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LeBron James and Steph Curry resume their generational battle in the first LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors game of the season on Saturday. The Western Conference and division rivals last faced each other in the 2023 NBA playoffs as the Lakers stormed past Golden State to hand Steve Kerr's first conference series loss in the postseason as a head coach.
Both teams enter this game behind streaky runs. The Lakers are in a slightly better position in ninth, with a 23-23 record. Meanwhile, the Warriors are reeling in 12th with a 19-23 record. Saturday's contest could be a preview of a potential play-in tournament matchup.
LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors previews, betting tips, odds and prediction
The LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors is one of the three national TV games on Saturday's slate, televised by ABC. Spectrum SportsNet and NBC Sports Bay Area will provide local TV coverage. International viewers can catch the game online via NBA League Pass. The contest begins at 8:30 PM ET (5:30 PM ET).
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Moneyline: Lakers (+110), Warriors (-135)
Spread: Lakers +2.5 (-115), Warriors -2.5 (-105)
Total (o/u): Lakers -110 (o239.5), Warriors -110 (u239.5)
LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors previews
The Lakers are 8-14 since their NBA In-Season Tournament win. They are 4-2 in their last six games, though. LA has found some decent momentum after returning to their opening night starting lineup, with D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves re-inserted.
The Lakers have boasted a 120.1 offensive rating, with Russell and Reaves starting in the last seven games. It's the seventh-best mark in the NBA in that span.
Their defense, on the other hand, is 16th with a 118.1 efficiency. Despite having length and size on the perimeter, LA's defense remains subpar, so the sacrifice to bolster its offense is seemingly the way to go about it.
Meanwhile, the Warriors' offense has also been solid, but their defense remains underwhelming. Golden State has the fourth-best offense in the same stretch of the last seven games, with a 123.2 rating. But their defense is dead last in the league with a 129.5 rating.
The Warriors' starting lineup has also faced plenty of changes this season, especially on the frontcourt. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are the only ones to retain their spots. Andrew Wiggins, Dario Saric and Kevon Looney have continued to start, with Draymond Green coming off the bench.
LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors starting lineups
The Lakers will open the game with D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Taurean Prince and Anthony Davis. LeBron and Davis are questionable but likely to play.
Meanwhile, the Warriors will start Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Dario Saric and Kevon Looney. The lineup seems well-equipped to deal with LA's size.
LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors betting tips
LeBron James is favored to score over 24.5 points. The Lakers star scored 25 or more four times in his past five games. In the only game he didn't score 25 or more, he had 24. LeBron's also averaging 26.7 points in 17 road games this season, so this could be a good bet.
Steph Curry is favored to make over 4.5 3-pointers. Curry has made over five 3s in three of his last four games. He's averaging 4.5 3s per game at home, too. It could be a good bet to go over his 3-pointers total.
Anthony Davis is favored to grab over 11.5 rebounds. He's averaging 12.2 per game this season and 11.7 rpg in his last 10. Davis has grabbed at least 12 rebounds in four of his past five games, so this is a good bet, too.
LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors prediction
The Golden State Warriors emerge as slight favorites per oddsmakers to win this game. The Warriors are 12-12 at home, but the Lakers are 5-12 on the road, giving Golden State a marginal upper hand to come out as the winners.
The Lakers haven't done too well against good 3-point shooting teams, nor have they managed to record consecutive wins consistently. Betting on the Warriors to win might be the ideal pick.
