LA Lakers versus Chicago Bulls Pick Prediction NBA Pro Basketball Odds Preview 3-10-2013

The 35-27 Chicago Bulls will travel west to face the 32-31 LA Lakers in an NBA pro basketball game on Sunday afternoon. Tip off time from Staples Center in Los Angeles is set for 3:30PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by the NBA League Pass Channel.

The NBA odds from this game have the home team LA Lakers favored by 5 points with an over under line of 195 points. Early money has landed on the Bulls side as the LA Lakers opened up as a -5 ½ point favorite.

The teams met back on January 21st where the Bulls posted the 95-83 home victory against the Lakers as a +1 point underdog. The game landed under 194 ½ points.

The Bulls have a road record of 17-13 on the current campaign. They break a two game losing streak on Friday night in an 89-88 home win against the Utah Jazz as a -4 point betting favorite. The game finished under 185 ½ points. Chicago holds on to the win despite being held to just 34 second half points and 37% shooting for the game. They connected on just 4 of 17 from three point distance. The Bulls allowed Utah 45.7% shooting and win because they went to the free throw line 12 more times. Carlos Boozer for Chicago scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds on 10 of 22 shot making. Doctors have cleared point guard Derrick Rose to begin playing. Rose has indicated he is not quite there yet and needs to be stronger with his drives to the hoop with his left hand. The Bulls offense has sputtered without Rose because the team is 28th and third last in the scoring offense as the team pushes across just 92.5 points per game. They are fifth last in the NBA in field goal and three point shooting.

The LA Lakers are 21-11 this season playing at home. LA wins their second straight after a 118-116 home overtime victory on Friday night to the Toronto Raptors as a -7 ½ point betting favorite. The game finished over 207 points. LA overcomes a ten point deficit after three quarters to force the overtime period. They are held to just 42.9% from the field and made 14 of 29 from three. They allow Toronto 51.6% shooting and win because the Lakers go to the free throw line 20 more times. Kobe Bryant had 41 points and 12 assists on 11 of 22 shooting. In the playoff picture the Lakers have crept within a ½ game of the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final seed in the Western conference. For the Lakers to get into the playoffs the defense has to be better. They are in the bottom half of the NBA in all three key areas which are points allowed per game, field goal and three point defense.