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On Saturday, the LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors square off in a high-stakes matchup at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers are ninth with a 36-31 record, while the Warriors are 34-31, 10th in the West. The result could have significant ramifications concerning the playoffs and play-in tournament picture.
The division rivals split the results in their previous two games at Chase Center. The playoffs-type atmosphere existed then, and it's expected to amplify for their third game of the year, with the seedings on the line. The stars' availability also contributes to the anticipated intensity of this clash.
Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers preview, betting tips, odds and prediction
ABC will broadcast the Warriors vs. Lakers game nationally, with local TV operators NBC Sports Bay Area and Spectrum SportsNet. Fans outside the US can watch live action online via NBA League Pass. Tipoff is at 8:30 PM ET.
Money line: Warriors +130, Lakers -155
Spread: Warriors +3.5 (-110), Lakers -3.5 (-110)
Total (o/u): Warriors o237 (-112), Lakers u237 (-108)
Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers: Preview
The Warriors enter this game amid a rough stretch, having gone 1-3 in their past four games. They went 1-2 as Steph Curry spent time on the sidelines with an injury. In their previous outing against Dallas, Golden State was without Curry and Draymond Green, putting them in trouble.
The duo is back against the Lakers (questionable but likely to play), so a lot changes for the Warriors as they get the dynamic edge on both ends with Curry and Green. Curry's presence will open up the floor more for the struggling Klay Thompson, while Green will take the pressure off the frontline of guarding a bigger frontcourt tandem.
The Warriors have been excellent on defense since the All-Star break (109.2 rating, sixth), and that will be their calling card against the Lakers' offense, which has a 117.0 efficiency rating in that span (seventh).
LA has continued to make a difference from 3-point range, shooting 41.3% in their last 12 outings, second-best efficiency behind the Boston Celtics. However, the Lakers allow their opponents to shoot at a high clip. They can't afford that against Steph Curry and the Warriors, who average 14.8 3-pointers per contest on the season.
It's been the root cause of the Lakers' defense dropping to the bottom three with a 119.1 rating in the last 11 games. LA could have trouble guarding Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, with Jarred Vanderbilt and Cam Reddish on the sidelines. Meanwhile, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are questionable and probable, respectively.
Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers: Starting lineups, Subs and Rotations
Warriors:
The Golden State Warriors starting lineup could look like this:
PG - Steph Curry, SG - Brandin Podziemski, SF - Andrew Wiggins, PF - Jonathan Kuminga, C - Draymond Green
Golden State could stick to their usual rotations, with Curry playing most of the first and third quarters and returning midway through the second and fourth quarters.
Meanwhile, Klay Thompson could return to his sixth-man role after getting a start last game. Chris Paul, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis could also play significant minutes for the Dubs off the bench.
Lakers:
The LA Lakers' starting lineup could look like this:
PG - D'Angelo Russell, SG - Austin Reaves, SF - LeBron James, PF - Rui Hachimura, C - Anthony Davis
Spencer Dinwiddie will likely make the first sub, replacing D'Angelo Russell. Max Christie and Taurean Prince will likely continue to have increased playing time without Cam Reddish, Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood.
Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers: Betting Tips
LeBron James is favored to score over 26.5 points. He's averaging 25.2 points on the season and 27.3 in his past 10 games. LeBron has scored at least 26 points in three of his past five games.
Steph Curry is favored to make over 4.5 3-pointers. Curry is averaging 4.0 3s per game in his last four games. He's at 4.9 3s per game on the season.
Anthony Davis is favored to grab over 13.5 rebounds. He averages 12.4 on the season and 13.6 in his past 10 outings.
Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers: Prediction
The LA Lakers are the favorites with a money line of -155 to the Golden State Warriors' +130. The Warriors are predicted to cover a +3 spread, though.
The Lakers might get a better start, as it has been a trend after every loss. They've seemingly been more focused against the Warriors, too. Golden State is tough to put away, though. It could even turn the game around in the third quarter.
The Lakers will likely edge the Warriors if the game is close in the final 12 minutes.
