The Los Angeles Lakers will head to Oregon to face off with the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday evening. Come ball with us as we give our NBA odds series, make a Lakers-Trail Blazers prediction and pick, and show you how to watch.
The Lakers rallied to stun the Memphis Grizzlies 122-121. Significantly, LeBron James led the starters with 23 points and nine rebounds. Dennis Schroder added 19 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook was the real star, with 29 points, five rebounds, and six assists off the bench. The Lakers won despite shooting only 40.9 percent. However, they also held Memphis to 40.9 percent. The Lakers somehow won despite losing the battle of the boards 63-47.
The Trail Blazers lost 105-95 to the Philadelphia 76ers at home. Notably, Damian Lillard led the way with 25 points and 11 assists. But Lillard struggled to shoot, going 6 for 21 from the floor. Meanwhile, Jerami Grant had 24 points. Anfernee Simons had 16 points while shooting 6 for 15. Somehow, the Blazers only shot 37.6 percent from the field and allowed 50.6 percent shooting. Portland also shot only 24.3 percent from the triples. Meanwhile, they struggled at the free-throw line, shooting only 75.9 percent. The Blazers also had 15 turnovers.
The Lakers entered the game with a record of 21-25. Likewise, they are 9-14 on the road. The Lakers are 6-4 over their past 10 games. Meanwhile, the Blazers are 21-24. The Blazers are also 11-9 at the Moda Center. However, they are 3-7 over their previous 10 games overall.
It is the third meeting of the season, but the first in Portland. Markedly, the teams have split the first two games.
Here are the Lakers Trail Blazers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Lakers-Trail Blazers Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +6 (-110)
Portland Trail Blazers: -6 (-110)
Over: 239 (-110)
Under: 239 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Trail Blazers
TV: Sportsnet Los Angeles and ROOT Sports
Stream: NBA League pass
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
The Lakers are still without Anthony Davis, who remains out with an injury. Conversely, they have James and Westbrook. James averages 29.6 points per game. Additionally, he averages 8.4 rebounds and seven assists per contest. Westbrook averages 16.1 points per game. Likewise, he has 7.7 assists per contest. Lonnie Walker IV missed the last game and might miss today’s contest. Ultimately, he averages 14.7 points per game. Walker has emerged as a solid secondary option for the Lakers.
The Lakers rank seventh in the association in points. Moreover, they are sixth in field goal shooting percentage. But they struggle from the triples, ranking 26th in 3-point shooting percentage. Ultimately, the Lakers excel on the boards, ranking sixth in rebounds. But the Lakers are inconsistent in handling the rock and defending. Therefore, they rank 15th in turnovers and blocked shots.
But the Lakers must determine the pace of this game and dictate how the tempo goes. Therefore, James and Westbrook must showcase their abilities while making everyone around them better.
The Lakers could cover the spread if James can score and find open players for shooting opportunities. Likewise, he must execute on offense and not waste possessions. But the Lakers must also stop Lillard from taking over the game.
Why The Trail Blazers Could Cover The Spread
The Blazers are excelling because Lillard is healthy. Significantly, he averages 29.2 points per game and 7.2 assists. Grant averages 21.7 points, and Simons has 21.6 points. Meanwhile, big-man Jusuf Nurkic has 14.3 points per game and averages 10 rebounds a contest. These four power the Blazers nightly and are the reason they are competitive right now.
The Blazers are up-and-down with their scoring. Notably, they rank 17th in points. The Trail Blazers are 11th in field goal shooting percentage and ninth in 3-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, they are also 16th in free-throw shooting percentage. But the Blazers are not always consistent in rebounding, handling the rock, or defending. Markedly, Portland is 16th in rebounds. The Blazers are also 23rd in turnovers and 22nd in blocked shots.
The Blazers are an average team trying to keep their head above water. Thus, they are just a half-game above the Lakers in the standings and starting to fall apart at the worst possible time.
The Trail Blazers could cover the spread if Lillard can hit on his shots, and the team can convert field goal chances. Likewise, they cannot struggle at the charity stripe again.
Final Lakers-Trail Blazers Prediction & Pick
The Lakers and Blazers are similar teams. Therefore, it is difficult to see the Blazers running away with this one and dominating Los Angeles. Expect this game to go down to the wire with either James or Lillard looking to take a game-winning shot.
Final Lakers-Trail Blazers Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: +6 (-110)
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