Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction, NBA Odds
It’s one of the highlights of the Raptors’ home schedule for the entire season Tuesday when LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers make their only visit to Scotiabank Arena. The Lakers will be solid favourites on the NBA odds but by how much depends on some injuries.
Lakers vs. Raptors NBA Betting Odds
The Lakers currently sit ninth in the Western Conference and are going to be in the play-in tournament for the second year in a row, it’s just a matter of which seed. Right now, the 9 vs. 10 game would be Lakers vs. Warriors, which would be a TV ratings and betting bonanza with LeBron James facing off against fellow future Hall of Famer Steph Curry yet again. LA also was in the play-in tournament last year and won in OT over Minnesota. It got all the way to the West Finals before being swept by eventual NBA champion Denver. This writer doesn’t expect a similar run this year.
The Lakers try for the season sweep as they edged the visiting Raptors 132-131 on Jan. 9. You may remember that Dinos coach Darko Rajakovic went ballistic on the referees after and paid a big fine as he was furious that LA’s Anthony Davis scored 20 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter while going 11-for-11 at the line in the final period. Davis shot 14 of the Lakers’ 36 free throws in the game, while the entire Toronto roster shot only 13.
Los Angeles leads the all-time series 32-22 and 15-12 as the road team. Toronto has won seven of its last nine home games against the Lakers dating to March 2015. Of course the most memorable game in the series came on Jan. 22, 2006 in LA when Kobe Bryant scored a team-record 81 points in the Lakers’ home victory. That remains the No. 2 total in a game in league history.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers generally list stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis as questionable, but they usually play. Do note this is the front end of a back-to-back with Los Angeles at Washington on Wednesday to complete a long trip, so it’s not out of the question one of them does sit Tuesday. Pretty rare that both do. LeBron had 40 points in Sunday’s impressive win in Brooklyn. He joined Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history with multiple games of 40 points or more after turning 39. James now has done it twice while Jordan, who played until he was 40, did it three times. LeBron tied a career high in made three-pointers with nine (on 10 attempts). Guard Gabe Vincent had been out since Dec. 20 with a knee issue but returned Sunday and had two points in 14 minutes. The Lakers need his three-point shooting. They are 3-12 ATS in their past 15 vs. Toronto.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto lost its 13th straight game on Sunday, 135-120 at home against Philadelphia even though the Sixers were missing their two best players by far in All-Star Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Philly made a franchise-record 24 three-pointers on 43 tries. Gary Trent Jr. led six Raptors in double-figure points with 23, while Jordan Nwora added 19 off the bench. Toronto was again crazy short-handed Sunday, but both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are expected back from personal absences on Tuesday. Ochai Agbaji will remain sidelined. The Raptors (19.0) and Lakers (16.7) rank first and third, respectively, in fast-break points this season. The longest losing streak in Dinos history is 17 consecutive games in 1997-98. They are 1-8 ATS in their past nine.
LAL
TOR