The Los Angeles Lakers will head to Beantown to face off with the Boston Celtics tonight. It's a tale as old as time as we share our NBA odds series, make a Lakers-Celtics prediction and pick while also showing you how to watch.
The Lakers are coming off a 113-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Significantly, LeBron James led the way with 20 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists. Anthony Davis returned to the lineup after sitting a few weeks out with an injury and scored 21 points while grabbing 12 rebounds. Also, Patrick Beverley added 18 points. Russell Westbrook emerged off the bench with 14 points. Ultimately, the Lakers shot 44.4 percent from the field. Los Angeles also held San Antonio to 37.7 percent shooting. Moreover, the Lakers won the battle of the boards 56-48. The Lakers also blocked nine shots.
The Celtics are coming off a 120-117 overtime loss to the New York Knicks. Remarkably, Jayson Tatum led Boston with 35 points and 14 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 22 points and nine rebounds. However, no one else made much of a difference. The Celtics shot 41 percent from the field and allowed 45.8 percent. Also, Boston turned the ball over 13 times.
The Lakers enter the game with a 23-26 record. Likewise, they are 10-14 on the road. The Lakers are 5-5 over their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Celtics come into this game with a 35-15 record. The Celtics are also 18-6 at the TD Garden. Substantially, they are 7-3 over the previous 10 games.
The Celtics defeated the Lakers 122-118 on December 13, 2022, in Southern California. Significantly, the Celtics blasted the Lakers 130-108 at the TD Garden last season. The Lakers 4-6 over 10 games against the Celtics at the TD Garden.
Here are the Lakers-Celtics NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Lakers-Celtics Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +8.5 (-110)
Boston Celtics: -8.5 (-110)
Over: 223.5 (-110)
Under: 223.5 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Celtics
TV: ABC
Stream: NBA
Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
One cannot overstate the importance of Davis and his return. Therefore, having him back in the lineup gives the Lakers another superstar option. The Lakers now can run the starting lineup with Davis in the middle, Dennis Schroeder at the point, and Beverely as the shooting guard. Substantially, his prescience in the lineup may open up more opportunities for others.
James continues to thrive with 29.9 points per game and 8.5 rebounds. Additionally, he has seven assists per game. The Lakers need him to take better shots and also find the open shooters. Moreover, they need him to lead by example and pace the Lakers while also preventing the Celtics from going on significant runs. Westbrook has excelled since his move to the bench. Ultimately, he averages 15.8 points per game with 7.5 assists. Lonnie Walker also is thriving with 14.7 points per game.
The Lakers are sixth in the NBA in field goal shooting percentage. However, they continue to struggle from beyond the arc, ranking 26th in 3-point shooting percentage. The Lakers rank 13th in free-throw shooting percentage. Also, they are solid on the boards, ranking sixth in rebounds. The Lakers also rank 13th in turnovers and 14th in rebounds.
The Lakers could cover the spread if James, Davis, and the rest of the starters take good shots and convert their scoring chances. Meanwhile, they must stop Tatum and Brown from scoring consistently.
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
The Celtics are one of the best teams in the NBA. Now, they face an old rival that just got one of their best players back. But the Celtics have their own stars, and they are ready to unleash them.
Tatum averages 31.1 points per game with 8.7 rebounds. Meanwhile, Brown averages 26.8 points per game with 7.1 rebounds. The Celtics have a distribution machine in Marcus Smart. Significantly, he averages 7.2 assists per game.
The Celtics are 15th in field goal shooting percentage and ninth in 3-point shooting percentage. Likewise, they are second in the NBA in free-throw shooting percentage. The Celtics are solid on the boards, ranking seventh in rebounds. Also, the Celtics rank sixth in turnovers and fourth in blocked shots.
The Celtics could cover the spread if Tatum and Brown explode for points. Additionally, they must force James and Davis to take bad shots.
Final Lakers-Celtics Prediction & Pick
The Lakers are not a good team. Conversely, they also play their rivals tough. The return of Davis gives the Lakers a spark and should keep them competitive in this showdown between old-school rivals. Expect the Lakers to keep this close to the very end, barely beating the spread.
Final Lakers-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: +8.5 (-110)
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