NBA Basketball
2010-05-02 - Utah Jazz at LA Lakers
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
NBA Basketball: Western Conference Semi Final Game 1
Sunday 2nd May 2010 - Start 8:30pm GMT
Preview
The LA Lakers finally overcame the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-2 in the First Round of the playoffs thanks to a tip-in from Pau Gasol with 0.5 seconds left on the clock. The Lakers may just have been given the jolt they need to make yet another run to the NBA Finals.
The Utah Jazz were a surprise 4-2 victor over the Denver Nuggets as it seemed injuries were going to wipe out the Jazz season. However, they were well worth their series win although another meeting with the Lakers is going to put them back into underdog mode.
Both of these teams will be coming off a short rest with their late finishes in the first round, but they have a long recent history of meeting one another and there will not be too much one team can do that the other has not seen.
Both sides are also suffering with injuries. Utah are still missing Andrey Kirilenko for 2 games of this series at best while Mehmet Okur will not be back until next season. The Lakers are hopeful that Andrew Bynum will suit up after a slight knee injury. If Bynum is out, Lamar Odom will be given the start.
LA are 37-7 at the Staples Center this season while Utah improved their record on the road to 22-22. The Lakers won all 3 games at the Staples Center in Round 1 while the Jazz won 1 of 3 on the road.
The Lakers are 8-2 straight up in recent meetings with Utah and that includes a 3-1 regular season record. They have also beaten Utah 6 straight times at home. The Lakers are 4-2 against the spread in those games at the Staples Center.
Prediction
The first game of this series comes around soon after both sides made it through to the Semi Finals, but it is Utah who I feel will be most affected as they are shorthanded.
LA will look to continue their recent domination of Utah at home and their size has matched up well with the Jazz- with or without Kirilenko.
Utah would be happy if Odom starts ahead of Bynum as that can even the size levels but it will be hard to put in another big effort so soon after their win over Denver and with the limited options available to them.
I am going to pick the Lakers to cover the points in Game 1.
The Pick :
LA Lakers 112-96 Utah Jazz
