NBA 2021/22 on Tuesday, 08.03.2022
The Los Angeles Lakers face the San Antonio Spurs and this game is not so insignificant! Because both teams are on a collision course in the fight for a spot in the Play-In-Tournament!
Meanwhile, the outcome of the game is completely open for me. However, in my Spurs Lakers tip I expect two quite realistic scenarios: An outstanding LeBron James and a lot of points on both sides!
After four straight losses, the Lakers made the headlines again this weekend – but this time it was a positive one! To be precise, it was LeBron James who almost single-handedly defeated the Warriors with one hell of a performance.
The 37-year-old’s biggest enemy remains time, but he was the driving force in his team’s 124-116 triumph yesterday, scoring 56 points! However, praise is also due to the coach.
Coach Frank Vogel relied on a small-ball lineup with LeBron at the five, which paid off immediately. Without a real centre in the zone, the Warriors had problems from the start to get a grip on James.
The Lakers, however, allow themselves too many turnovers at the moment – most recently also against the Warriors – to consider a safe bet on LA to win! Especially since the Lakers’ defence has been a disaster so far.
Nonetheless, I trust that if Los Angeles once again field a small-ball lineup that revolves around LeBron James, he will once again score frequently against the Spurs.
And honestly? With an average of 29.4 points per game this season, The King is still one of the best five players in the NBA in my eyes. For their part, the Spurs are on the decline, and don’t possess much defensively to slow James down!
The Spurs have a record of (24-40) and are unlikely to qualify for the playoffs this year! Meanwhile, they lost their last four NBA games straight up – the last one against the Hornets 117-123.
Incidentally, two starting five players who disappointed badly against Charlotte were Doug McDermott and Keldon Johnsen, who gave too much freedom, especially in the backcourt. LeBron James could hit them hard here!
On the other hand, the Texans are much more effective going forward! According to the official NBA statistics, only the Timberwolves and the Bucks have scored more points on average than the Spurs during their last six games (122.3).
When we contrast the Texans’ offensive production with the Lakers’ strengths and weaknesses, an interesting picture emerges that suggests a high-scoring game.
After all, this is a matchup of two strong offensive teams that will play a minor role in the playoff race due to their weak defence and the many turnovers caused.
NBA history, by the way, could confirm my thesis of an entertaining game! After all, over 245 total points have been scored in two of the last three games.
Meanwhile, the last meeting between the Californians and the Texans dates back to Christmas 2021! On that occasion, it was still the Spurs who clearly had the upper hand in their 138-110 victory.
Conclusion: Both teams are simply allowing too much defensively to be in contention for a direct playoff spot! However, LeBron James made it clear once again in his last performance against the Warriors why he is probably the best player of all time after Michael Jordan.
In the upcoming game against the Spurs, two realistic scenarios present themselves to me, both of which assume another outstanding performance by The King.
On the one hand, I think that LeBron James will once again score over 30.5 points and on the other hand, I expect a high-scoring game in which a total of over 227 points will be converted – just like in the last meeting.
My Spurs Lakers tip is therefore first and foremost: Over 227.5 total points!
