The Los Angeles Lakers are north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors Tuesday night. Below we will continue our NBA odds series with a Lakers-Raptors prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
The Lakers are 42-33 this season, and they sit ninth in the Western Conference. They are just 3.5 games ahead of the Houston Rockets, so a season-ending losing streak could make them miss the playoffs. Los Angeles has won seven of their last 10 games, though. The Lakers have also beaten the Raptors once this season. In that game, the Lakers put up 132 points. Anthony Davis had 41 points and 11 rebounds while LeBron James dropped 22 points and 12 assists. As a team, the Lakers shot well over 50 percent in the win. The Lakers are healthy and ready to go in this game.
The Raptors are already eliminated from the playoffs as they are 23-51 on the year. In their loss against the Lakers earlier this season, the Raptors scored 131 of their own points. Four different players put up over 20 points in the game. As a team, the Raptors shot over 55 percent from the field. However, all four players could miss Tuesday's game. Scottie Barnes has the broken hand, but RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley just need to get their conditioning up. Pascal Siakam is obviously not on the team anymore.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Lakers-Raptors Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: -13 (-110)
Moneyline: -900
Toronto Raptors: +12 (-110)
Moneyline: +610
Over: 231 (-110)
Under: 231 (-110)
How to Watch Lakers vs. Raptors
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Spectrum Sportsnet, TSN Direct
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Lakers put up 132 points in their first matchup against the Raptors, which is always going to put the team in a great position to win. In their last 10 games, the Lakers are putting up 120.5 points per game. They are going a great job on the offensive side of the court, and that needs to continue in this one. With Davis, James, Austin Reeves, and D'Angelo Russell all healthy, it would not be surprising to see the Lakers continue this.
The Raptors allow over 120.0 points per game without Scottie Barnes. Barnes is the most important part of their defense and it shows. When the Lakers score at least 120 points this season, they are 27-6. I fully expect Los Angeles to put up 120 points or more in this one, which will go a long way towards covering the spread.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread/Win
We should work under the assumption that Barrett and Quickley will be active. Their conditioning should be better, and the two players should be ready for a full NBA game. As a team, the Raptors were able to score 120 points in their first matchup against Los Angeles. With these two players back in the lineup, the Raptors will have a better chance at keeping up on the offensive end of the court. If they can do that, they will cover the spread.
Final Lakers-Raptors Prediction & Pick
The Lakers are the better team here, and they have been able to play very well as of late. For this reason, I am going to take the Lakers to cover the spread.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Lakers-Raptors Prediction & Pick: Lakers -13 (-110)