The Los Angeles Lakers host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.
The Purple and Gold will have the opportunity to improve to 13-4 on the season and extend their winning streak to five by defeating a struggling Clippers team that holds a 5-12 record. Starting center Deandre Ayton will not play due to a knee contusion he suffered during Sunday’s win over the Utah Jazz, but LeBron James is starting to get back into the swing of things after missing the first 14 games of this season with sciatica.
The Lakers can also improve to 3-0 in Emirates NBA Cup group play with a win over the Clippers. They currently sit in first place in West Group B, and their fourth and final game of group play will be on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
Lakers vs Clippers injury reports
Clippers: Bogdan Bogdanovic (left hip contusion) is questionable. Bradley Beal (left hip fracture), Derrick Jones Jr. (right knee sprain) and Jordan Miller (left hamstring injury management) are out.
Lakers: Deandre Ayton (right knee contusion) is out.
Advice and Prediction:
The way some national pundits were hyping up the Clippers prior to the start of this season, it seemed as if the team would be a dark-horse contender in the Western Conference. But while it has big names such as Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Chris Paul, it has some serious problems.
For one, most of its key rotation players have tons of mileage. As a result, the Clippers are next-to-last in pace, opponents’ fast-break points per game and opponents’ points off turnovers per game. They’re also 27th in turnover percentage, so the Lakers will need to pressure them defensively and pounce on mistakes and missed shots.
One possible concern for the Lakers, especially with Ayton out, is Clippers center Ivica Zubac. Zubac is averaging 17 points on 62.1% shooting from the field and 11.6 rebounds a game, and at seven feet and 240 pounds, he’s a big load in the paint. Jaxson Hayes will need to play with lots of physicality on both ends of the floor to prevent Zubac from putting up good numbers.
The Clippers should have extra motivation to win this game, given all the decades the franchise has spent in the Lakers’ shadow. This could be a much more competitive game than some Lakers fans may expect, but this should also turn into a Lakers victory, due to the squad’s superior star power.
Prediction: Lakers 115, Clippers 111
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Prediction and betting odds for Lakers vs. Clippers
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
