With most of the NBA basketball betting action for Monday taking place in the daytime due to the MLK holiday, we’ll focus on the one nightgame game for our sportsbook bet of the day in pro hoops.  The Orlando Magic head west to the Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of last season’s NBA finals.  Orlando isn’t in top form at the moment, having lost six of their last eight games.  The Lakers have been dealing with injuries to Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, but have continued to play well despite their health issues.  Los Angeles currently boasts the best record in the NBA (31-9) and finally have Gasol back in the lineup.

ORLANDO MAGIC VS. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

The Magic opened their four game west coast swing with a win and cover at Sacramento but have since dropped two games to Denver and Portland both SU and against the spread.  They’ve only covered two of their last eight road games, partially due to the overall superiority of the Western Conference this season.  That’s a concept we’ll keep in mind here as they take on a Lakers team that will be looking to make a statement against the team they beat in the finals last year and could possibly see again this season.  Gasol’s return to the lineup negates a lot of Orlando’s front court advantage, but its not like they’ve been dominating anyone of late at either end.  They were hammered by Portland in their last game despite the Blazers’ well publicized injuries problems at center–and with All Star shooting guard Brandon Roy out of the lineup.  Dwight Howard, in particular, has been struggling on the offensive end and that won’t get any easier here with Gasol defending him.

Orlando has held their own in regular season games in L.A. of late, splitting the last four and covering three.  They lost four of five in the playoffs, of course, and this is a difficult place for the team to get back in sync.  Los Angeles is 11-1 SU against the Eastern Conference this season and have won and covered four straight at home where they’re 22-3 SU on the season.  Were the Magic not in such bad form right now they might be worth a look here, but we’ve got to go with the hometown Lakers to win and cover.

PLAY LOS ANGELES LAKERS -6 OVER ORLANDO MAGIC