Basketball betting on Tuesday favors the Los Angeles Lakers as they host the New Orleans Hornets. The Lakers have won 7 of the last 10 against New Orleans overall but they are just 5-5 against the NBA betting pointspread. Basketball betting saw the Lakers rout New Orleans 104-88 last month in LA. The Lakers were 6.5 point NBA betting favorites in that game and won easily. There are a couple of differences now for both teams since that basketball betting meeting and neither favor New Orleans. The New Orleans Hornets had Chris Paul when the teams met in early November but they don’t have him now. The Lakers were without Pau Gasol in that first basketball betting meeting and he is healthy and playing great now. In fact, the Lakers are unbeaten since Gasol returned from injury. Los Angeles even has been holding their own against the NBA betting odds at home as they are right around .500.
Until last month, the Lakers had struggled against the NBA betting odds against the Hornets at home. The Lakers are 3-2 straight up in the last five basketball betting meetings but they are just 1-4 against the spread. Six of the last eight meetings between the two teams have gone under in basketball betting.
The Lakers are one of few teams in the NBA that is in the Top 10 in points scored and in fewest points allowed. The Lakers have been very efficient on offense led by Kobe Bryant. The offense is loaded with Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest and Lamar Odom. The Lakers look as good as any team in the NBA this season. The only thing that prevents them from doing well in basketball betting is the high numbers.
New Orleans has a losing record against the basketball betting odds on the road this season. The Hornets have a losing record overall but they are trying to stay in touch in their division until Paul comes back from injury. They are mid-pack in terms of scoring in the league as basketball betting stats show. They are below average on defense and that could be a major problem in this basketball betting game. They have been relying upon Peja Stojakovic and David West to lead them in scoring. They just don’t have as much scoring depth without Paul in the lineup and that makes it tough for them to hang in against the top teams in the league.