NBA Betting Odds January 5: Warriors vs. Lakers, Bucks vs. Bulls
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (32-2) at LOS ANGELES LAKERS (8-27)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Golden State -14, Total: 213.5
Both the Warriors and the Lakers will be going for their fourth straight victory when the teams meet at Staples Center on Tuesday.
The Warriors hosted the Hornets on Monday and came away with a 111-101 victory as 12-point favorites. Golden State has now won three straight games and eight of its past 10. It’s not crazy to think that the team would still be on a winning streak if it hadn’t played the Mavericks without Steph Curry on Dec. 30.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have also put together a three-game winning streak. Los Angeles hosted Phoenix on Sunday and won the game 97-77 as 1.5-point underdog. The Lakers have not only won three straight games SU, but they have also covered in four straight and five of their past seven.
When these teams met earlier in the season, the Warriors embarrassed the Lakers. Golden State won that game 111-77 as a 17.5-point home favorite. Over the past three seasons, the Warriors are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS versus the Lakers but they are just 2-2 both SU and ATS at Staples Center in that span.
Some trends to look out for in this one are that Golden State is 7-0 ATS in road games after one or more consecutive Unders this season, but the team is also 6-16 ATS after two straight games where both teams scored 100 points or more over the past two seasons.
C Festus Ezeli (Toe) is probable for Golden State in this game, but PF James Michael McAdoo (Toe) and SG Leandro Barbosa (Shoulder) are questionable for the team. For the Lakers, SG Kobe Bryant (Shoulder) is listed as questionable for this one.
PG Stephen Curry (29.7 PPG, 6.3 APG, 5.5 RPG, 2.2 SPG) played 32 minutes in Golden State’s victory over Charlotte on Monday. Curry had missed two games before needing to leave early in a win over the Nuggets on Jan. 2, so it was definitely a plus for the Warriors to get their superstar back. Curry poured in 30 points in just 32 minutes against the Hornets and now faces a Lakers team that he should have no trouble scoring against.
Yet, the real story for Golden State has been the play of PF Draymond Green (15.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.4 SPG). Green had 13 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, two blocks and a steal in 37 minutes of action against the Hornets on Monday. It was his third consecutive triple-double for the Warriors and he is now averaging 17.6 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 9.6 APG, 2.2 SPG and 1.0 BPG over the past five contests. He should fill up the stat sheet once again against the Lakers.
SG Klay Thompson (20.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.3 APG) will also need to be accounted for, as he is averaging 26.6 PPG over the past five contests and has regained the scoring power that he showed a year ago.
The Lakers have put together a surprising three-game winning streak and a lot of that has to do with the play of SG Lou Williams (14.1 PPG). Williams is averaging 24.3 PPG over the past three contests and has really played well with SG Kobe Bryant (17.2 PPG) out. Los Angeles will need Williams to catch fire once again on Tuesday.
Other guys that will need to really pitch in are SG Jordan Clarkson (14.8 PPG, 1.2 SPG) and PF Larry Nance Jr. (5.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG). Clarkson is averaging 15.0 PPG over the past five contests and is one of the most dynamic players the Lakers have. His speed and athleticism could give Steph Curry some trouble on both ends, as the Warriors guard is currently dealing with some pain in his lower body. Nance Jr., meanwhile, has contributed far more than anybody would have expected this season. He has had 14 rebounds in back-to-back games for Los Angeles and is averaging a double-double (11.6 PPG, 10.4 RPG) in 25.0 MPG over the past five games. If he can continue to provide this type of energy and production then the Lakers may be able to keep this game close or possibly even pull off an upset.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS (14-22) at CHICAGO BULLS (20-12)
Chicago -8.5, Total: 201.5
The Bucks will look to get back into the win column when they head to Chicago and face a Bulls team that has won four straight.
Milwaukee hosted San Antonio on Monday and got blown out 123-98 as a 9.5-point home underdog. The Bucks had won two straight and covered in three straight before the loss and they’ll need to channel some of that good play for this meeting with a red-hot Bulls team on Tuesday.
Chicago comes into this one after having won four straight and five of its past six. The Bulls have also covered in four of their past six and their most recent victory was impressive, coming away with a 115-113 win in Toronto as four-point road underdogs.
The last time these two teams met was in Game 6 of their playoffs series and the Bulls wiped the floor with the Bucks, winning 120-66 as a four-point road favorite. Chicago is 10-4 SU and 9-5 ATS against Milwaukee over the past three seasons and that includes a 5-2 record both SU and ATS when playing as the host in the series.
There are trends that work for and against Chicago in this one, as the Bulls are just 1-8 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points this season but are also 7-51 ATS after two straight games with five or less steals since 1996.
PG Greivis Vasquez (Ankle) is out for the next few months for Milwaukee and PG Derrick Rose (Hamstring) is doubtful for Chicago, which is already without C Joakim Noah (Shoulder) for the next few weeks and SF Mike Dunleavy (Back) indefinitely.
The Bucks were blown out by the Spurs on Monday, but the team has still won two of its past three contests. C Greg Monroe (15.5 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.4 APG) is averaging 19.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG over the past three contests and has been very hard to stop once he gets the ball with at least one foot in the paint. Milwaukee will need to pound it into Monroe in order to keep things from getting out of hand in Chicago on Tuesday.
Both SF Giannis Antetokounmpo (15.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.1 BPG) and PF Jabari Parker (10.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG) will also need to provide a scoring punch for the Bucks. Antetokounmpo is averaging just 11.0 PPG over the past two contests and must start to play better moving forward. His season average of 15.3 PPG is closer to what Milwaukee expects from him, but he is also capable of doing a lot better than that.
Parker is averaging 13.3 PPG over the past three contests and is shooting 16-for-31 from the field in those games. He is playing more minutes than he has all year and is starting to look like the player he was before tearing his ACL last season.
SG Jimmy Butler (21.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.8 SPG) refused to allow the Bulls to lose on Sunday, scoring 40 of his 42 points in the second half of a comeback victory over the Raptors in overtime. Butler was 15-for-23 from the field in that game and is now 31-for-57 from the field over the past three games. If he can continue to score this efficiently then Chicago will have no problem winning games.
Butler has not been doing it alone, though, as C Pau Gasol (16.4 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.3 BPG) has looked unbelievable in recent weeks. Over the past five contests, Gasol is averaging 17.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 3.4 APG and 3.0 BPG. He will need to continue to protect the rim at a high level for Chicago, as offense is not something the Bulls need to worry about with Gasol. He is going to continue to knock down mid-range shots and find his teammates for easy buckets with his excellent passing from the high post.
One guy who could provide a spark in this one is PF Bobby Portis (8.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG), who is averaging 10.0 PPG and 7.2 RPG over the past five contests. Portis has been very productive on the glass and as a scorer this season, but it’s all a matter of whether or not Fred Hoiberg finds him minutes.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
