LAKERS (-4.5) at KNICKS (220), 12 p.m.
Pick: Knicks (+4.5)
Laying points with the Lakers remains a bad idea, even against the Knicks (13-56).
Los Angeles (31-38) is now 2-8 ATS in its last 10 and if you take a bigger sample size, it doesn’t get much better. Their playoff hopes have long disappeared and now with LeBron James set to miss the postseason for just the third time in his career, it’s fair to wonder what kind of motivation he has the rest of the season anyway. The Lakers have been one of the better teams for the house all season given the amount of public money that’s been placed on them and the Knicks have regularly been one of the houses favorite teams to cheer for as no one wants a piece of the worst the NBA has to offer. In games like that, it’s usually underdog or pass, and we think the Knicks getting over one possession is a worthwhile wager early here. The Lakers are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 when favored by more than three points which should come as no surprise give their free-for-all. They’re not a team you should feel comfortable betting on the money line so you certainly shouldn’t feel good about laying 4.5 with them.
NETS (+6) at CLIPPERS (231), 9 p.m.
Pick: Clippers (-6)
Not that we’re bitter about losing with the Nets Saturday or anything, but we’re fading them Sunday night as they continue a Western swing at Staples Center against the Clippers.
After Saturday’s loss against the Jazz, the Nets (36-35) are now just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 and may soon be in danger of missing the playoffs. A team that looked safely above the playoff cut line most of the season has now dropped to seventh in the East and only 1.5 games clear of Miami and just three games ahead of Orlando in the loss column.
The Clippers (40-30) have been trending in the opposite direction recently proving there is still value in being a well-coached team with no superstars in the NBA. They’re now 6.5 games north of Sacramento for the final playoff spot in the West and there’s probably not enough time for the Kings to catch up.
Brooklyn is a league-worst 3-10 ATS on the second leg of a back-to-back this year and the Clippers are 16-8 ATS when favored at home. That 67% hit rate for the Clippers as a home favorite is good for the second best rate in the NBA in that spot. There’s not much lining up here for the Nets so it feels like a good spot to give the points and back the Clippers.