The slumping Jazz are in Los Angeles this evening to take on the Pacific leading Lakers. Tonight's game is scheduled to get underway at 10:30pm ET at the STAPLES Center; it will be broadcast live on NBA TV. The latest NBA Odds have Los Angeles listed as a -7.5 against the spread home favorite and the Over/Under set at 195.5.
Utah owns second place in the Northwest 
Division, but its position is tenuous at best thanks to a losing streak that reached four games on Saturday night. The Jazz, who conclude a five game road swing tonight, fell to the 76ers 85-96 to drop to 27-17 on the year.
Three starters produced double-doubles in the Philadelphia loss, with Paul Milsap and Al Jefferson combining for 37 points and 25 boards and Deron Williams dishing out 14 assists and dropping in 20 points. Andrei Kirilenko was solid off the bench, finsihing with 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists, but the rest of the team managed just 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
The Jazz, which have lost 10 in a row at the STAPLES Center, can move into sole possession of first place with wins tonight and tomorrow and an Oklahoma City loss at Minnesota tomorrow night. If their losing streak reaches six games, though, the Jazz could be on the cusp of fourth place with Denver and Portland just 1.5 and three games behind them, respectively, in the division standings.
Los Angeles rebounded from a 109-100 loss at Dallas last Wednesday night with a rare win at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Lakers took out the Nuggets 107-97 to improve to 32-13 on the year and increase their lead over the Suns in the Pacific Division to 11 games.
Los Angeles shot 53.4 percent in the win over Denver as five players scored at least 17 or more points. Two players, forwards Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, both came up with double-doubles. Gasol produced a team high 19 points and 13 rebounds while Odom scored 18 points and grabbed 10 boards off the bench. Kobe Bryant finished the night with 18 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
The Lakers, which are 17-5 at home this season, have won six in a row and seven of their last eight as a host.
NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Jazz are 2-8 straight up and 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 games as a road dog with a spread between 4 and 7.5 (Over 8-2 in those games).
Jazz vs Lakers NBA Odds – January 25th, 2011:
Utah Jazz +7.5 (-110), Over 195.5 (-110), +290 (Moneyline)
Los Angeles Lakers -7.5 (-110), Under 195.5 (-110), -350 (Moneyline)
