NBA Cup Quarter Finals got underway on Wednesday with the Eastern Conference teams — now it’s time for the West with two huge matchups, including the Thunder and Suns. But the big one will be when the Spurs head to LA to face Luka and the King.
San Antonio Spurs @ LA Lakers
The Lakers have crept into second place in the West with a 17-6 record and will host the Spurs in this NBA Cup Quarter Final.
San Antonio has also been rock solid this season at 16-7, which is impressive considering they have barely played with their full roster due to Fox missing the start of the season, followed by extended absences for Wemby and Castle.
Will the experienced Lakers defend home court to advance to the Semi Finals in Vegas, or will it be this young Spurs outfit?
LEG 1 - Luka Doncic 30+ Points
Luka has scored 30+ points in his last eight games, and this is a great matchup for him against the Spurs.
San Antonio is the easiest team in the NBA over the last month for point guards to score against, conceding at 21% above league average.
If the Lakers win this, they head to Vegas, so Luka won’t be rested in this one.
LEG 2 - Dylan Harper 10+ Points
Absolute jet. Dylan Harper is averaging 13.5 points per game this season coming off the bench for the Spurs, and despite the return of Castle last game he posted a career-high 22 points.
Harper has hit 10+ points in 85% of his games this season, and since returning from injury he is scoring at 22.9 points per 36 minutes.
Should see 20+ minutes again off the back of a breakout performance.
LEG 3 - Deandre Ayton 8+ Rebounds
Rebounding numbers remain strong for Deandre Ayton, who is averaging 8.8 per game this season.
Even though LeBron is back for the Lakers, Ayton has actually posted better rebounding numbers when playing alongside both LeBron and Luka this season, with his average jumping to 9.2 over a five-game sample and hitting 8+ in four of those games.
SAME GAME MULTI
Doncic 30+ Points / Harper 10+ Points / Ayton 8+ Rebounds = $3.20
VALUE BET
Luka Doncic 40+ @ $3.80
As mentioned earlier, the Spurs are the easiest team for point guards to score against over the last month.
Last time Luka faced the Spurs he scored 35 points, and with a bit more on the line in an NBA Cup Quarter Final we should see him do serious damage here, especially in the first quarter.
Doncic averages 14.8 first quarter points across his last eight games, which generally sets the tone for both the Lakers and his individual performance.
