NBA Sunday Best

The Los Angeles Lakers have been going thru the motions and are as interesting as Chat Roulette.com. The Lakers (46-17, 26-35-1 ATS) have won 11 of last 17, but are homely 4-12-1 ATS since the end of January. One of the problems with Phil Jackson’s squad is they have set the motivation level on cruise control most nights and even the players are talking about having to play harder and not doing it.

They were the aggressors all night," Jordan Farmar said of the Miami players in 114-111 overtime loss Thursday night. After that defeat, L.A. sits at 3-11 ATS in road games playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Coach Jackson is uncommonly loyal to Derek Fisher, despite his inability to really defend any longer. Opposing teams routinely are able to drive past the veteran guard and the Lakers help defense has been depending on their size instead of getting into better position to blunt opponents in the paint. Collectively, they better come to play against Orlando (43-20, 31-28-4 ATS) or they will get be bedazzled by the Magic.

Orlando has won four in a row and six of seven (5-2 ATS) and coach Stan Van Gundy is starting to think about the playoffs. Not foregoing the present, rather putting his team together to create better options for the postseason.

He’s been using Brandon Bass more lately as a player off the bench. Bass was signed as free agent in the off-season and is the kind of player that is more physical. Orlando has not used him much the last couple of months, staying perimeter oriented, to keep the middle open for Dwight Howard. However, with the slower pace of the playoffs, where defensive intensity goes up several notches, as does more physical play, it is made for Bass’ game and gives the Magic a fresh look. He could definitely be a big plus against the Lakers. Orlando is 16-5 ATS against Pacific division opponents since last season.

DiamondSportsbook.com has Orlando as two-point favorites with total of 194 and after their ten point win over New Jersey as 10.5-point favorites, the Magic are 8-1 ATS off a no-cover where the team won straight up as a favorite this season. The Lakers won’t face any real perimeter pressure on defense from Orlando, which isn’t necessarily to their liking, as they are 5-14 ATS on the road versus defensive teams forcing 14 or fewer turnovers a game. Nevertheless, the Lakers are 10-6 SU and ATS in Mickey’s backyard.

This renewal of last year’s NBA finals is on ABC at 2:30 Eastern and Orlando is 15-6 UNDER in non-conference games and the Lakers are 23-8 UNDER on Sunday’s.

At 10:30 Eastern on ESPN, Portland and Denver will tangle. The Trailblazers are the best bet on the NBA road this season at 20-10-1 ATS and are unlikely to catch Denver in the Northwest Division standings. That will not preclude them arriving in the Mile High City and wanting to make statement, should they meet later in the postseason.

Portland (37-27, 36-27-1 ATS) knows exactly how difficult the Nuggets are to beat at the Pepsi Center, sporting a 27-5 record (16-15-1 ATS), winning by 9.6 points per game. Nonetheless, the Blazers are 17-14 on the road and are coming off a rare break of three or more days off and they are 3-0 (2-1 ATS) in that spot. With the Nuggets 22nd in points allowed, the Portland is 8-1 ATS versus defensive teams surrendering 99 or more points per game in the second half of the season.

Denver (41-21, 29-30-3 ATS) have faced a number of strenuous opponents the last month and it shows with 8-6 mark since Feb.3. The Nuggets division has turned into a real skirmish, with Utah and Oklahoma City is hot pursuit and playing superior basketball. Denver’s ineffective play has also dropped them from No. 2 to No.3 in the Western Conference and they understand that now is the time to start building momentum and reclaim second seed, so that can keep home court advantage until they might meet the Lakers again in the West finals. They are 27-10 ATS after playing consecutive home games over the last two years.

The Nuggets are six-point home faves and 19-6 and 17-7 ATS at home vs. Portland the last 14 seasons. Denver prefers the up and down pace and is 29-12 ATS after a combined score of 205 points or more two straight contests. The Blazers have had larceny in their hearts recently and are 30-14 ATS in road games after consecutive outings where they had 10 or more steals.

Since 1996, these teams are 17-7 OVER in Colorado.