Star-studded Western Conference contenders collide in a primetime showdown Wednesday night, as the San Antonio Spurs host the Los Angeles Lakers at the Frost Bank Center on ESPN.
Both squads take the floor on the second night of a back-to-back. The Lakers (23–11, 3rd West) have won four of their last five games, riding a three-game win streak capped by a Tuesday triumph in New Orleans. The Spurs (25–11, 2nd West), meanwhile, have cooled slightly since Christmas, dropping four of their last six and looking to snap a two-game skid following a narrow loss in Memphis.
Los Angeles will once again lean on superstar guard Luka Doncic to catalyze the offense — especially with Austin Reaves sidelined and LeBron James listed as questionable. And if Victor Wembanyama (knee) is limited or unavailable, Doncic could be poised for another dazzling night at the office.
Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET. San Antonio enters as a 7.5-point home favorite, while LA sits as a +235 underdog. The game’s total is set at 235.5 points.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s contest, here’s my favorite Luka Doncic prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best Luka Doncic prop bet for Lakers vs. Spurs
Best Bet: Luka Doncic 5+ Threes (+152)
Who would have guessed that one of the game’s brightest stars would shine brightest in Hollywood? Twenty-seven games into his first full season with the Lakers, Luka Doncic leads the NBA with 33.5 points per game while adding 8.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds. Despite some occasional shooting inconsistency, the Slovenian guard is still averaging 3.5 made three-pointers a night.
Doncic has knocked down five or more triples in six games this season, most recently going 5-for-14 from deep against the Kings on Dec. 28. With the Lakers playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the five-time All-Star may lean more heavily on his perimeter game to sidestep additional contact inside — especially with 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama potentially looming near the rim.
The 26-year-old MVP candidate seems well-positioned to light it up from deep on Wednesday night, facing a Spurs squad that has lost four of six games since its Christmas Day triumph over the Thunder. San Antonio’s Achilles’ heel during this stretch? Nonexistent perimeter pressure — allowing the NBA’s third-highest three-point percentage (39.6%) and the second-most threes per game (16.8).
The Spurs have allowed at least one player to hit five or more threes in four of those six games, including Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, New York’s Jalen Brunson, Portland’s Toumani Camara, and Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr.
Expect Luka to shine in the spotlight once again, making it rain on national television.
