The Washington Wizards continue their two-day Southern California swing as they meet the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday evening. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Wizards-Lakers prediction and pick.
The Wizards lost 102-93 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Unfortunately, they still did not have the services of Bradley Beal, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Kristaps Porzingis scored 19 points but shot just 8 of 19 from the field while also gathering seven rebounds. Additionally, Kyle Kuzma added 17 points while shooting 8 of 18 from the hardwood and pulling down six rebounds. Will Barton added 14 points, but no other Wizard could contribute. Hence, they shot 42.9 percent from the floor and just 36 percent from beyond the arc.
The Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 126-108 on Friday night. However, they suffered a significant loss when Anthony Davis exited the game after tweaking his ankle. The Lakers persevered and managed to power through without him. Moreover, multiple players contributed. LeBron James had 30 points with nine rebounds. Additionally, Dennis Schroeder added 15 points. Thomas Bryant came off the bench to score 21 points while shooting 9 of 11 from the floor and gobbling up six rebounds. Also, Austin Reaves scored 16 points while shooting 5 of 9 from the floor. Russell Westbrook delivered spectacularly with a triple-double performance, scoring 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
The Lakers defeated the Wizards 130-119 earlier this month. Significantly, it was due to an amazing performance by Davis. He scored 55 points with 17 rebounds. Meanwhile, James had 29 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Additionally, Lonnie Walker IV contributed 20 points. Can the Lakers win without Davis?
The Wizards have lost nine in a row and are just 3-12 on the road, while the Lakers are 5-5 over their previous 10 with a 7-7 record at home.
Here are the Wizards-Lakers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Wizards-Lakers Odds
Washington Wizards: +4.5 (-108)
Los Angeles Lakers: -4.5 (-112)
Over: 234.5 (-112)
Under: 234.5 (-108)
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
The Wizards are cratering, and it is not a pretty sight. Unfortunately, they have lost nine in a row and are struggling to play any better without Beal. The lack of depth on this team has hindered them and will almost guarantee a top-5 pick.
Beal averages 22.9 points per game with 52.2 percent shooting. Consequently, no one has picked up the slack in his absence. Porzingis averages 22.6 points per game with 8.9 rebounds per contest. Meanwhile, Kuzma averages 21.4 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per match. But there is no one else on this team that can produce aside from Porzingis and Kuzma. Therefore, the Wizards struggle terribly anytime these two sit on the bench for any period.
The Wizards are 27th in points, 14th in field goal percentage, and 18th in 3-point shooting percentage. Also, they are 23rd in free-throw shooting percentage. The Wizards excel at rebounding and blocking shots. Therefore, they rank fourth in rebounds and fifth in blocked shots.
The Wizards will cover the spread if they can win the battle of the boards and not allow the Lakers to have second chances. Mainly, it means they must contain James and force him to pass the ball around. Washington will have its hands full with covering Westbrook.
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
The Lakers are not a great team but they are staying alive. However, it was mainly Davis powering the hot streak they endured in recent weeks. Can they win without him?
Davis averages 27.4 points per game and shoots 59.3 percent from the hardwood. Additionally, he has 12.1 rebounds per game. James averages 26.7 points per game and shoots 48.3 percent from the field. Also, he averages 8.6 rebounds. Walker averages 15.2 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Westbrook averages 14.1 points per game with 6.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists per contest.
The Lakers are eighth in the NBA in points, ninth in field goal percentage, but last in 3-point shooting percentage. However, they are also 11th from the free-throw line. The Lakers dominate the boards, ranking fifth in rebounding. Conversely, they are a little more inconsistent with the ball, ranking 16th in turnovers. The Lakers are also 11th in blocked shots.
The Lakers will cover the spread if James can find his open teammates and generate scoring opportunities. Likewise, the bench must play strong and pull away in the second quarter and towards the end of the third quarter to cover the odds.
Final Wizards-Lakers Prediction & Pick
The Lakers suffer without Davis. However, they have the better bench and enough to cough out a win that covers the odds. Expect Westbrook and Bryant to lead the bench and help Los Angeles pull away in this one, giving the Lakers another win.
Final Wizards-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: -4.5 (-112)
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