Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview/Prop Pick

After losing two straight games, the Trail Blazers will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers. Both of these teams have experienced some trouble lately, so it should be a good matchup.

The Trail Blazers have the No.10 spot in the Western Conference, while the Lakers are No.9. As Portland prepares to head to Staples Center, we wonder if they'll actually be able to pull off a win.

The Los Angeles Lakers are essentially in the same boat as they've lost three straight. The Lakers' inability to play as a team is what's really hurting them here. LeBron James has been officially ruled out for this one, with Anthony Davis listed as "questionable."

Yet again, they'll likely have to rely on Russell Westbrook, which never pans out. So, who's the best bet in this one.

Portland Trail Blazers: Injuries could slow the Trail Blazers down

When talking about injuries, the ones dealt to the Trail Blazers are substantial. Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic are both listed as questionable.

With two key players out and more support players questionable, Portland's been hit hard. Even with LeBron James and Anthony Davis out, the Trail Blazers will have trouble stopping the Lakers. Especially if Westbrook drives the lane.

The Trail Blazers defense is among the worst in the NBA, allowing 112.37 points per game. With injuries sidelining more of their players, it'll be tough to defend the basket. On offense, the Trail Blazers rank No.17 in the NBA, averaging 108.39 points per game.

Don't forget that they have one of the worst road records in the NBA, going 7-17 when traveling. Now, let's look at LA.

Los Angeles Lakers: Lack of cohesion is the biggest problem

Although the injuries are what's making the headlines, that's not the biggest issue in Los Angeles. The Lakers don't play well together with the current roster, and there's no changing that.

Westbrook isn't a "pass-first" point guard, and his shooting habits prove it. In their last game, Westbrook was able to put up 12 assists, a step in the right direction. However, it's not enough.

The Lakers still lost their game against the Atlanta Hawks, bringing them to three straight losses. With LeBron still sidelined and Anthony Davis injured, the Lakers could have a tough time against Portland.

The good news is they're playing at home, where they've gone 15-12 this season. They also rank No.11 in the NBA in terms of shooting, averaging 110.98 points a game.

Our pick for the Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers

After looking at the potential and injuries for both of these teams, we're ready to make our pick. First, let's take a look at the lines for this game.

The Los Angeles Lakers come in as -3.5-point favorites, with the total set at 222. Over their last ten meetings, the Lakers have gone 6-4 against Portland, leading us to take the Lakers. 

Due to the significant injuries to the entire roster of the Trail Blazers, the Lakers are the better bet. We should also mention that the total has gone OVER in 9 of the Lakers' last 13 games.

They're also 4-1 in their last five games against Portland when playing at home. Take Westbrook and the Lakers to win this game, cover the spread, with the total going over.

DunkelIndex Free Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -3.5, OVER

Prop Pick

LA Lakers (-115) OVER 112.5 Points

Portland is allowing 112.4 points per game on defense, which ranks No. 26 in the league. That average increases to 113.7 points per game on the road. Scores have gone OVER in six of the Trail Blazers’ last seven games as a road underdog.

With Dunkel predicting an LA win over Portland by the score of 116-109, take the Lakers (-115) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 112.5 points against the Trail Blazers.

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