The NBA games betting odds favor the Cleveland Cavaliers by 9½-points versus the Los Angeles Lakers when the Wine and Gold visits the Purple and Gold. However, one could expect LeBron James to go easy on Lonzo Ball, whose rookie-year experience the King said he can relate to. That’s right kind of James to compare himself with Ball, even though the only thing they have in common is that they both play basketball. One infinitely better than the other, we might add. “The kid hasn’t said anything,” James told ESPN. “So, I love his humility.” Well, it’s not so much ‘humility’ as that he probably hasn’t been allowed to get a word in edgewise since he learned what would become the most important utterance of his life: ‘Daddy’.
The Wine and Gold visits the Purple and Gold
- Date: Thursday, December 14th.
- Time: 8:05 PM
- Venue: Quicken Loans Arena
Sportsbook odds for fans betting on NBA games:
Lakers +9½ (-110) 219½ (-110) +380
Cavaliers -9½ (-110) 219½ (-110) -475
Cavaliers spreading themselves too thin
Fox Sports says that James “is putting up MVP numbers.” Tell us something we don’t know. The King is averaging 28.3 points per game (including an NBA-best 9.2 in the fourth quarter) and nine assists per game. He ranks 3rd in the league in both categories.
Additionally, he’s 6th in field-goal percentage (.583). James averaged 30 points, 6.5 rebounds, and eight assists in two games against the Lakers last season. “We have to get back in transition, I know that,” LeBron said, referring to how they have prepared for the Lakers. “They’ll make us pay with a lot of their guys that love to run the floor — [Kentavious] Caldwell-Pope, [Kyle] Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and the rest of those guys.”
The Cavs have won 15 of their last 16 games. However, they have covered in just seven of those games. Moreover, they have gone 0-12 ATS in their last 12 games as 12-points-or-more favorites. Furthermore, the Cavs have scored at least 100 points in 21 straight games, but have managed to keep go under the NBA games betting odds total in eight of their last 12.
Lakers have Central Division teams covered
Here’s an approximation of what Lakers head coach Luke Walton has had to go through since LaVar, err, Lonzo Ball joined the team.
“In my opinion, he is the best player in the world,” Lonzo said of the King. “I just feel like he plays the game the right way. He probably can easily go out for 50 every night but focuses on his team, getting triple-doubles and [getting] guys involved. It is my first time playing him, I am looking forward to it, should be a lot of fun.” Oh, it’ll be oodles of fun. For LeBron.
The Lakers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games playing Central teams. On the other hand, they are 0-6 SU in their last six games against the Cavs and 4-17 SU in their last 21 games in December. Additionally, they are 3-7ATS in their last 10 on the road.