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The Los Angeles Lakers will continue their road trip on Friday as they battle the Atlanta Hawks. It's a showdown at State Farm Arena, and we're continuing our NBA odds series by making a Lakers-Hawks prediction and pick.
The Lakers lead the head-to-head series 197-143. They split the series last season. Overall, the Lakers are 7-3 over their past 10 games against the Hawks, including 3-2 in the past five games at the State Farm Arena.
Here are the Lakers-Hawks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Lakers-Hawks Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +5 (-112)
Moneyline: +168
Atlanta Hawks: -5 (-108)
Moneyline: -200
Over: 230.5 (-110)
Under: 230.5 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Hawks
Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT
TV: SportsNet LA and FDSS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Lakers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Lakers are coming off their worst loss of the season and looking mediocre after a hot start. While the loss was abysmal, LeBron James hit a milestone in his career, moving into seventh place for the most three-point shots made. But that did not settle things in Los Angeles. Instead, it seemed like an afterthought in a season already filled with drama. Things even got so bad that Lakers legend James Worthy blasted the team over their embarrassing display.
It has been an awful week for the Lakers, as they have been blown out in consecutive games. First, they fell 109-80 to the Minnesota Timberwolves before this atrocious showing. Their recent victories have not looked good, either, as they eeked out a win over the Utah Jazz. The six-game winning streak from mid-November seems like a lifetime ago. However, this team is still talented and can make a run and cover the spread in this game. It still starts with shooting the basketball.
The Lakers shot only 42 percent from the floor on Wednesday, including a paltry 22.7 percent from beyond the arc. Additionally, they lost the board battle 52-36. It did not help that they allowed the Heat to shoot 57.8 percent from the field, including 51.1 percent from beyond the arc. The trouble began in the second quarter when they allowed the Heat to pull away and could not make up the ground.
It also was tough to do anything without Austin Reaves, who was out with a pelvis injury. Additionally, Anthony Davis struggled, scoring eight points while going 3 for 14. D'Angelo Russell struggled, going 5 for 13, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc. Dalton Knecht continued his recent struggles, scoring just two points. Unfortunately, he has shot 6 for 22 from the field over the past three games. Knecht must improve.
The Lakers will cover the spread if they can shoot the basketball efficiently and win the board battle. They must also defend better and not allow too many easy shots.
Why the Hawks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Hawks just pulled off a big win on the road, routing the Milwaukee Bucks 119-104. Significantly, it was the fifth straight victory for a team that has seemingly hovered around .500 for the longest time.
The Hawks beat the Bucks because of their ability to excel at the charity stripe. Remarkably, they hit 20 of 22 free-throw attempts. But the offense struggled, shooting 43.7 percent from the floor, including 28.1 percent from the triples. The Hawks made up for these issues by dominating the boards 55-40. Jalen Johnson had 23 points and 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, Clint Capela brought down 17 boards. The capable work of these two made it all right for the Hawks as they gained multiple chances.
Trae Young did not have the greatest game, going 6 for 19 from the floor, including nine missed three-point shots. He also committed four turnovers. While it was not the best night for Young, his teammates picked him up. Regardless, he must do better in this game to have a chance.
The Hawks will cover the spread if they can continue to convert their free-throw chances and win the board battle. Then, they must contain James and force Davis into taking bad shots.
Final Lakers-Hawks Prediction & Pick
The Lakers are 8-14 against the spread, while the Hawks are 10-13 against the odds. Moreover, the Lakers are 3-9 against the spread on the road, while the Hawks are 6-5 against the odds at home. The Lakers are 2-5 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the Hawks are 3-5 against the odds when facing the Western Conference.
The Lakers look more lost than ever and are 0-4 against the spread in their past four contests. Until they fix their issues, it is hard to trust them. I am rolling with the Hawks to cover the spread at home against the purple and gold.
Final Lakers-Hawks Prediction & Pick: Atlanta Hawks: -5 (-108)
