Duncan also contributed a double-double in the regular-season finale versus Minnesota with 17 points and 14 rebounds. SG Manu Ginobili (11.9 PPG, 4.6 APG) finally returned to the court on Wednesday for the first time since March 29, but he was understandably rusty and scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting (0-for-2 threes) in 12 minutes of action. Ginobili has also shot horribly against L.A. this season, making just 32% FG leading to 11.0 PPG. SF Kawhi Leonard (11.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG) has been bothered by a knee injury, which is why he's produced just 6.0 PPG and 5.0 RPG in the past two games. He's also been subpar against the great size of the Lakers this season with 8.7 PPG and 4.7 RPG. C Tiago Splitter (10.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG) will be tasked with stopping Howard down low, but despite Howard's presence in the paint, he's still averaged a double-double against L.A. this season with 11.3 PPG and 11.0 RPG in the three games.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
