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Nuggets host Lakers
February 25, 2013
By Sportsbook
Sportsbook.ag NBA Game of Day
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (28-29) at DENVER NUGGETS (35-22)
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Denver -7 & 218
The Lakers aim for a fourth victory in six days when they visit a Nuggets club in search of a ninth straight home win on Monday night.
Kobe Bryant has carried his team to three straight wins, helping Los Angeles score 109.0 PPG on 48% FG (40% threes) during this victory surge. Speaking of scoring in bunches, Denver has put up 114.0 PPG on 50% FG (38% threes) and outscored visitors by 12.7 PPG during its eight-game home win streak. However, the Nuggets have dropped four of their past six contests overall, as they have surrendered 109.0 PPG on 46% FG (44% threes) during this hiccup. These teams are meeting for the fourth and final time this season, with the Lakers winning the first matchup in November, but losing the past two. Including last season's seven-game playoff series won by L.A., these teams have split the past 10 meetings (5-5 SU) with Denver holding a slight 6-4 ATS advantage over this span.
Los Angeles is coming off an impressive 103-99 win at Dallas, but this team has been dreadful on the road this season with a 10-18 mark (SU and ATS), and allowing 104.1 PPG to the host teams. The Lakers are also a pathetic 3-14 SU (5-12 ATS) in the underdog role, but are an impressive 4-2 (SU and ATS) on the back end of two road games in two days. For the season, L.A. scores 102.0 PPG (6th in NBA) and grabs 44.8 RPG (4th in league), but allows 100.9 PPG (8th-most in NBA). SG Kobe Bryant (27.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.6 APG) has been on fire in the past two games with 39.0 PPG on 64% FG (5-of-8 threes), 17-of-19 FT, 9.5 RPG and 5.5 APG. In the season series with Denver, Bryant has 27.7 PPG (45% FG) and 7.0 APG. C Dwight Howard (16.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG) scored just nine points in Sunday's win at Dallas, but has been in a nice groove lately with 17.8 PPG (58% FG) and 13.4 RPG over his past five contests. Howard has dominated the Nuggets so far this season with 18.0 PPG on a whopping 76% FG, to go along with 17.7 RPG and 2.7 BPG. PG Steve Nash (11.9 PPG, 7.2 APG) has been looking for his offense much more during his team's 11-4 record in the past 15 games, averaging 13.1 PPG on 51% FG (47% threes) and just 5.5 APG, well below his career mark of 8.6 APG. Nash scored a season-high 20 points (7-of-12 FG, 4-of-5 threes) in Sunday's victory, and he's averaged a double-double against Denver this season with 12.5 PPG and 10.5 APG. SF Metta World Peace (12.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG) has shot horribly in the month of February, making just 31% FG, leading to 9.1 PPG. He has hit just 32% FG to get his 12.0 PPG in the season series with the Nuggets. PF Earl Clark (8.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG) has done a nice job filling in for the injured Pau Gasol (13.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG), as Clark has posted averages of 11.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 11 games this month. PF Antawn Jamison (8.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG) has scored 13+ points in each of the past five contests, and tallied a season-high 33 points (13-of-19 FG) with 12 boards in the Nov. 30 win over the Nuggets.
Denver likes to get up-and-down the floor with the second-most FG attempts (85.2 FGA per game) leading to the league's third-most points (105.2 PPG). The Nuggets commit the fifth-most turnovers in the NBA (14.8 TOPG), but also tally an NBA-high 24.0 APG with 8.8 SPG (3rd in league). They can also hang on the boards with the Lakers, pulling down 45.2 RPG this season, good for 2nd in the NBA. SF Danilo Gallinari (16.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG) leads Denver in scoring, but has just 6.0 PPG (4-for-8 FG) in the past two games as he's been limited by a thigh bruise. He is questionable to suit up on Monday, which is bad news for Denver, since he's scored 19.3 PPG (46% threes) in the season series with Los Angeles. PG Ty Lawson (16.3 PPG, 7.1 APG) has been on a scoring tear in his past six games though, tallying 20+ points in every game, and averaging 26.2 PPG (55% FG, 44% threes) and 8.3 APG during this stretch. Lawson has shot poorly versus the Lakers this season (41% FG, 22% threes), but has a whopping 29 assists and just five turnovers in the three meetings. SG Andre Iguodala (13.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.8 APG) has been slowed by a neck injury for the good part of February, but he sure looked healthy in Saturday's 113-99 win at Charlotte with 13 points (5-of-7 FG), 10 assists, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. He has done it all against L.A. this season too with 15.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 6.0 APG. PF Kenneth Faried (12.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG) also exploded on Charlotte for 15 points on 7-of-9 FG, and has also fared well in the season series with the Lakers, averaging 11.7 PPG (64% FG) and 7.7 RPG in the three meetings. SF Corey Brewer (11.4 PPG) has also been a problem for the Lakers this season with 16.3 PPG (49% FG) and 1.7 SPG. He has scored in double-figures in eight of 10 games in February, averaging 12.3 PPG, but has made just 7-of-40 threes (18%) this month. PG Andre Miller (9.1 PPG, 5.8 APG) has a strong 2.62 Ast/TO ratio this season, which has been helped by his 18 assists and six turnovers in three meetings with L.A. this season.
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4-2 L6, 8-3 L11, 20-9 L29 Picks |
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