Sports Betting: Los Angeles Lakers at New Jersey Nets NBA Odds

The Los Angeles Lakers and the New Jersey Nets will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday at 8:00pm EST when they battle at Izod Center. NBA odds makers currently have the Lakers listed as 13-point favorites in sports betting against the Nets while the game's total is sitting at 197. Pau Gasol netted 26 points with a career-high 22-rebounds for a double-double as the Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 107-106 in overtime on Wednesday. "I'm just trying to be more active and more assertive. I'm trying to pursue the ball more instead of waiting for it," Gasol said after the game.

The Lakers failed to convert the 5-point spread in NBA odds while the 213 points sailed OVER the posted total of 198.5 at online sportsbooks. Kobe Bryant poured in a game-high 39 points in the win scoring 27 of his points in the second half and overtime. Los Angeles has won two games in a row, is 20-4 straight up on the season, 10-14 as a favorite against the sports betting spread and 8-2 when playing on Saturday.

The Nets were torn apart 118-95 by the Toronto Raptors on Friday as a 7.5-point road underdog in sports betting odds. That game's 213-points sailed OVER the posted total of 204 at online sportsbooks. Chris Douglas-Roberts shot 7-for-12 from the field with 16 points in the sixth straight loss for New Jersey. "That's how teams are going to start looking at us, if they haven't already. You will get whatever you want on the Nets. That's how I'd be looking at us," said Douglas-Roberts after the game. The Nets are 2-25 straight up on the season, 8-18-1 against the spread as underdogs in NBA odds and 2-8 after a loss.

Whitmore's NBA Picks: If any sports betting handicapper tells you take the Nets tonight at home... you should never speak to them again and give me a call. The Lakers are 6-1 against the spread for their last seven against New Jersey while the Nets are 1-5 ATS for their last six at home. My NBA sports betting pick for tonight's basketball match-up will be to take the Lakers on the road laying the points to the OVER in a 2-team parlay. Vegas odds at the Hilton sportsbook have the Los Angeles Lakers -13 favorites in NBA odds against the New Jersey Nets with a total of 196.5.