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The Los Angeles Lakers will continue their road trip on Thursday as they face the Washington Wizards. It will be a showdown at the Verizon Center as we continue our NBA odds series and make a Lakers-Wizards prediction and pick.
The Lakers lead the head-to-head series 126-77. Recently, the Lakers demolished the Wizards 111-88. The Lakers are 7-3 over 10 games against the Wizards. Additionally, they have won five games in a row. But the Wizards are 3-2 in the past five games against the Lakers at the Verizon Center.
Here are the Lakers-Wizards NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Lakers-Wizards Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: -6.5 (-106)
Moneyline: -255
Washington Wizards: +6.5 (-114)
Moneyline: +210
Over: 227.5 (-112)
Under: 227.5 (-108)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Wizards
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Sports-Net LA and Monumental Sports Network
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Lakers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Lakers lost Anthony Davis to an abdominal injury on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. While there is no telling how serious it is, losing Davis for any time could hurt the Lakers. Ultimately, the Lakers faced a reality check in the loss to the Sixers, as they could not handle a team that did not even have Joel Embiid available.
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When the Lakers beat the Wizards, they held a first-quarter lead that eventually grew to a 59-49 halftime advantage. Then, they slowly built their lead before having a great fourth quarter, where they held the Wizards to just 11 points in the final stanza. Davis was the leading scorer in that game, tallying 29 points and 16 rebounds, but likely will not play in this game. Meanwhile, LeBron James had a triple-double while scoring 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists while going 8 for 18. Austin Reaves had 16 points while shooting just 4 for 15 from the floor but making all seven of his free-throw chances. Meanwhile, Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 points while shooting 6 for 8 from the bench.
The Lakers shot 47.8 percent from the floor, including 32.4 percent from the triples. Moreover, they held the Wizards to 35.8 percent from the field, including 25.6 percent from beyond the arc. The Lakers won the boards battle 50-46. Furthermore, they also blocked 10 shots.
The Lakers will cover the spread if they can shoot the ball effectively and win the board battle. Then, they must continue to play good defense and not let the Wizards surprise them.
Why the Wizards Could Cover the Spread/Win
Jordan Poole made a bold declaration the other day, hailing himself an All-Star. While Poole has done enough to score a lot of points, he has not shot the rock well.
The Wizards stayed with the Lakers until the fourth quarter. However, the meltdown in the final quarter showcased how much work the Wizards have to do. Bilal Coulibaly was the leading scorer in the loss to the Lakers, scoring 17 points while shooting 7 for 15 from the floor. Additionally, Poole added 15 points while shooting 5 for 18 from the field, including 4 for 12 from the three-point line. Kyle Kuzma added 12 points and nine rebounds while shooting 5 for 13 from the hardwood. Likewise, Alex Sarr, who is currently dealing with an ankle injury, had 10 points while shooting 5 for 14 from the field.
Corey Kispert was solid off the bench, scoring 15 points while shooting 5 for 11. Also, Jonas Valanciunas had eight points while shooting 4 for 6 from the field. The Wizards shot poorly as a team. Furthermore, they lost the board battle. But the Wizards also had eight steals and eight blocked shots. However, they must hold onto the rock more, as they had 11 turnovers.
The Wizards will cover the spread if they can set up better shots. Moreover, with Davis likely not playing, attacking the rim will be the best option as the Lakers don't have a suitable backup for him.
Final Lakers-Wizards Prediction & Pick
The Lakers are 22-22-1 against the spread, while the Wizards are 17-26-2 against the spread. Moreover, the Lakers are 9-13-1 against the spread on the road, while the Wizards are 10-12 against the spread at home. The Lakers are 7-9-1 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the Wizards are 6-14-1 against the spread when facing the Western Conference. The Lakers are 5-8 against the spread when they have a rest advantage, while the Wizards are 6-4-1 against the spread when they have a rest disadvantage, yet 2-5 against the odds when they have no rest.
The Lakers are the more talented team and may win this game. Yet, the Wizards always play the Lakers tough at home and might not have to face Davis in this game. Because of this, I am rolling with the Wizards to cover the spread at home against the Lakers.
Final Lakers-Wizards Prediction & Pick: Wizards +6.5 (-114)
