[7:40 PM] Lakers @ Nets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Lakers (10-17)

@ Brooklyn Nets (6-17)

 

• The line for this game is Nets by 1.5 points.

• The frustration seems to be getting to first-year Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton, who is one loss away from doubling the total he saw as interim coach and assistant with the Golden State Warriors last season. The Lakers have a great chance to snap their seven-game slide when they continue a seven-game road trip by visiting the lowly Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

• Second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell scored 32 points and power forward Julius Randle recorded a triple-double in a 125-118 home win over Brooklyn last month, but the wins have been harder to come by since, even with Russell’s return to the lineup. The former No. 2 overall pick sat out 11 games with a knee injury before returning in Sunday’s 118-112 loss to the Knicks and was strong enough to play on the second night of a back-to-back on Monday. Russell delivered 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 20 minutes against the Kings but Randle was held to two points and the defense allowed Sacramento to shoot 56 percent from the floor.

• Brooklyn was waiting for Lin’s return to give some stability to an offense that lacked consistent point guard play in his absence. Lopez scored 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting with Lin back but was not much help on the boards as the 7-0 center grabbed one rebound in Monday’s loss.

• Nets PF Trevor Booker recorded a double-double in three of the last four games.

• Lakers SG Lou Williams scored 14 points on 3-of-12 shooting on Monday to snap a string of five straight games with at least 24 points.

• Los Angeles earned a 104-98 win at Brooklyn last season as Russell and Randle combined for 30 points.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Los Angeles Lakers

Confidence: 4/10

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