Lakers vs. Warriors Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
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Jeremy Perry
The Golden State Warriors ended their ugly four-game losing streak on Sunday when they topped the West-leading Utah Jazz. On Monday, they’ll host another elite team from the West when the Los Angeles Lakers visit. Both of these teams have been inconsistent of late, so which will get the win? Let’s take a closer look.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Lakers are just 15-18 against the spread as the favourite this season, even though they are 15-7 straight up in those games. However, they are 8-2 ATS when playing in a road game where the total is 220+.
As for the Warriors, they’ve struggled in this series. The Lakers have won three of their last four visits to Golden State while covering the spread in three of four as well. The Warriors are just 9-13 ATS this season when posted as the dog.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are among the favourites to win the NBA Championship but they’re only a modest 2.5-point road favourite in Golden State. Something looks off, right?
The issue is that the Lakers have been wildly inconsistent of late. Since starting the year 21-6, they are 4-7 in their last 11 contests. They’re still playing without Anthony Davis these days and that loss has been hard to overcome. On Friday, they picked up a 105-100 win over the Indiana Pacers but it was hard-fought. Prior to that, they had lost six of eight – including a loss at Sacramento.
LeBron James simply needs more help from the supporting cast. Kyle Kuzma stepped up on Friday and had 24 points and 13 rebounds, but four of the five starters in the game scored 11 points or less. The good news is that the Warriors are struggling right now and are a very manageable opponent. They’re barely above the playoff cutoff line and will be in a back-to-back situation.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors had lost four in a row prior to Sunday’s game with Utah and moral was low. They lost by 26 to the Los Angeles Clippers then 22 to the Phoenix Suns and both of those games were uglier than the final score. The Warriors looked strong on Sunday against the Jazz but nearly blew a massive lead, which would have been crushing. They led by 15 early, saw their lead cut to one in the fourth but still ended up winning 131-119.
For Golden State, the key – like the Lakers – is the supporting cast. Steph Curry is having an MVP-caliber season but it merely depends on who is helping him on any given night. On Sunday, Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman and Jordan Poole combined for 62 points. That paves the path to victory as Curry typically pours in about 25-30. However, if this trio can’t deliver and Kelly Oubre Jr. doesn’t do much, Curry is hung out to dry. The Warriors need a team effort on Monday to get the win in a back-to-back set.
LAL
GS