NBA FREE PICK — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2010
Denver Nuggets (33-16) at Los Angeles Lakers (38-12), 10:30 p.m. EST, TV: ESPN
The Denver Nuggets, the first-place team in the Western Conference’s Northwest Division, travel to take on the Los Angeles Lakers, the first-place team in the Western’s Pacific Division, at the Staples Center.
The season series between the two teams is tied 1-1, with the Bulls losing at Atlanta on Dec. 9, 118-83, and picking up the win in Chicago on Dec. 19, 101-98.
While Carmelo Anthony may be back and practicing with the Denver Nuggets, don’t expect to see him in this game after already missing six straight with an ankle injury. Anthony told the Denver Post on Thursday that he’s not going to come back before he’s 100 percent, and with four games against top-flight competition coming up for the Nuggets before the All-Star break, he’d like to play in one or two of those. This, my friends, is not one of those games. It would be remiss to not mention Chauncey Billups, however, who is still Denver’s leader even with Anthony in the lineup and is an All-Star himself after being added because of an injury to another player. Billups has proven over and over again in his NBA career that if he’s on the floor, that gives his team a chance to win.
If you’re reading about the Los Angeles Lakers these past few days, the big story has been Kobe Bryant sitting out of practice after re-injuring his ankle in a win over Charlotte on Wednesday. For those of you thinking the Black Mamba might not play, please consider that he hasn’t missed a game this season and has also had 48 hours of the world’s best treatment and rest for that multi-million dollar attachment of his. That means he’s probably going to play.
The odds makers have the Los Angeles Lakers as a -8 point favorites.
The Nuggets have shown they can keep their heads above water without Anthony, but the boat may be taking on water if he sits out much longer. The Lakers have so many weapons that it is hard to bet against them when they have a full, healthy lineup. It’s also hard to bet against them when they’re missing so many parts, as they have for most of the year. The Zen Master just finds ways for them to win.
Look for the Lakers to play Kobe in limited minutes but still win by three points.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver’s last 5 games
- Denver is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
- Denver is 8-13-2 ATS in its last 23 games
- Denver is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
- LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
- LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
- LA Lakers are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games at home
- LA Lakers are 14-4 SU in their last 18 games when playing Denver
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