NBA Betting: The jury's still out on LeBron James this season, but even 'The King' can't do it all alone

NBA Betting: The jury's still out on LeBron James this season, but even 'The King' can't do it all alone

If the Lakers are going to beat Houston, they need everyone at their best.

ALREADY edging past the quarter-mark of the NBA’s regular season: the snap verdict on LeBron James’ switch to the Los Angeles Lakers is…?

Varied, depending on expectation versus reality, not a surprise when the sport’s transcendent performer is transplanted onto a team which was, frankly, anything but impressive last term.

By any metric, a 17-10 start for a club which found the playoffs elusive in recent times is a vast improvement, one reason why James might still be under-valued as a 4.00 second-favourite to earn another MVP this term.

Especially as he is carrying the load almost alone, the anchor around a crew of developing but still-unfinished vessels that throwback to his first stint in Cleveland where the Cavs were good but not quite championship-good.

Now, with three titles under his belt and all the status in the world, James can afford to play the long game, particularly as the Lakers throw ahead to next summer and the opportunity to capitalise on the wiggle room they possess to add a second, or perhaps, even a third A-List accomplice.

As a solo lead, the 33-year-old has rarely been this involved, scoring 29.4 points and grabbing 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the five games this month heading into Thursday’s visit to the Houston Rockets.

Just one resulted in a loss, on the second leg of a home and road doubleheader with the San Antonio Spurs.

Subtract James’ sub-70% free throw shooting and it could be argued he’s never been better, stepping back from the playmaking role (which the Lakers have in abundance) and simply focusing on pushing ball through basket, especially with only Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram scoring above an average of 15 per night.

The adjustment for his young team-mates has been tough, even in a stretch of winning 14 out of 17 that has seen the Lakers move up to ninth in offensive output at 113.1 per game while marginally improving their defence despite a 17^thranking at 110.9.

Yet although they are now sixth in the odds list for the championship at 19.00, there is little reason to expect even LeBron to pull off what would be his most unexpected title.

The consistency of the Toronto Raptors has vaulted them above the Eastern pack to drop to 2.75 to emerge for that Conference and despite a remarkable indifferent start, even Houston remain shorter-priced for the West at 8.00 – with the Golden State Warriors inevitably top of the list at 1.35.

In short, LeBron needs help. As even the great ones do. However, provided the Lakers front office, led by Magic Johnson, earn their own MVP prize, the Warriors might find next season a little tougher.

Houston presumed they might be this year’s prime challenger but sit second from bottom of the West having lost three out of four and seven out of ten. They are only 20^th in scoring despite James Harden’s 30.0 points per contest, a huge deflation.

That makes the Lakers worth a punt for victory over the Rockets at 2.95 with under 220.5 total points at 2.32 looking attractive.

Best bet: Take the LA Lakers over Houston at -1.5 at 3.05.

Sunday

Sunday’s bottom of the bill clash sees the terrible Atlanta Hawks visit the mediocre Brooklyn Nets. Rebuilding, for both, seems a perpetual construction project.

Unusually, the Nets have been better away than in NYC and have won three straight heading into the weekend. With the Hawks woeful roadblocks, back Brooklyn by -6.5.

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