The NBA showcases a must-see opening night doubleheader on Tuesday evening. In the nightcap, the Golden State Warriors welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to Chase Center for the regular season opener in the Western Conference. Golden State is the reigning NBA champion, and members of the Warriors will receive championship rings before the game. The Lakers are dealing with injury question marks at guard with both Russell Westbrook (hamstring) and Dennis Schroder (thumb), with the Warriors entering the season with uncertainty surrounding veteran Andre Iguodala.
Tipoff is at 10 p.m. ET in San Francisco. Caesars Sportsbook lists Golden State as a 6-point home favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 227 in the latest Lakers vs. Warriors odds. Before making any Warriors vs. Lakers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four seasons. The model went a stunning 88-60 on all top-rated NBA picks last season, returning more than $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Warriors vs. Lakers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Lakers vs. Warriors:
- Warriors vs. Lakers spread: Warriors -6
- Warriors vs. Lakers over/under: 227 points
- Warriors vs. Lakers money line: Warriors -250, Lakers +205
- LAL: The Lakers were 18-23 against the spread in 2021-22 road games
- GSW: The Warriors were 32-19-2 against the spread in 2021-22 home games
- Warriors vs. Lakers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers have one of the best lead pairings in the NBA with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James, an 18-time All-NBA selection, is still operating at the top of the sport, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game last season while shooting 52.4% from the field. Davis missed approximately half the season with injury, but the talented big man produced 23.2 points, 9.9 rebound and 2.3 blocks per game.
James and Davis form the foundation of a team that won the title less than three years ago, and the Lakers were in the top 10 of the NBA in field goal percentage, 2-point percentage and free throw creation last season. Los Angeles has improved its supporting cast in the offseason, and the Lakers are opportunistic on defense, posting above-average steal and block rates on the way to 14.0 turnovers created per game in 2021-22. Golden State finished with the league’s second-worst turnover rate (15.0%) on offense, and the Lakers may be able to create havoc.
Why the Warriors can cover
Golden State is known for its beautiful offense. Steve Kerr’s team dominated the competition in the playoffs, riding the exquisite play of Stephen Curry and the potent scoring acumen of Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins. Still, Golden State was even better on defense last season, and that shows in the numbers. The Warriors were No. 2 in the NBA in defensive efficiency during the regular season, giving up fewer than 1.07 points per possession.
Golden State also landed in the top three of the league in field goal percentage allowed (43.8%), 3-point percentage allowed (33.9%) and 2-point percentage allowed (50.9%), with opponents creating only 22.9 assists per game against the Warriors. The Warriors are also sound on the defensive glass, securing almost 74% of available rebounds after missed shots, and Golden State averaged 8.8 steals per game in 2021-22. Golden State also has the comfort of home-court advantage and a crowd that should be in a frenzy as the team is presented with championship rings.
How to make Lakers vs. Warriors picks
The model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 224 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Warriors vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
