by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, May 03, 2023
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET, Thursday, May 4, 2023
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Where to Watch: ESPN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Lakers +5.5, Warriors -5.5; Over/Under: 227.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Lakers +5.5, Warriors -5.5; Over/Under: 227.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Lakers +5.5, Warriors -5.5; Over/Under: 227.5 points
Season Record
Los Angeles Lakers: 43-39 (5th place, Pacific Division)
Golden State Warriors: 44-38 (4th place, Pacific Division)
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Recent Form
Los Angeles Lakers: 8-2 last 10
Golden State Warriors: 6-4 last 10
Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors Preview and Analysis
The Lakers finished the regular season with a 43-39 record overall and they were 20-21 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game winning streak with wins coming against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors in their last game. Anthony Davis led the team in points in that game with 30 while LeBron James was next on the team with 22 points. D'Angelo Russell led the team in assists in that game with 6 while Anthony Davis led the team in rebounds with 23. They were 46.7% from the field, 24% from 3-point range, and 86.2% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 117.2 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 116.6 PPG against them. The Lakers have an ATS record of 45-44-1 this season and their O/U record is 47-43.
The Warriors finished the regular season with a 44-38 record overall and they were 33-8 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off of a loss against the LA Lakers in their last game. Stephen Curry led the team in points in that game with 27 while Klay Thompson was next on the team with 25 points. Draymond Green led the team in assists in that game with 7 while Kevon Looney led the team in rebounds with 23. They were 40.6% from the field, 39.6% from 3-point range, and 83.3% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 118.9 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 117.1 PPG against them. The Warriors have an ATS record of 42-47-1 this season and their O/U record is 48-39-3.
Lakers vs Warriors Prediction
The current betting odds have the Warriors listed as a 5.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. This is game 2 of a 7-game series between the 6th seeded Warriors and the 7th seeded Lakers for the 2nd round of the playoffs in the NBA Western Conference. The Lakers are entering this game with a 1-0 series lead after taking the 1st game of this series on the road and they have now flipped the home advantage in this series in their favor. The Warriors didn't look bad in that game 1 but weren't able to get out to a lead in that game. They were still a really good home team all year though and they are going to bounce back in this game as the defending champions know they can't go down 2-0 in this series on their own home court, especially with how bad they have been in road games this season. The Lakers will also be content in this game as they have already done their job by stealing a road game so they have flipped the home advantage to their side and they don't need to push as hard in this game to win as they have the advantage now with the Warriors being such a bad road team. This almost feels like a must win game for the Warriors though with their road record this year and they will make sure they throw everything they have at the Lakers here to even up this series going back to LA. The best way to place a bet here is on the Warriors to cover the spread in this game.
Lakers Warriors Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Thursday, May 4, 2023 (9:00 pm ET start time) is Warriors 114 Lakers 105.
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NBA Betting Trends
Los Angeles Lakers: 21-40 ATS after 2 or more consecutive wins. 15-29 ATS after successfully covering the spread in 2 or more consecutive games. 27-17 OVER in road games. 27-16 OVER in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 220.
Golden State Warriors: 15-4 ATS as a home favorite of 6 points or less. 29-16 ATS in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 220. 16-3 OVER when the total is 220 to 229.5. 13-3 OVER when playing with triple revenge - 3 straight losses vs. opponent.
Key Injuries
Los Angeles Lakers: M. Bamba (C) Ques Thurs - Ankle.
Golden State Warriors: P. Baldwin Jr. (SF) Ques Thurs - Toe. A. Iguodala (SG) Mid May - Wrist. R. Rollins (PG) Out indefinitely - Foot.
Notable Quotes
"We’ve been playing playoff basketball for about 2 1/2 months now just to punch our clock to be able to play right now in the postseason. We were very resilient tonight. ... We know how great they are on their home floor, so to withstand that, it’s another good step for our ballclub.” - LeBron James after their win against the Warriors in their game on Tuesday, game 1 of this series.
“I thought AD had a great game. Obviously he dominated and he got blocked four shots and altered some others. That’s what this team has been doing now for the last few months. They have been one of the best defensive teams in the league for a reason and he’s a huge part of that.” - Steve Kerr after his team’s loss against the Lakers in their game on Tuesday, game 1 of this series.
Starting Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
PG D'Angelo Russell
SG Austin Reaves
SF LeBron James
PF Jarred Vanderbilt
C Anthony Davis
Golden State Warriors
PG Stephen Curry
SG Klay Thompson
SF Andrew Wiggins
PF Draymond Green
C Kevon Looney
Statistical Leaders
Los Angeles Lakers
PPG: L. James (28.9)
APG: L. James (6.8)
Reb/G: A. Davis (12.5)
Golden State Warriors
PPG: S. Curry (29.4)
APG: D. Green (6.8)
Reb/G: K. Looney (9.3)
Coaches:
Los Angeles Lakers: Darvin Ham (1st season)
Golden State Warriors: Steve Kerr (9th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
