The 2021-22 NBA season tips off on Tuesday evening with a high-profile doubleheader. The second matchup pits the Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. The Warriors are led by former NBA MVP Stephen Curry and a veteran head coach in Steve Kerr. The Lakers are keyed by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, with Los Angeles winning the 2020 NBA title fewer than 13 months ago.
Tip-off is at 10 p.m. ET in Los Angeles. Caesars Sportsbook lists Los Angeles as the 3.5-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 227 in the latest Warriors vs. Lakers odds. Before making any Lakers vs. Warriors picks, be sure to see the 2021 NBA Opening Night predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned almost $9,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three seasons. The model finished up almost $600 on its top-rated picks last season and enters the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 100-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Warriors vs. Lakers and just released its coveted NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Lakers vs. Warriors:
- Warriors vs. Lakers spread: Lakers -3.5
- Warriors vs. Lakers over-under: 227 points
- Warriors vs. Lakers money line: Lakers -160, Warriors +140
- GSW: The Warriors were 15-22 against the spread in 2020-21 road games
- LAA: The Lakers were 15-25 against the spread at home last season
Featured Game | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
Why the Warriors can cover
The Warriors flow through Curry, with the former NBA MVP continuing to operate at an elite level. Curry shot 42.1 percent on 12.7 3-point attempts per game last season, and he averaged 32.0 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds per contest. The Warriors finished as a top-10 team in both 3-pointers (14.6 per game) and 3-point percentage (37.6 percent) last season, and Golden State led the NBA with 27.7 assists per game.
Defensively, the Warriors are centered on Draymond Green, and the team is balanced and effective. Golden State ranked in the top seven of the NBA in both steals (8.2 per game) and assists allowed (23.8 per game), with fantastic metrics in opponent shooting efficiency. Opponents shot 45.2 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from 3-point range and 51.1 percent from inside the arc against the Warriors, with all three marks landing in the top eight of the NBA in 2020-21. Finally, the Warriors create turnovers at an above-average level, and the Lakers were a bottom-five team in ball security last season.
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers receive attention for their star power, and that is fitting with James, Davis, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony on board. However, Los Angeles was at its best last season on the defensive end. The Lakers led the NBA in defensive rating last season, giving up fewer than 1.08 points per possession, and Frank Vogel’s team did that despite injury issues.
Los Angeles finished in the top five in shooting efficiency allowed, and the Lakers created a turnover on nearly 14 percent of defensive possessions. The Lakers also landed in the top five in defensive rebound rate, and the Warriors were the NBA’s worst team in offensive rebound rate (17.9 percent). Los Angeles should protect the rim at a high level, and the Lakers can also create havoc against a Warriors team that ranked just No. 25 in the NBA last season in ball security.
How to make Warriors vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the point total, with only three players projected for more than 20 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s Lakers vs. Warriors ATS pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Warriors vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Warriors vs. Lakers spread you need to jump on Tuesday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
