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The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in San Francisco. It will be a Pacific Division showdown at Oracle Arena as we continue our NBA odds series and make a Lakers-Warriors prediction and pick.
The Lakers lead the head-to-head series 263-176. However, the Lakers and Warriors have split the last 1o games and are 3-2 in the past five games at Oracle. These teams had a Christmas classic as the Lakers beat the Warriors 115-113 with a buzzer-beater by Austin Reaves. The last three Lakers' wins in San Francisco have come by nine combined points.
Here are the Lakers-Warriors NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Lakers-Warriors Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +1 (-110)
Moneyline: -102
Golden State Warriors: -1 (-110)
Moneyline: -116
Over: 221.5 (-112)
Under: 221.5 (-108)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Warriors
Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
TV: ABC
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Lakers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Lakers just destroyed the Celtics on Thursday and maintained their spot in the Western Conference, sitting in fifth place. While they have played steady basketball, they still might need a center at the trade deadline.
When the Lakers edged out the Warriors, they had a steady eight-point lead after the third quarter. Then, they held off a rally and finished off the Warriors with a simple layup from Reaves.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 31 points and 10 assists while shooting 12 for 22. Meanwhile, Reaves finished with a triple-double, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists while shooting 8 for 20, including 4 for 10 from the three-point line. Rui Hachimura had 18 points while shooting 6 for 12 from the floor, including 5 for 7 from the triples. Likewise, Max Christie had 16 points. Anthony Davis left that game early with an injury. Therefore, the Lakers needed more work from others, including Dalton Knecht, who scored 13 points.
The Lakers shot 45.1 percent from the floor, including 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Remarkably, the Lakers hit 100 percent (18 for 18) of their free throws. Despite losing the board battle 44-41, the Lakers still managed to win this game. They had six steals and blocked four shots. Also, they kept their mistakes down as they had nine turnovers. Shooting the basketball well and reducing mental mistakes paid dividends in this game.
The Lakers will cover the spread if James, Reaves, and Davis can continue to shoot the rock well with some help from their bench. Then, they must win the board battle to prevent the Warriors from getting multiple chances to score.
Why the Warriors Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Warriors just lost Kevin Looney and are already incredibly banged up. Sadly, things have been tough for the Warriors as they currently sit 22-22 and outside of the play-in spots by 1/2 game behind the Phoenix Suns. While they do have a chance to claim that spot, the Warriors have work to do, and they will need to utilize every player they have to get the job done.
When the Warriors met the Lakers on Christmas Day, they had numerous chances to win. Amazingly, Stephen Curry led the way with 38 points while shooting 14 for 24 from the floor. Andrew Wiggins added 21 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 8 for 19 from the field. Likewise, Jonathan Kuminga had 14 points off the bench. The offense must do a better job of holding onto the rock. Unfortunately, they turned the ball over 12 times in their loss to the Lakers.
The Warriors shot 46.1 percent from the floor, including 40 percent from beyond the arc. Furthermore, they won the board battle 44-41, including 12 offensive rebounds. But the Warriors were not opportunistic enough, garnering only two steals. The Warriors also blocked eight shots.
The Warriors will cover the spread if Curry and Wiggins can continue to shoot the ball well, and Kuminga can add some firepower while the team shoots the ball well and wins the board battle. Then, they must contain James and Davis and force them both into bad shots.
Final Lakers-Warriors Prediction & Pick
The Lakers are 21-21 against the spread, while the Warriors are 21-22-1 against the spread. Moreover, the Lakers are 8-12 against the spread on the road, while the Warriors are 10-13 against the spread at home. The Lakers are 7-2 against the spread against the Pacific Division, while the Warriors are 1-7 against the spread when facing the Pacific.
I expect this to be a close game. Somehow, the Lakers and Warriors always play tough games in San Francisco. It will be a game of slim margins. Therefore, I expect this game to go down to the wire, with the Lakers doing just enough to cover the spread on the road against the Warriors.
Final Lakers-Warriors Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: +1 (-110)
