Both teams are coming off slim Tuesday night wins, but it’s the Lakers that have looked like the better team. L.A. is riding a four game win streak and comes into Thursday’s game as the favourite.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

San Antonio has shown flashes of competitiveness, but they still sit a game under .500, although they’ve covered the spread in five of their seven games, this season. Against L.A., the Spurs are just 3-7 straight up in their last eight games, with these teams hitting the over in five of the last 10 games.

The Lakers have found their stride, but will be looking to improve on their 2-2 home record. L.A. has gone 4-4 ATS this year and they’ve missed the over in their last six games.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs showed they are a young team that is still learning, after they almost blew a 24-point lead in their 116-113 win over the Clippers on Tuesday.  San Antonio was comfortably ahead for large portions of the game, but gave up 40 points in the third quarter and blew multiple leads.  Patty Mills led the Spurs with 27 points, including a career-high eight three’s, while Dejounte Murray added 17 points in the first half and finished with 21 points, five assists and five rebounds.  After missing the last three games, LaMarcus Aldridge returned with 14-points, shooting 6-16 from the field.

With veterans like Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills, it’s easy to forget this is still a young team going through growing pains.  They have the ability to go on big runs, but there will always be defensive lapses as they learn.

Los Angeles Lakers

A 94-92 win in Memphis on Tuesday capped off a 4-0 road trip for the Lakers, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis putting up a matching 26 points apiece. James accounts for nearly 60 per cent of L.A.’s fourth quarter production this year and leads the league in fourth quarter plus-minus over the last four games.

For anyone who thinks James has slowed down with age, keep this in mind: on a team with players like Anthony Davis, Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell, LeBron is the team leader in points per game (23.9) and assists per game (7.4), and only trails Anthony Davis in rebounds per game (Davis averages 9, James averages 8.8). With L.A. looking like they’ve finally built some solid chemistry, expect King James to only get better.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Spurs vs. Lakers?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Spurs Team Leaders

SA

Points	DeMar DeRozan 21.57
Assists	DeMar DeRozan 6.92
Rebounds	Jakob Poeltl 7.93
FG%	Jakob Poeltl 61.6
Steals	Dejounte Murray 1.51
Blocks	Jakob Poeltl 1.78

LAL

Points	LeBron James 25.02
Assists	LeBron James 7.78
Rebounds	Andre Drummond 10.19
FG%	Montrezl Harrell 62.2
Steals	Anthony Davis 1.25
Blocks	Anthony Davis 1.64

SA

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

LAL

Points	LeBron James 23.33
Assists	LeBron James 8
Rebounds	Andre Drummond 11
FG%	Marc Gasol 61.5
Steals	LeBron James 1.5
Blocks	Anthony Davis 1.6

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Lakers Team Leaders

SA

Points	DeMar DeRozan 21.57
Assists	DeMar DeRozan 6.92
Rebounds	Jakob Poeltl 7.93
FG%	Jakob Poeltl 61.6
Steals	Dejounte Murray 1.51
Blocks	Jakob Poeltl 1.78

LAL

Points	LeBron James 25.02
Assists	LeBron James 7.78
Rebounds	Andre Drummond 10.19
FG%	Montrezl Harrell 62.2
Steals	Anthony Davis 1.25
Blocks	Anthony Davis 1.64

SA

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

LAL

Points	LeBron James 23.33
Assists	LeBron James 8
Rebounds	Andre Drummond 11
FG%	Marc Gasol 61.5
Steals	LeBron James 1.5
Blocks	Anthony Davis 1.6

Injuries

San Antonio

Rudy Gay (SF)

Ques Sun Heel - 16 / 05 / 21

Patty Mills (PG)

Out Sun Rest - 16 / 05 / 21

Dejounte Murray (PG)

Ques Sun Back - 16 / 05 / 21

Lonnie Walker IV (SG)

Ques Sun Quadricep - 16 / 05 / 21

DeMar DeRozan (SG)

Out Sat Rest - 14 / 05 / 21

Rudy Gay (SF)

Out Sat Rest - 14 / 05 / 21

Dejounte Murray (PG)

Out Sat Rest - 14 / 05 / 21

Jakob Poeltl (C)

Out Sat Rest - 14 / 05 / 21

Luka Samanic (PF)

Out indefinitely Hand - 13 / 05 / 21

DeMar DeRozan (SG)

Out Sun Rest - 02 / 05 / 21

L.A. Lakers

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG)

Ques Thurs Knee - 02 / 06 / 21

Kostas Antetokounmpo (PF)

Out indefinitely Personal - 31 / 05 / 21

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG)

Prob Tues Knee - 28 / 05 / 21

Andre Drummond (C)

Ques Sun Leg - 20 / 05 / 21

Alex Caruso (SG)

Prob Sun Foot - 16 / 05 / 21

Kyle Kuzma (PF)

Prob Sun Back - 16 / 05 / 21

Kyle Kuzma (PF)

Prob Sat Back - 14 / 05 / 21

Alfonzo McKinnie (SF)

Prob Sun Foot - 14 / 05 / 21

Marc Gasol (C)

Prob Sun Finger - 14 / 05 / 21

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG)

Prob Wed Ankle - 12 / 05 / 21

Injuries

San Antonio

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Rudy Gay (SF)	Ques Sun	Heel - 16 / 05 / 21	0-1	2-0	+ -
Gay is dealing with a heel injury, and it has yet to be established if he will be active Sunday versus the Suns.
Patty Mills (PG)	Out Sun	Rest - 16 / 05 / 21	0-1	2-0	+ -
Mills will not be in the lineup on Sunday versus the Suns, as he will be given a day of rest.
Dejounte Murray (PG)	Ques Sun	Back - 16 / 05 / 21	0-1	2-0	+ -
Murray is tending to a back injury, and it remains to be seen if he will take the court on Sunday to battle the Suns.
Lonnie Walker IV (SG)	Ques Sun	Quadricep - 16 / 05 / 21	0-1	2-0	+ -
Walker is bothered by a quadriceps injury, and it is unclear if he will lace on for Sunday's tilt with the Suns.
DeMar DeRozan (SG)	Out Sat	Rest - 14 / 05 / 21	1-1	2-1	+ -
DeRozan will not be active against the Suns on Saturday as he will receive a day of rest.
Rudy Gay (SF)	Out Sat	Rest - 14 / 05 / 21	1-1	2-1	+ -
Gay will not face the Suns on Saturday as he will receive a day of rest.
Dejounte Murray (PG)	Out Sat	Rest - 14 / 05 / 21	1-1	2-1	+ -
Murray will not be available for Saturday's contest versus the Suns as he will be given a day of rest.
Jakob Poeltl (C)	Out Sat	Rest - 14 / 05 / 21	1-1	2-1	+ -
Poeltl will not take the court for Saturday's matchup with the Suns as he will be given a day of rest.
Luka Samanic (PF)	Out indefinitely	Hand - 13 / 05 / 21	1-2	3-1	+ -
Samanic is out of commission with a fractured left fourth metacarpal, and he will miss an extended period.
DeMar DeRozan (SG)	Out Sun	Rest - 02 / 05 / 21	5-5	7-4	+ -
DeRozan will not be in the lineup on Sunday versus the 76ers, as he will be given a day of rest.

L.A. Lakers

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG)	Ques Thurs	Knee - 02 / 06 / 21	0-2	0-2	+ -
Caldwell-Pope is nursing a knee injury, and it is unclear if he will be active for Game 6 of the Western Conference first round versus the Suns.
Kostas Antetokounmpo (PF)	Out indefinitely	Personal - 31 / 05 / 21	0-2	0-2	+ -
Antetokounmpo is away from the team while tending to a personal matter, and there is no timetable for return.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG)	Prob Tues	Knee - 28 / 05 / 21	2-2	0-3-1	+ -
Caldwell-Pope is nursing a left knee contusion, but he is likely to suit up for Game 5 of the Western Conference first round versus the Suns.
Andre Drummond (C)	Ques Sun	Leg - 20 / 05 / 21	3-3	0-5-1	+ -
Drummond is dealing with a leg injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round versus the Suns.
Alex Caruso (SG)	Prob Sun	Foot - 16 / 05 / 21	3-4	1-5-1	+ -
Caruso is battling left foot soreness, but he is likely to be active for Sunday's game versus the Pelicans.
Kyle Kuzma (PF)	Prob Sun	Back - 16 / 05 / 21	3-4	1-5-1	+ -
Kuzma is bothered by lower-back tightness, but he is projected to be available for Sunday's contest against the Pelicans.
Kyle Kuzma (PF)	Prob Sat	Back - 14 / 05 / 21	3-5	2-5-1	+ -
Kuzma is hindered by lower-back tightness, but he is likely to be in Saturday's lineup versus the Pacers.
Alfonzo McKinnie (SF)	Prob Sun	Foot - 14 / 05 / 21	3-5	2-5-1	+ -
McKinnie was held out of the last game with a right foot sprain, but it is likely that he will take on the Pelicans on Sunday.
Marc Gasol (C)	Prob Sun	Finger - 14 / 05 / 21	3-5	2-5-1	+ -
Gasol missed the last game due to a finger injury, but it is anticipated that he will be available to face the Pelicans on Sunday.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 12 / 05 / 21	4-6	3-6-1	+ -
Caldwell-Pope is expected to suit up against the Rockets despite an ankle injury.