Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Los Angeles Lakers are 3-0 straight up and against the spread over their last three games and are now one win away from advancing into the second round of the playoffs. The Lakers will try to secure that win on Saturday in Game 5 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Los Angeles is a 13.5-point favorite on the NBA odds in Orlando at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Trail Blazers closed as seven-point underdogs back in Game 4 but are now considerably larger underdogs with star player Damian Lillard out for Game 5.
Trail Blazers vs. Lakers | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Lakers held an 18-point lead over the Trail Blazers at the end of the first quarter in Game 4. They extended that lead to 80-51 by the end of the first half. Anthony Davis scored 18 points in only 18 minutes on the court.
LeBron James had 30 points and 10 assists in just 28 minutes of work. This was a completely dominant Lakers team from start to finish. Since going 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS in their previous six games, the Lakers are 3-0 SU and ATS over their last three games with an average margin of victory of 17 points per game.
In 24 instances as a double-digit betting favorite this season, the Lakers went 19-5 SU and 11-12-1 ATS per the OddsShark NBA Database.
Portland’s 100-93 win back in Game 1 suddenly feels like it took place weeks ago. The Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard entered this series red hot as the team had a 7-2 SU and 6-2-1 ATS record in the NBA bubble and Lillard had averaged over 50 points per game over his last three regular season games.
But since that Game 1 win, all of the momentum has shifted over to the Lakers. And with Lillard out with a knee injury, it’s difficult to find a path to getting that momentum back for the Trail Blazers.
Game 5’s total is set at 223 points at sports betting sites. The UNDER is 3-1 through the first four games of this series.
Los Angeles already looked to be steamrolling its way into the next round before Lillard’s injury. It now feels like a virtual lock. On the other hand, the remaining Trail Blazers will have nothing to lose and should give it their all; the Lakers would be wise to keep their foot on the gas pedal instead of letting up to make sure they squash any upset hopes early.
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