Say goodbye to the Staples Center because Saturday’s Christmas Day matchup between the Lakers and Nets will be the first game played under the building’s new name, Crypto.com Arena (and that’s not a joke).

L.A.’s slide continued on Thursday as they picked up their fourth straight loss in an embarrassing 138-110 home blowout against San Antonio.  Brooklyn has been off for a week and still sit in top spot in the Eastern Conference despite a 100-93 home loss against Orlando last Saturday.

The game opened as a pick’em on the NBA odds, with a total of 226.5.

Nets vs. Lakers NBA Betting Odds

Arguably the face of their respective conferences, it’s rare these teams meet, thus the primetime Christmas Day matchup.  It’s been a fairly back-and-forth head-to-head series since the Nets moved to Brooklyn.  The teams have split each of the last two season series’.  Early Sports Interaction bettors are on the Nets for this one at about a 70 per cent rate, while nearly 90 per cent of action is taking the Under.

Brooklyn has been good on the road this year and come into Saturday with wins in eight of their last nine games away from Barclays Center.  They’re 12-17-1 against the spread for the season, including 8-6 ATS on the road.  The total has gone Under in six of the Nets’ last nine games.

It’s been a tough season for the Lakers and they’ve now dropped four of their last five games.  They’ve also been a brutal cover option, going 12-21 ATS and failing to cover in 13 of 19 home games.  The total has gone Under in seven of L.A.’s last nine games.

Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn has been on an unexpected break as their last three games were postponed because of COVID issues.  The Nets had 10 players in COVID protocols for their game against Orlando last Saturday, including Kevin Durant and returning star Kyrie Irving.  Durant, who averages a league-high 29.7 points per game, has had a heavy workload, leading Brooklyn to welcome back Irving despite not playing a game this season because of his unvaccinated status.  Irving will only be eligible to play road games, although neither he or Durant will play on Saturday.

James Harden, Paul Millsap and Jevon Carter have been cleared to return.  Harden is averaging 20.8 ppg and leads the Nets in rebounds (7.9), assists (9.6, second in NBA) and steals (1.4).  It’s unclear if any other Brooklyn players will clear protocols before game time.

Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James was visibly frustrated on Thursday.  James finished with a game-high 36 points, while Russell Westbrook had 30, but the Lakers were still blown out at home against the Spurs.  L.A. was missing five players as well as coach Frank Vogel because of COVID protocols.  They’ve now lost all four games since Anthony Davis went down with a knee injury.  Davis, who averages 23.3 ppg and leads the Lakers in rebounds (9.9), steals (1.2) and blocks (2.0) is expected to be out of the lineup until well into January.

Dwight Howard returned from COVID protocols on Thursday, playing 22 minutes and finishing with four points and nine rebounds.  Avery Bradley, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, Austin Reaves and Trevor Ariza all missed the game in COVID protocols.  There’s been no update on their status as of Friday afternoon, so it’s worth monitoring closer to game time.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Nets vs. Lakers?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Nets Team Leaders

BK

Points	Kevin Durant 29.87
Assists	Kevin Durant 6.38
Rebounds	Andre Drummond 10.29
FG%	Nic Claxton 67.4
Steals	Kyrie Irving 1.41
Blocks	Nic Claxton 1.09

LAL

Points	LeBron James 30.27
Assists	Russell Westbrook 7.05
Rebounds	Anthony Davis 9.85
FG%	Jemerrio Jones 66.7
Steals	Sekou Doumbouya 1.5
Blocks	Anthony Davis 2.25

BK

Points	Kevin Durant 26.25
Assists	Kevin Durant 6.25
Rebounds	Nic Claxton 6.25
FG%	Nic Claxton 79.2
Steals	Kyrie Irving 1.75
Blocks	Nic Claxton 2.25

LAL

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Lakers Team Leaders

BK

Points	Kevin Durant 29.87
Assists	Kevin Durant 6.38
Rebounds	Andre Drummond 10.29
FG%	Nic Claxton 67.4
Steals	Kyrie Irving 1.41
Blocks	Nic Claxton 1.09

LAL

Points	LeBron James 30.27
Assists	Russell Westbrook 7.05
Rebounds	Anthony Davis 9.85
FG%	Jemerrio Jones 66.7
Steals	Sekou Doumbouya 1.5
Blocks	Anthony Davis 2.25

BK

Points	Kevin Durant 26.25
Assists	Kevin Durant 6.25
Rebounds	Nic Claxton 6.25
FG%	Nic Claxton 79.2
Steals	Kyrie Irving 1.75
Blocks	Nic Claxton 2.25

LAL

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

Injuries

Brooklyn

Blake Griffin (PF)

Prob Sat Ankle - 22 / 04 / 22

Seth Curry (SG)

Prob Tues Ankle - 10 / 04 / 22

Seth Curry (SG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 07 / 04 / 22

James Johnson (PF)

Ques Fri Illness - 04 / 04 / 22

Goran Dragic (PG)

Prob Tues Conditioning - 02 / 04 / 22

Bruce Brown (PG)

Prob Tues Illness - 01 / 04 / 22

Seth Curry (SG)

Prob Wed Ankle - 01 / 04 / 22

Seth Curry (SG)

Ques Sun Ankle - 27 / 03 / 22

Goran Dragic (PG)

Prob Sun Knee - 27 / 03 / 22

Goran Dragic (PG)

Prob Sat Knee - 23 / 03 / 22

L.A. Lakers

Talen Horton-Tucker (SG)

day-to-day Ankle - 10 / 04 / 22

Dwight Howard (C)

Out Sun Rest - 10 / 04 / 22

Carmelo Anthony (SF)

Out Sun Illness - 07 / 04 / 22

Anthony Davis (PF)

Out Sun Foot - 06 / 04 / 22

Russell Westbrook (PG)

Out Sun Shoulder - 06 / 04 / 22

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Tues Foot - 04 / 04 / 22

Wenyen Gabriel (SF)

Prob Sun Ankle - 03 / 04 / 22

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Sun Foot - 02 / 04 / 22

Carmelo Anthony (SF)

Prob Sun Illness - 01 / 04 / 22

Wenyen Gabriel (SF)

Ques Fri Ankle - 01 / 04 / 22

Injuries

Brooklyn

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Blake Griffin (PF)	Prob Sat	Ankle - 22 / 04 / 22	0-2	0-2	+ -
Griffin is tending to a sprained left ankle, but it is projected that he will face the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Seth Curry (SG)	Prob Tues	Ankle - 10 / 04 / 22	2-3	2-3	+ -
Curry is dealing with left ankle soreness, but it is projected that he will be active in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Play-In against the Cavaliers.
Seth Curry (SG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 07 / 04 / 22	3-3	2-4	+ -
Curry is tending to a sprained left ankle, but it is projected that he will suit up against the Cavaliers on Friday.
James Johnson (PF)	Ques Fri	Illness - 04 / 04 / 22	3-5	2-6	+ -
Johnson has missed the last two games due to an non-COVID-19 illness, and it is undetermined if he will take the floor against the Cavaliers on Friday.
Goran Dragic (PG)	Prob Tues	Conditioning - 02 / 04 / 22	3-6	2-7	+ -
Dragic has cleared the league's health and safety protocol, and it is anticipated that he will line up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Play-In versus the Cavaliers.
Bruce Brown (PG)	Prob Tues	Illness - 01 / 04 / 22	3-6	2-7	+ -
Brown was held out of the last contest due to a non-COVID illness, but it is expected that he will be active for Tuesday's clash with the Rockets.
Seth Curry (SG)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 01 / 04 / 22	3-6	2-7	+ -
Curry has sat out the last two games with a left ankle sprain, but it is anticipated that he will face the Knicks on Wednesday.
Seth Curry (SG)	Ques Sun	Ankle - 27 / 03 / 22	4-8	3-9	+ -
Curry is hindered by a left ankle sprain, and it is unclear if he will be active against the Hornets on Sunday.
Goran Dragic (PG)	Prob Sun	Knee - 27 / 03 / 22	4-8	3-9	+ -
Dragic is dealing with a sore left knee, but it is expected that he will battle the Hornets on Sunday.
Goran Dragic (PG)	Prob Sat	Knee - 23 / 03 / 22	5-9	4-10	+ -
Dragic sat out the last contest with a sore left knee, but it is expected that he will battle the Heat on Saturday.

L.A. Lakers

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Talen Horton-Tucker (SG)	day-to-day	Ankle - 10 / 04 / 22	1-0	0-1	+ -
Horton-Tucker exited Sunday's game with a left ankle sprain, and he will not return.
Dwight Howard (C)	Out Sun	Rest - 10 / 04 / 22	1-0	0-1	+ -
Howard will not take the court for Sunday's contest versus the Nuggets as he will be given a day of rest.
Carmelo Anthony (SF)	Out Sun	Illness - 07 / 04 / 22	2-1	1-2	+ -
Anthony has been absent from the lineup during the past two games with a non-COVID-19 illness, and he will not play Sunday versus the Nuggets.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Out Sun	Foot - 06 / 04 / 22	2-2	2-2	+ -
Davis has been held out of the previous two games with a right mid-foot sprain, and he will not suit up against the Nuggets on Sunday.
Russell Westbrook (PG)	Out Sun	Shoulder - 06 / 04 / 22	2-2	2-2	+ -
Westbrook has missed his second-straight game with a sore right shoulder, and he will not be active against the Nuggets on Sunday.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Tues	Foot - 04 / 04 / 22	2-2	2-2	+ -
Davis is dealing with a right mid-foot sprain, but it is projected that he will line up for Tuesday's clash versus the Suns.
Wenyen Gabriel (SF)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 03 / 04 / 22	2-3	2-3	+ -
Gabriel is tending to a left ankle sprain, but he is projected to partake in Sunday's matchup with the Nuggets.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Sun	Foot - 02 / 04 / 22	3-3	3-3	+ -
Davis is dealing with a right mid-foot sprain, but it is projected that he will line up for Sunday's clash versus the Nuggets.
Carmelo Anthony (SF)	Prob Sun	Illness - 01 / 04 / 22	3-4	4-3	+ -
Anthony missed the previous game with a non-COVID illness, but it is expected that he will suit up Sunday against the Nuggets.
Wenyen Gabriel (SF)	Ques Fri	Ankle - 01 / 04 / 22	3-4	4-3	+ -
Gabriel is dealing with a left ankle sprain, and it is undetermined if he will dress for Friday's matchup with the Pelicans.