NBA Betting – Lakers Host Pacers
Trade deadline day was huge in the NBA but neither of the teams playing the Staples Center on Tuesday night made any significant moves.
The Los Angeles Lakers made their splash in the offseason when they acquired forward Ron Artest. Adding a former All-Star to a team that won the Championship last season is really just icing on top of the take.
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Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers did what they have grown accustom to doing in the Larry Bird era: standing pat.
The Pacers tried to dump off the contract of Troy Murphy but instead were left with the same mundane, identity-less roster that has provided just 20 wins this year.
On Tuesday, they’ll head down to the Staples Center in Los Angeles to face the defending Champions in what should be a one-sided showdown.
Indiana Pacers @ Los Angeles Lakers
NBA Odds: Lakers -11
The Pacers have been one of the league’s most irrelevant franchises this year as they have lost nearly two games per every win. They are just 2-7 in their last nine games and have just seven road wins all year long.
Surprisingly, the Pacers won five of their first eight games to start the season. Since that time, they are just 15 -36 on the year.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are just rolling. They are the best team in the West and they haven’t broken much of a sweat in climbing to the top of the ladder this year. They have won with Kobe Bryant in the lineup, they have won without him and they are just straight rolling to what is likely to be another NBA Finals appearance.
The Lakers are a West-best 28-5 at home this year and they shouldn’t have a tough time improving that record against the Pacers. Indiana is 0-13 all-time at the Staples Center and there is little reason to believe that will change.
The Pacers don’t do anything particularly well – they are mediocre at scoring, rebounding and defense – which means that the Lakers might need to get food poisoned tonight or sleep in and miss tomorrow’s game to lose it. The Pacers have lost five of their last six on the road, so even in that case it might not matter.
But on a more serious note, the Lakers have won 11 straight games against the Pacers at the Staples Center and they will make it 12 straight on Tuesday with another easy win.
NBA Betting Pick: Lakers -11
