The 13-35 Nets will host the 29-19 Lakers tonight.
The Lakers are currently –360 favorites on the Moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set to 222.5. Below, I’ll break down tonight’s matchup and offer my prediction.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers preview, prediction
The Brooklyn Nets have not been good this season, to the surprise of nobody. They aren’t contending and are going through a rebuilding phase again, hoping to hit on a draft pick soon. They’re also hoping to maybe flip Michael Porter Jr. into something valuable, and they should be able to, given the level that Porter Jr. is currently playing at. The former Nuggets wing has been scorching hot this season, putting up 25.6 PPG while connecting on 3.8 threes per game while maintaining his high efficiency. Rookie Egor Demin has also been solid, flexing some of his range from downtown. He’s shooting 39.5% from three on 6.3 attempts per game. They’ve dropped eight out of their last 10 games and will likely struggle again tonight against a top-heavy Lakers squad that recently hung over 120 points in three out of their last four games.
The Lakers have looked competitive this season, hanging around in the Western Conference while missing LeBron James for the beginning portion of the season. They’ve also been without Austin Reaves for 18 games due to a calf injury, and he could return tonight. With Reaves in the lineup, the Lakers’ offensive rating this season is 119.4, which would rank third among all teams this season. The Lakers could be trying to make moves as we approach this trade deadline; their defense ranks poorly, conceding 117.1 points per 100 possessions to opponents. Their offseason acquisition of center Deandre Ayton has done little to improve their shaky defense, and they don’t have enough perimeter defenders to cover for Luka Doncic’s defensive holes. This team has an aging LeBron James on its roster (to be fair, this has been the case for a few years now) and while its contention window stays wide open due to having Doncic in his prime, they are in a bit of a rush to make a deep run soon before James is no longer in the picture – whenever that may be.
Nets vs. Lakers pick, best bet
Best bet: LA Lakers -8.5
The Lakers have been scoring a ton of points against weak defenses lately, and Brooklyn should be no exception. They don’t have the personnel to deal with the Lakers’ many offensive weapons, especially if Austin Reaves can return tonight.
