Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls 2010 NBA Preview, Odds, and Predictions: Shooting Guard Kobe Bryant will lead his Los Angeles Lakers on the road to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN. The Lakers come in at 16-6 good for 1st place in the Pacific while the Bulls are at 12-8 good for first in the Central and both teams have won three in a row. The Lakers have owned the Bulls recently winning the last 7 SU and 9 of the last 10. “They put a lot of pressure on us,” Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said after last month’s meeting. “The Lakers are a heck of a defensive team. You’ve got to make quick decisions against them.” The winning streak includes victories in the last three games at the United Center. The Lakers were in a mini slump losing 4 in a row before hitting a soft spot in their schedule and winning the last three against under .500 teams the head coach Phil Jackson called a weak sister. The odds makers at Bodog have the Los Angeles Lakers a -1 point favorite on the road against the Chicago Bulls.
The Lakers have won 3 in a row but most recently a road win at the Staples Center 88-87 over the Los Angeles Clippers their “weak sister” across town they share the arena with moving them to 10-12 ATS for the season. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 24 points and chipped in 2 rebounds and 4 dimes and is 2nd in the league in scoring. Pau Gasol had a subpar game by his standers only scoring 10 points but adding 10 boards. “Pau had his head down and Lamar looked like he was frustrated out there.” — Lakers coach Phil Jackson, on the subpar efforts of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom versus the Clippers. Vegas odds makers have the Los Angeles Lakers +175 to win the 2010-2011 NBA Championship.
The Bulls are also on a 3 game winning streak most recently over the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road 88-83 to move to 11-8-1 ATS for the season. Guard Derrick Rose continued to impress with 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists but the top play was a 3 point play with less than 20 seconds left to put them up for good. “I have confidence in my game where if they are backing up on me I will shoot,” said Rose, who finished with 29 points. “If they are on me, I came into this league because of driving (to the basket).” Chicago is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers and the total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago’s last 7 games when playing at home against LA Lakers. Vegas odds makers have the over/under for the total score at 199 1/2 points combined of the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls.
I predict a Bulls upset at home.