Lakers vs. 76ers Betting Odds Have Philadelphia a 3.5 Point Favorite
Carrie Stroup here with your Lakers vs. 76ers betting odds that have Philadelphia the home point favorite of -3.5. I have to other betting previews below. To find all NBA Basketball lines, be sure to visit Sportsbook.com here and claim up to $250 in FREE CASH based on your initial deposit.
Sportsbook.com Line: Philadelphia -4 & 178.5
Opening Line & Total: 76ers -3.5 & 177
The Lakers might be starting to turn things around on the road, and they’ll have a tough test in Kobe Bryant’s annual homecoming when they visit Philadelphia on Monday night.
After dropping six of their first seven road games of the season, SU and ATS, the Lakers have won two of three away from home, including an impressive victory at Denver on Friday. They dropped a game in Utah on Saturday, but the Lakers have been much better when well-rested this year, going 10-5 SU and 8-7 ATS with a day or more of rest. Bryant hasn’t dominated in his hometown over the past four matchups, averaging just 21.0 PPG on 42.5% shooting, but the Lakers notched SU and ATS wins in all of those games, winning each of their past three matchups by eight points or more.
The 76ers have certainly been one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises this season, but a closer look reveals a lot of good breaks so far. They’ve played 15 of their 24 games at home, and their 17-7 SU and ATS record has included wins over some teams missing key players: Indiana (minus Danny Granger), Chicago (minus Luol Deng) and Atlanta (minus Al Horford). As far as other elite opponents, they’ve been hammered by Miami twice in the last 16 days.
They were missing C Spencer Hawes (10.7 PPG, 8.5 RPG) in Friday’s 20-point home loss to Miami but bounced back nicely in Atlanta the following night, getting their usual balanced attack (six players in double-digits, four of them off the bench). Philly has six players averaging double-digit points on the season, led by sixth man Louis Williams (15.1 PPG). More importantly, they’ve been the NBA’s best defensive team so far, leading the league in defensive efficiency and points allowed (86.5 PPG). The 76ers have been excellent at home this year (12-3 SU, 11-4 ATS), holding opponents to a paltry 82.5 PPG on 41.1% FG.
After some struggles offensively, the Lakers have been much better of late. They’re averaging 98.0 PPG and, after topping 100 points just once in their first 20 games, have been in triple-digits in two of their past four contests. Bryant (29.4 PPG) has averaged 26.3 PPG during that stretch, while C Andrew Bynum (17.0 PPG, 12.0 RPG) has 21.0 PPG (65.4% FG) and 10.0 RPG and PF Pau Gasol (16.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG) added 18.8 PPG on 52.6% shooting and 12.0 RPG.
UTAH JAZZ (13-9) at NEW YORK KNICKS (9-15)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: New York -3 & 196
Opening Line & Total: Knicks -4 & 195
Due to a fatal car crash involving his brother Monday morning, Amar’e Stoudemire will not play in New York’s game on Monday night when it hosts Utah.
The loss is obviously a big one for the Knicks, especially based on Stoudemire’s 26.9 PPG on 61% FG against Utah over the past three seasons. But the Jazz have been terrible in this series, losing 13 straight meetings ATS. Utah is also 2-5 (SU and ATS) on the road, allowing a league-worst 105.0 PPG and 42% 3-pt FG Pct. away from home.
The Jazz dropped their past two road games by scores of 116-101 at Dallas and 119-101 at Golden State, allowing these two opponents to shoot a combined 51% FG. Despite the road woes, Utah is coming off an impressive home win on Saturday, taking down the Lakers 96-87, and holding them to just 38.7% FG. Al Jefferson scored 18 points and matched a season high with 13 boards against Los Angeles. Jefferson has owned the Knicks in his past three meetings with them, pumping in 25.7 PPG and 9.7 RPG. This included a 36-point, 12-rebound effort in last season’s visit to Manhattan. Earl Watson returned to action Saturday after missing Thursday’s loss to the Warriors with a sprained left ankle. He didn’t look injured at all, with eight points and season-high 11 assists against the Lakers.
The Knicks are trying to build upon a 99-92 home win over New Jersey when seldom-used reserve Jeremy Lin sparked the team with a career-high 25 points, while adding seven assists and five rebounds. Lin will likely start on Monday, as will Jared Jeffries, who is replacing Stoudemire whose 35-year-old brother was killed in the accident. Despite Stoudemire being out, Carmelo Anthony can probably handle the majority of the scoring load. He has averaged a whopping 31.0 PPG (52% FG) versus Utah in the past two seasons. Anthony had a tough night against the Nets (11 points on 3-of-15 FG), which ended a streak of scoring 25+ points in three straight contests. Anthony’s 39.8% FG clip this season is well below his 45.7% FG rate for his career.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (18-5) at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (14-10)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Oklahoma City -1 & 196
Opening Line & Total: Thunder -1 & 198
Portland will be a home underdog for the first time this season when they host Oklahoma City on Monday night
The Blazers are a different team in the Rose Garden, going 11-1 SU/10-2 ATS at home as opposed to 3-9 SU and ATS on the road. They’re also 25-14 SU and 26-13 ATS as a home underdog since 2007-08, and last April they bounced back from a nine-point loss in Oklahoma City to beat the Thunder by seven at home five days later.
The Thunder are coming off an uninspired effort in San Antonio on Saturday. They trailed by 24 late in the third quarter and scored the game’s final six points just to cut it to 11. They’ve been shaky defensively of late with their top perimeter defender, SG Thabo Sefolosha (foot), out of the lineup. He’s expected to miss Monday’s game too. Sefolosha has missed the past four games and the Thunder allowed 99.8 PPG during that span, including 107 in San Antonio and 112 on the road to the Clippers a week ago. They’re 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS this season with Sefolosha out.
Over the years, Kevin Durant (26.8 PPG) has generally struggled at Portland, averaging 23.6 PPG in his career but shooting just 41.1% from the field. Erratic PG Russell Westbrook (21.7 PG) has been an outright disaster at the Rose Garden, where he’s hit just 33.0% of his shots over six career games.
Portland has won five in a row, SU and ATS, at home, including a 20-point crushing of Denver on Saturday. The Blazers are averaging 105.8 PPG and shooting 47.3% from the field and 36.4% from three at home, versus 90.7 PPG on 41.7% shooting from the field and 27.4% from three on the road this year.
In the Denver win, SF Nicolas Batum (12.4 PPG, 44.7% 3-pt FG) returned from a two-game absence and made the Nuggets pay for doubling LaMarcus Aldridge. Batum lit it up with 33 points, including 9-for-15 shooting from three. Aldridge (23.1 PPG) still finished with 29 points on 13-for-18 shooting.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
