Pacific Division foes are set to clash yet again at the Crypto Center. The Warriors (28-24, 8th in West) are in a state of disarray, currently without face of the franchise Steph Curry. Still, Golden State remains firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture. It’s a similar story for the Lakers (31-19, 5th in West), who are missing Luka Doncic. Can LeBron James lead Los Angeles to a marquee win at home?
The Lakers are 2.5-point favorites (-102) over the Warriors on DraftKings Sportsbook. Los Angeles is favored at -135 on the moneyline. The total for this contest is set at 222.5 points. Here’s my preview, prediction, and pick for Saturday’s Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers game.
Warriors vs. Lakers prediction, preview
As previously mentioned, Stephen Curry won’t suit up tonight due to a knee injury. To make matters worse, Jimmy Butler (ACL) is out for the remainder of the season. That leaves Golden State without its two leading scorers. This rag-tag roster will be led by some combination of Draymond Green, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski. On paper, that doesn’t inspire much confidence. Regardless, this club’s biggest strength is its ability to slow down opponents. The Warriors own the NBA’s seventh-best defensive rating (113.4).
On the other end of the floor, things may prove difficult. Golden State, during 13 games without Curry, is averaging just 102.9 points. Keep in mind, most of those contests came with Butler on the floor. Replacement point guard Pat Spencer has done an admirable job, but he’s no Hall of Famer. The Warriors lead the NBA with 16.5 three-pointers made per game. However, Steph was responsible for over a quarter those treys. Replacing that production from beyond the arc, along with excellent playmaking, will be difficult.
For the home team, it’s shaping up to be a big-time LeBron James performance. The King has played second fiddle to Luka Doncic for most of the season. However, the Slovenian is injured tonight due to a hamstring injury. As a result, LBJ should take control as Los Angeles’ primary distributor and scorer. Through 33 games, the four-time MVP has recorded 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists. In addition, he’s delivered 51/32/74 shooting splits. The Lakers have gone 4-4 during eight games without Doncic this season.
In terms of secondary scoring, LA will lean on Austin Reaves. It was a blistering start for the guard, who looked the part of an All-Star. However, injuries have slowed down the fifth-year pro. Reaves missed the entire month of January, making his return on Tuesday. During his last appearance, the 27-year-old notched 35 points over 25 minutes against the 76ers. A similar showing wouldn’t come as a major surprise on Saturday.
Putting up points hasn’t been a problem for the Purple and Gold. Their biggest issue is on the other end of the floor. Los Angeles has a 117.7 defensive rating, eighth-worst in the NBA. Surprisingly, that number has risen to an atrocious 124.9 during the eight games played without Doncic. Opponents are shooting 36.7% from three-point range vs. the Lakers. That’s the eighth-highest mark in all of basketball.
Warriors vs. Lakers pick, best bet
It was already difficult to trust the Warriors prior to Curry’s injury. Now, the Dubs are lacking a go-to scorer in addition to a slew of injuries. On the flip side, Los Angeles possesses the two best players on the court in James and Reaves. The Lakers come into Saturday having won five of their last seven matchups. Keeping that in mind, it’s difficult to see them dropping this one at home.
