Memphis vs. Los Angeles – Take the Lakers

BetOnline NBA Basketball Odds: L.A. LAKERS -15.5, Total 207.5

Here are some of the NBA basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* MEM has lost its last seven games SU

* MEM has covered six of its last nine games

* MEM has played seven of its last nine games UNDER the total

* MEM has lost its last five road games SU

* MEM has covered five of its last six road games

* MEM has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total

* LA has won six of its last eight games SU

* LA has covered two of its last six games

* LA has won seven of its last eight home games SU

Also…

* LA has won four of the last five meetings SU

* MEM has covered six of the last eight meetings

* MEM has won five of the last seven meetings SU as the road team

* MEM has covered seven of the last eight meetings as the road team

* Three of the last four meetings in Los Angeles have gone UNDER the total

* LA has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings

Memphis has lost its last seven games, and included in that are defeats at the hands of teams like Oklahoma City and Sacramento. Interestingly, though, the Grizzlies have been relatively competitive against most clubs, and the recent history against the big, bad Lakers has actually been a pretty positive experience for them. Memphis has won five of the last seven times they have visited the Staples Center to play the Lakers, and the Grizzlies have covered six of the last eight times these teams have played. Who knows – maybe some of it is the residue of former Laker Jerry West’s tenure in Memphis as the head of basketball, and now there’s a familiar face coming to town in the person of one of the franchise’s best players in its brief history.

Pau Gasol was part of that rather one-sided trade with the Lakers last season, when Los Angeles had to do something to give them an inside game after Andrew Bynum went down with his season-ending injury. Gasol has become a fixture in L.A., and in the last meeting, a 115-98 Laker win at the FedEx Forum on January 31, he had 24 points and eight rebounds. Memphis had six players in double figures in that game, and one of them was Pau’s brother, Marc Gasol, who has actually put together a rather impressive rookie season, averaging 10.9 points and 7.3 rebounds, and even though his offense is inconsistent, he hits the boards with regularity.

The Grizzlies are giving Darrell Arthur more of an opportunity to play lately, and he has responded well with 73% shooting in the last four games. But Arthur is not a focal point of this offense. The more heralded rookie, O.J. Mayo, has shot just 38% since the All-Star break. Memphis failed to reach the 100-mark against poor defensive teams like the Thunder and Pacers. The Lakers don’t play again until Minnesota in three days, so focus won’t likely be a problem. Under these circumstances, we’re going to lay 15.5 points in the BetOnline Sportsbook NBA pro basketball betting odds with a Los Angeles team that is angry after two straight defeats.

JAY’S PLAY: LAKERS -15.5 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)