Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
30 November 2022
The Portland Trail Blazers come into tonight's game with a record of 11-10 after last night's loss. They failed to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, who were without several of their star players.
Now, they'll head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers, another team dealing with injuries. Will the Trail Blazers find a way to win tonight? Or will they fall to another Los Angeles team?
The Los Angeles Lakers are also coming off a loss. They faced the Indiana Pacers a few days ago and lost 116-115. With LeBron James still listed as "day-to-day," the superstar could be on limited minutes. If he is, Anthony Davis will yet again step in as the leader of the team.
Let's take a look at what both teams are bringing to the table to make our pick.
Portland Trail Blazers: Portland is 1-4 in their last five games
With a record of 1-4 in their last five games, the Trail Blazers aren't in a good spot. They haven't been able to finish games and are instead being outscored as the game goes on.
In the third quarter, the Trail Blazers had a 95-82 lead over the Clippers. They then allowed the Clippers to score 36 points in the fourth quarter and win the game.
Overall, the Trail Blazers aren't necessarily known for their offensive prowess. They average 109.8 points per game but have done better over their last five games.
The question is, can they actually finish a game that they're leading instead of allowing an opponent to rally back? If they give the Lakers room to comeback, they'll find themselves dealing with another loss.
Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers look to get back on track
Today could mark a big game for the Lakers, who started off their season pretty roughly. With a 7-12 record, many might forget that they're 3-2 in their last five.
They have a few big wins under their belt as well, beating the Brooklyn Nets not long ago. One thing we've noticed is that the offense has to run through Anthony Davis. If it does, the Lakers are in good shape to win.
The Lakers are 5-2 in their last seven games, and another win at home would help. We know that LeBron James is back in the lineup, but it's in a limited capacity.
Frankly, James needs to continue taking a smaller role in the offense. If he does, the Lakers could really flourish as a unit. As long as Davis leads the team, the Lakers have a chance of winning.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick
The Trail Blazers have a few things working against them tonight. For starters, they haven't done well late in games, allowing teams to bounce back.
The other is they're still without Keon Johnson and Damian Lillard. With those two sidelined, the chances of them winning this game are pretty slim.
The Los Angeles Lakers are our pick to win this game at home. They have the defense to stop the Trail Blazers and the offense to cover the spread. Look for Anthony Davis to have an impressive game and lead his team to a win.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -5.5, OVER
Be sure to check out all our Daily NBA Picks!
All Media on this page by Associated Press.
