Two summers ago, the Los Angeles Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in what was basically a salary dump. The Lakers might be regretting that deal now that Russell is an All-Star. He brings his Nets to L.A. to face the struggling Lakers on Friday night. The NBA betting lines will be affected by whether LeBron James plays or not.
Nets vs Lakers NBA Odds & Expert Prediction
“Everybody can contribute on this team. There’s a competitive part about it. That’s natural, that’s healthy.” pic.twitter.com/wtfE1nkO4V
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) 21 de marzo de 2019
- When: Friday, 10:30 PM ET
- Where: Staples Center
- TV: TNT
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
- NBA Odds: TBA
Season Series
Nets go for the sweep as they beat the Lakers 115-110 on Dec. 18. D’Angelo Russell had 22 points and a career-high-tying 13 assists against his former team. Joe Harris added 19 points and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 18 for the Nets. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson finished with 17 points and Jared Dudley made some big baskets down the stretch to score 13. Brooklyn then used a 12-0 run to take its largest lead at 79-65 on Hollis-Jefferson’s three-point play with 7:27 remaining in the third quarter. LeBron James had 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kyle Kuzma had 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Lonzo Ball scored 23. Ball is now out for the season.
All-time in Los Angeles the Nets are 10-34.
Why Bet on Brooklyn?
The Nets had perhaps the most unlikely win of the season on Tuesday to snap a three-game losing streak. They entered the fourth quarter trailing in Sacramento by 25 points yet won 123-121. The Nets became just the fourth team in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55) to overcome a 25-point fourth-quarter deficit. Teams trailing by 25 or more points entering the fourth quarter were 3-3,028 in the shot-clock era entering Tuesday. Before Tuesday’s win, the Nets had been 0-178 over the past 20 seasons when trailing by at least 25 points at any point in a game.
D’Angelo Russell had a career-high 44 points, including a whopping 27 in the fourth. Those were the most points in a fourth quarter in the NBA this season. He also had four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, breaking Allen Crabbe’s single-season franchise record of 201 3-pointers, set last season. Russell has 202. Russell also had four rebounds, 12 assists, four steals and six 3-pointers.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson played just 17 minutes on Tuesday, but hit 6-of-7 shots, including the game-winner, to finish with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. RHJ drove and hit an over-the-head circus shot that somehow went in with 0.8 seconds remaining on the clock in a tie game. RHJ was a DNP-CD in three of his previous four games.
Allen Crabbe (knee) sat Tuesday, his third straight game on the sidelines after he had his knee drained last Thursday. Joe Harris leads the league in 3FG % (.464). The only qualifying Net in franchise history to finish in the top three in the league in 3FG % is Drazen Petrovic (third in 1992-93 and second in 1991-92). The single-season Nets record for 3FG % among qualifying players is .449 (Petrovic in 1992-93).
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 111.63
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.93
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.27
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.57
- Total Rebounds: 46.00
- Total Score: 111.96
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.69
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.10
- Free Throw Percentage: 77.19
- Total Rebounds: 46.14
Why Bet on LA Lakers?
The Lakers completed a five-game road trip with their fourth straight loss Tuesday, 115-101 in Milwaukee. The Bucks gained control in the third quarter, building a 23-point lead at one point. The Bucks led 99-84 heading to the fourth.
While Milwaukee was without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Lakers sat LeBron James allegedly with a sore left groin. With the Lakers out of the playoff hunt, it’s likely the Lakers will sit LeBron frequently over the final few weeks of the season. He was just 4-of-13 in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Knicks and does not look to be fully healthy. Mike Muscala started for James on Tuesday, but LeBron seems likely to play in front of the home crowd here.
James is averaging 27.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists this season. Coach Luke Walton said he has not had any discussions with James about shutting down the four-time MVP for the remainder of the season. We’re a much better team when he’s on the floor,” Walton said. “So I’m looking forward to him getting back out there again.”
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got hot off the bench on Tuesday and hit 12-of-20 shots and 8-of-14 3-pointers for a season-high 35 points, three rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block in 34 minutes. KCP missed his career high by just three points and has scored in double figures in three straight.
Rajon Rondo hit 6-of-16 shots and a 3-pointer for 13 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, a block and seven turnovers. JaVale McGee had six points, 11 boards and two blocks, and Reggie Bullock scored 13 with three 3-pointers.
The Lakers and Nets have met 88 times, with Los Angeles leading the all-time series 64-24. At Staples Center, the Lakers are 13-6 all-time against the Nets. Since the Nets entered the league prior to the 1976-77 season, the Lakers have lost just five total season series to Brooklyn, the last coming in 2014-15.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 111.77
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.28
- Three-Point Percentage: 33.07
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.42
- Total Rebounds: 46.01
- Total Score: 114.00
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.35
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.21
- Free Throw Percentage: 78.74
- Total Rebounds: 47.13
Nets vs Lakers NBA Betting Trends
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Los Angeles
- Home team is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings
- Underdog is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings
- Brooklyn is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
- Brooklyn is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn’s last 6 games on the road
- LA is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
- LA is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 18 of LA Lakers’s last 25 games at home
Expert Final Score Prediction for Nets vs Lakers
Brooklyn Nets 112 – Los Angeles Lakers 114
