Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs, Prediction, & Pick
Lakers vs. Spurs Odds
| Lakers Odds | -7.5 |
| Spurs Odds | +7.5 |
| Over/Under | 234 |
| Date | Fri, Dec. 15 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. |
| TV | ESPN |
Tonight, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will play Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Entering play, the Lakers are 15-10 and occupy the 6-seed in the Western Conference standings. The Spurs have lost 18 games in a row and have the second worst record in the entire NBA.
Ahead of tip-off this evening, the Lakers are favored by 7.5 points on the spread. The total is set at over/under 234 points.
Below, we break down the matchup for both teams and offer a free pick for the betting community!
Don’t live in a state with sports betting? Use our PrizePicks referral code & Underdog promo code GRINDERS for a combined $200 in sign-up bonuses on NBA DFS Pick’em today.
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James, Anthony Davis listed as QUESTIONABLE
As of this writing, both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are listed as questionable for tonight’s action against the Spurs. James and Davis are the only two members of the Lakers averaging more than 16.0 points per game or 5.9 rebounds per game this season. If either of them are absent this evening, it represents a major loss for Los Angeles offensively and on the glass.
Who will step up for the Lakers?
According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, Gabe Vincent and D’Angelo Russell see the largest increase in usage when James is off of the floor this season. In such situations, Vincent is averaging 15.1 points per 36 minutes of action and Russell is averaging 21.3 points per 36 minutes.
When Davis is off of the court, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves see the most significant uptick in usage. Hachimura is averaging 20.8 points per 36 minutes in such contexts, followed by Reaves at 20.3 points per 36 minutes.
San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama still finding his groove in the NBA
Victor Wembanyama enters play on Friday as the team leader for the Spurs in points per game (19.3) and rebounds per game (10.7), but he has not made the immediate impact on winning that many pundits forecasted during the preseason. Part of the issue has been the fact that Wembanyama has been extremely inefficient from the floor, shooting only 43.7% overall and 27.4% from three-point territory. As a result, the Spurs have ranked in only the 3rd percentile in offensive efficiency with him on the floor this season.
Is San Antonio capable of getting back in the win column on Friday?
During San Antonio’s 18-game losing streak, the team is 0-8 on the road and has been outscored by an NBA-worst 18.3 points per 100 possessions. They are 0-10 at home during their losing streak, but they have been much more competitive in their own building, having only been outscored by 8.1 points per 100 possessions. At home, six of their 10 losses have come by seven points or less and only two of their defeats have come by double digits. It is only a matter of time before they are able to break through with a victory.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs Prediction
Spurs +7.5 (-110), BetMGM
Spurs Moneyline (+250), Caesars
The Lakers have played well in recent weeks, but the NBA season is entering that period of the schedule in which maintenance days and “load management” pollute our social media timelines – meaning that it is entirely possible that one or both of LeBron James and Anthony Davis end up sitting tonight. If that is the case, the Spurs are capable of pulling off an upset in front of their home fans to earn their first victory in over a month. At a minimum, Victor Wembanyama and company should be able to keep this contest competitive on Friday night.
Image Credit: Getty Images