Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Lakers Prediction, NBA Odds

Payton Matthews | Updated Jan 08, 2024

Share this article

The Toronto Raptors' California road trip continues Tuesday night with a visit to the L.A. Lakers.

Toronto
25-57
AT
January 09, 2024, 10:30 PM ET
Staples Center
L.A. Lakers
47-35
Pointspread -4.5 -105
Matchup Odds
Pointspread ++4.5 -125
Matchup Odds

The Toronto Raptors play the first of consecutive nights in Los Angeles on Tuesday as they take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron’s status will affect the NBA odds as he’s listed questionable essentially for every game but usually plays.

Raptors vs. Lakers NBA Betting Odds

Of course, the NBA’s In-Season Tournament debuted this year and the Lakers were the first-time champions – even hanging a banner for it at Crypto.com Arena, but that seemed take a lot out of this very aged roster as the Lakers really haven’t been the same team since beating Indiana 123-109 for that championship on Dec. 9 in Las Vegas. This might be the last chance that LeBron James at age 39 has to win a fifth career NBA title, although in reality the Lakers are probably not good enough as currently constructed. There are only so many minutes that James and injury-prone Anthony Davis can play.

The Lakers have been linked to several trade rumours, the most likely being a deal for Chicago Bulls former All-Star guard Zach LaVine as Los Angeles still is a terrible perimeter shooting team. Free-agent guard Gabe Vincent was supposed to help solve that problem but has barely played this season due to injury and is out another 6-8 weeks or so.

These teams split last season, each winning at home. The Lakers lead all time 31-22 and 16-10 at home. They play again on April 2 in Toronto. The Dinos are 7-3 SU and ATS in the past 10 overall.

Toronto Raptors

We forecast the Raptors to allow 118 points on Sunday at Golden State but in a loss. They did allow 118 but spanked Steph Curry and the Dubs 133-118 in one of Toronto’s most impressive efforts of the season even if the Warriors are nowhere close to what they used to be. The Raptors shot 58.5 per cent overall and outscored Golden State 24-8 in fastbreak points. RJ Barrett had his best game since being traded to Toronto with a season-high 37 points to go with six rebounds and six assists. He was one of six players in double figures, which included three reserves. Barrett’s 84 total points are the third most by a Raptor through their first four games with the franchise. Only Kawhi Leonard and Rudy Gay had more. The Raptors are now 35-4 (.897) all-time when scoring at least 130 points and are averaging 126.0 points on 52 per cent shooting in the past five. Perhaps consider a combo prop play on Scottie Barnes on Tuesday as he averages 24.3 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in four career games against the Lakers. The Raptors are 5-2 ATS in their past seven.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers snapped out of their funk for one night Sunday as they upset the red-hot Clippers 106-103 to snap a four-game losing streak. LeBron James had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Anthony Davis had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers. Guard D’Angelo Russell, who has been rumoured on the trade market, had 13 points and six assists after missing the past three games injured. Russell started earlier this season but now Coach Darvin Ham is bringing him off the bench. There were reports over the weekend about some locker-room tension with Ham and his rotations, etc., but it would be a shock if he were to be fired after getting the team to the conference finals last season. Then again, if LeBron wants him gone, Ham would be gone. Forward Rui Hachimura (11.6 ppg) has missed the past three with a calf strain and is not likely for Tuesday. The Lakers are 8-3 SU in their past 11 Tuesday games.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Raptors vs. Lakers?

NBA Predictions
SportsInteraction
  • TOR
  • +4.5 -4.5
  • LAL
Matchup NBA Odds