The Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers are 46-29 and sit third in the Western Conference. Golden State is 44-31 and holds fifth place in the West, just two games back.
This is the fourth and final regular-season meeting between the teams. The Lakers have won all three previous matchups, including a 120-112 home win on February 6. Both teams are fighting to stay out of the play-in and improve their seeding.
Lakers Preview – Trying to Lock in a Top-Six Spot
The Lakers come in off a 104-98 win over the Houston Rockets. Luka Doncic had 20 points and 9 assists while LeBron James added 16 points and 8 rebounds. The team’s bench outscored Houston’s 46-32, led by Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent, who each scored 20 points and hit six 3-pointers.
Doncic is averaging 27.2 points per game since joining the team in February. LeBron remains the leader and is averaging 24.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.5 assists this season. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura round out the starting five and have helped the team on the defensive end.
The Lakers are 29-9 at home and have one of the league’s best first-half records. They rank in the top five in scoring in all four quarters and are top 10 in defense, holding teams to 112.2 points per game. They’ve also covered the first-quarter spread in 26 of their last 35 games.
Warriors Preview – Red-Hot Run with Curry and Butler
Golden State beat Memphis 134-125 on Tuesday behind a 52-point game from Steph Curry. Curry made 12 three-pointers and also had 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Jimmy Butler added 27 points, and Draymond Green had a triple-double with 13 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Since Butler joined the team in February, the Warriors are 19-5. Butler is averaging 17.5 points with Golden State and gives the team a boost on both ends of the floor. The Warriors continue to play without Gary Payton II and could also be without Jonathan Kuminga due to a pelvic injury.
Golden State is 21-17 on the road and ranks top five in 3-point makes and assists per game. The team also scores 113.7 points per game and has a top-four offense in all four quarters. They’ve hit the fourth-quarter moneyline in 19 of their last 25 games.
Betting Prediction
This game has major playoff implications in the Western Conference. The Lakers have won all three meetings this season, but Golden State is playing its best basketball with Curry and Butler leading the way. The Warriors have won six of their last seven games overall.
Golden State is a slight underdog, and the total is set around 228.5. With both teams ranking high in offensive pace and having top scorers on the floor, this game could go over the total. Expect the Warriors to snap the losing streak to the Lakers and cover the spread in a close game.
Pick: Golden State Warriors +1.5
Warriors grab a win over the Lakers on Thursday. This should be a fun game. Enjoy and good luck!
