THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NBA
L.A. Lakers (28-16, 24-18-1 ATS) at Toronto (25-20, 25-19-1 ATS)
The struggling Lakers go north of the border to face the Raptors as they continue their nine-game, 14-day road trip.
Los Angeles opened its journey with Thursday?s heartbreaking last-second 90-89 loss at Detroit. The Lakers have dropped four of their last five (2-2-1 ATS), and during their slump, they?ve lost three straight on the road, falling 103-91 in San Antonio on Jan. 23 as eight-point ?dogs and 112-105 in Dallas a week ago, pushing as seven-point pups. L.A. has followed up a 7-2 ATS roll on the road by going 1-2-1 ATS in the last four.
The Raptors have won eight of their last 11 (SU and ATS), including a 122-83 rout of Washington on Wednesday, cashing as 10?-point favorites. Toronto is on a 6-0 SU and ATS roll at home, where the team plays tremendous defense, holding the opposition to 92.6 points and 43.3 percent shooting.
Phil Jackson?s club has won three of the last four against the Raptors the last two seasons (2-1-1 ATS), and the Lakers are 5-2-2 ATS in the last nine battles. Also, the home team is 6-2-2 ATS in the last 10 head-to-head matchups.
Los Angeles is on ATS slides of 3-5-1 overall and 2-4-1 in road games against teams with a home winning percentage of at least .600. However, on the bright side, the Lakers are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five Friday games, 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven as an underdog and 5-3 ATS on the second night of back-to-backs this season, including 4-1 ATS in the last five in that situation.
The Raptors are on ATS slides of 1-8 against teams with a winning road record and 1-4 against the Pacific Division. However, they?re 10-1 ATS in their last 11 as a home chalk and 4-1 ATS in their last five on Fridays.
The straight-up winner is 41-3-1 in Toronto?s games this year, including 19-0 ATS in the last 19.
The over has been the play in seven of the Raptors last 11 and is 6-2 in their last eight against the Western Conference. The over is also 5-1 in the Lakers? last six against Atlantic Division squads and 4-0 in their last five Friday tip-offs.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Utah (28-18, 23-23 ATS) at Washington (24-20, 27-17 ATS
The streaking Jazz are in the nation?s capital looking for their 12th win in 13 outings when they take on the Wizards.
Utah has rattled off six straight victories (5-1 ATS), with the only non-cover coming in Wednesday?s 100-89 home win over the Knicks as a 13?-point favorite. The Jazz are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 overall.
Jerry Sloan?s team has struggled on the road this season, going 8-15 SU and ATS. But during this winning streak, Utah?s won two straight on the highway, beating the Clippers 109-93 on Jan. 21 as a 2?-point chalk and topping the Rockets 97-89 on Sunday as one-point ?dogs.
The Wizards are 4-4 SU and ATS in their last eight, with all four wins and covers coming at home and all four setbacks occurring on the highway. In its just-completed home-and-home series with the Raptors. Washington beat Toronto 108-104 in overtime as a 2?-point home ?dog on Tuesday but got blown out 122-83 on Wednesday as 10?-point road pups.
Washington is 15-8 SU and ATS at home this season, winning the last five in a row (5-0 ATS) and six of seven. Also, the winner has covered the pointspread in 41 of the Wizards? 44 games this year, including the last 16 in a row overall and all 23 home games.
The two teams split last year?s series, with the host winning each time. However, the Jazz got an ATS push in last year?s 114-111 loss in Washington as three-point pups. Utah is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven visits to the Verizon Center, and the road team is 6-0-1 ATS in the last seven clashes.
The over is 24-11 in Utah?s last 35 road games, 6-2 in Washington?s last eight overall and 5-2 in the last seven series meetings in Washington. But the under is 11-3 in the Wizards? last 14 in front of the home fans.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UTAH
New Orleans (32-13, 29-15-1 ATS) at Sacramento (20-24, 24-20 ATS)
Coming off their best month in franchise history, but their worst loss in three weeks, the Hornets head to California to take on the Kings.
New Orleans went 12-2 SU and ATS in January, but had its nine-game winning streak snapped in Wednesday?s 116-103 loss to Golden State as nine-point favorites. Still, if you go back to Dec. 19, the Hornets are 17-3 SU and ATS, including eight consecutive wins and covers on the road. Also, the straight-up winner has covered the spread in each of the team?s last 23 games.
Sacramento has things going in the right direction, winning five of its last seven (4-3 ATS), including Wednesday?s 105-91 rout of Charlotte as an eight-point chalk. Thanks in part to the return of starters Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest to the lineup, the Kings have stepped up the scoring lately, averaging 106.8 points per game in their last five. In fact, they?ve hit triple digits in 10 of their last 12 contests.
The home team is on a 10-1 SU and ATS run in this series, with the winner covering the spread in all 11 contests. But New Orleans has won the last three matchups, including a 104-90 season-opening home victory as nine-point favorites on Halloween. The Hornets scored the only road win in more than three years in this series in April, when they prevailed 125-118 as 4?-point pups. Despite that result, the chalk is 7-1 ATS in the last eight head-to-head battles.
Buoyed by its current eight-game road winning streak, the Hornets are 16-5 on the highway this season (15-5-1 ATS). The last time New Orleans was on the road was Saturday, when it crushed the Spurs 102-78 as 5?-point ?dogs.
Sacramento is 13-9 SU and ATS at home this year, including 5-1 in the last six (4-2 ATS).
The over is 7-3-2 in the Kings? last 12 overall, 21-5-1 in their last 27 against Southwest Division opponents, 7-1 in the Hornets? last eight as a favorite, 4-0 in the last four head-to-head meetings overall and 5-2 in the last seven clashes in Sacramento.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NEW ORLEANS and OVER
