NBA Betting – Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics

The most storied rivalry in the NBA and one of the most in all of sports gets renewed Saturday when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Boston Celtics in primetime. We nearly had the 13th NBA Finals matchup between the clubs last season until the Celtics were overtaken in the Eastern Conference. LA went on to win its 17th league title matching Boston for the most in NBA history. Both teams are near the top of their respective conferences this season giving hope that maybe we’ll see the first Finals featuring the teams since 2010.  Bookmaker.eu is offering a generous CASH welcome bonus (max bonus $1600 CASH)

Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics
Date and Time: Saturday, January 30, 2021, 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Opening NBA Odds: (Live Odds Here)
Lakers at Celtics TV Coverage: ABC

Odds Analysis

We knew it wouldn’t last and sure enough the Lakers road winning streak was halted with a 107-106 loss in Philadelphia on Wednesday. With the help of their record 10-game streak to start the season, the Lakers held the top spot in the West. That setback left them behind the surging Utah Jazz, though the situation is only temporary. While LA has been good on the road going 10-2 SU and 7-5 ATS, they face a tough situation with Saturday’s contest their third in four nights. It’s also the penultimate game of their seven-game road trip that opened with a big win over the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Lakers are bouncing around from city to city, the Celtics will have a few days to regroup following a 110-106 setback to San Antonio, their fourth loss in six games. They lost outright as a 4.5-point favorite going 2-4 ATS in their last six.

Los Angeles Lakers

Though their winning streak was stopped you have to give the Lakers credit for battling back against the 76ers. Trailing by 12 late in the fourth quarter, they went on a 13-0 run to take the lead with 11 seconds remaining. It took a Tobias Harris jumper a few minutes later to end the run and the perfect start on the road. “It didn’t go our way but I loved our fight,” LeBron James said afterward.

James is on a tear during the road trip, and when he’s playing like he is the Lakers are a tough out. They are anyway, as evidenced by their 14-6 SU and 10-10 ATS record, but it’s a significant sign when the leader is putting the team on his back. With a stronger supporting cast James has mostly deferred this season. He hadn’t scored 30 points in a game until the opener of the trip when he dropped 34 on the Bucks and reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in an obvious message to voters. James hit 7 of 11 three-pointers and scored 46 points a few nights later in his return to Cleveland.

James may have to pick up the slack on Saturday with Anthony Davis hobbled by a sore leg. AD was ruled out of Thursday’s game with Detroit, which the Lakers lost. The hope is that AD is well enough to play in Boston, which would be a boost now that the Celtics are getting their roster back on the floor.

Boston Celtics

Dealing with COVID-related health and safety protocols and injuries, the Celtics have struggled to put a full lineup on the court. Kemba Walker made his season debut last week following offseason knee surgery and Jayson Tatum was cleared to play after missing five games. The reunion didn’t go as planned with a loss in San Antonio, but the Celtics will win a lot more games than they lose with those two players in the lineup.

The projected starting lineup of Walker, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Daniel Thiess and Marcus Smart played together for the first time this season against the Spurs with all but Thiess scoring in double figures. The balanced attack was a good sign and something the team has used to great success in the past. It might take time for the unit to gel, however. “We’ve had guys out, guys hurt. We are just trying to put everything together,” Brown said.

Walker, Brown and Tatum all averaged over 20 points last season, the only teammates to do so. And they are on pace again. Playing for the first time in a few weeks, Tatum dropped 24 on the Bulls in a 119-103 win. Brown had 26 in that game and leads the team with an average of 27.1 points. Tatum scores 26.5 points per game while Walker needs to pick up the pace. He’s scoring at a 16.4 per game clip.

Bet Lakers at Celtics at BookMaker.eu

You have to like the Celtics chances now that they have their key performers back in the lineup. And with the Lakers playing a third game in four nights and AD working on a sore leg, their chances of success are impacted. With LeBron playing at a high level on this trip the Lakers are certainly up to the challenge, but there has to be some letdown as they near the end of a lengthy road trip.

NBA Score Prediction: Celtics 109, Lakers 105

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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com