Two seasons ago, LeBron James lacked a Laker sidekick. As a result of that and LeBron’s injury problems, LA was doomed. Los Angeles is facing a repeat of that scenario. Anthony Davis is out until Mid-March with a calf injury. Since Davis was sidelined, James has been burdened with the entire load. And the Lakers are taking on increased water for NBA Bets. Portland stumbled severely out of the gate. Damian Lillard finally had enough. Consequently, the Trail Blazers have catapulted in the Western Conference standings. Portland is becoming a profitable team on the board.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA Betting Information
Date and Time: | Friday, February 26, 2021, 10 p.m. ET |
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Location: | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California |
Trail Blazers vs. Lakers TV Coverage: | ESPN |
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers SBG Odds Overview
Naturally, the Lakers and LeBron will be a popular online wagering pick. Casual gamblers love that setup. They are most comfortable with superstar name brands at home. Sharps are looking hard at the Trail Blazers. Their resurgence is hard to ignore. Also factoring into this matchup is the Davis injury. LA has gotten reliable secondary scoring all season. With Davis out, that weakness is fully exposed. Counter his reputation LeBron is not superman. Even in his younger years, he needed a strong supporting cast. Miami and the Three Kings era is the prime example of James getting championship help.
Portland Trail Blazers Team Overview
Late on, the Trail Blazers have covered six of their last eight games. Five of their previous seven games went over the total. Portland is 18-12 straight up, 16-14 against the spread, and 17-13 over the total. Second place in the Northwest Division is the new standing for the Trail Blazers. Portland ranks 6th in the NBA for scoring offense and 27th for points allowed.
Guard Damian Lillard has been carrying Portland. Lillard’s sidekick, CJ McCollum, is out until early March with a foot injury. Lillard is averaging 29.8 points and 7.9 assists per game. Consider that Lillard has scored 24 or more points in four straight outings.
Los Angeles Lakers Team Overview
Los Angeles is gushing red ink without Anthony Davis. To illustrate, LA has covered only two of their last nine games. Three of their last four games have stayed under the total. In sum, the Lakers are 22-10 straight up, 14-18 against the spread, and 12-20 under the total. NBA metrics show the Lakers 18th for scoring offense but 2nd for points allowed.
Overall, forward LeBron James leads LA with 25.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game.
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers Head-to-Head vs. Spread
Portland has covered four of their last seven games against the Lakers. Two of the previous three meetings between these teams went over the total. Most important of all, the Trail Blazers have taken over the payout window at Staples Center. Portland has covered 12 of their last 14 games at the Lakers. Nine of the last 11 in this series at Staples Center went under the total.
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers SBG Picks
As mentioned earlier, the Trail Blazers make themselves at home against the Lakers. Portland is in much better form for NBA Bets. LA is in a stunning slump.
Trail Blazers at Lakers SBG Best Bet: Portland Trail Blazers.