At 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on Thursday, the Portland Trail Blazers will play the Los Angeles Lakers, who have a new look, at the Moda Center. The Rip City Network will broadcast this season’s third game locally. The last five matches between the two teams, including the first two this season, have been won by Los Angeles.
For Blazers fans, this will be their first chance to see the superstar duo of Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Los Angeles just lost to the 14-win Charlotte Hornets 100-97 at home on Wednesday. The Lakers are 1-2 since Doncic joined the team, and they also fell to the 13-win Jazz prior to the All-Star break.
According to beat writer Aaron Fentress, the Blazers, who are currently 23-32, are still aiming for the play-in tournament. Portland will try to seize a chance to defeat a Lakers squad that is still incorporating Doncic into their lineup as Los Angeles appears vulnerable.
After dropping three straight games prior to the All-Star Break, the Blazers could definitely use the boost of a win as they embark on a seven-game road trip starting Monday.
Lakers vs. Blazers predictions and best bets
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Lakers -3:
-115 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
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Under 227.0 points:
-110 odds at bet365 Sportsbook
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Donovan Clingan Over 10.0 Points:
+100 odds at BetMGM Sportsbook
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Luka Doncic First Three-Point Scorer:
+475 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Note: To guarantee you receive the best odds, check lines closer to game time. Odds are based on the best value our analysts find as of publication.
Portland may perceive an opportunity to become the most recent team to defeat the retooled Lakers, but Los Angeles is more dangerous because they fell to a far worse Hornets squad at home and also lost to Utah. Before a game against Denver and Doncic’s debut versus Dallas, the Lakers should be resolved to turn things around.
Although L.A. may not defeat a resilient Portland squad that has lately won 10 of 11 games, the spread should still be covered because they will be playing in the second game of a back-to-back series. The Lakers may be ready to recover from their defeat to Charlotte, but the Blazers think they can contend for a play-in spot and should be ready to host LeBron and Luka.
Despite the Lakers’ updated appearance, the two teams scored 205 and 220 points combined in their opening two games of the season, so I’m going with the Under here. According to TeamRankings.com, Portland is ranked 26th in offensive efficiency, and the Lakers, who are still getting along with Doncic and without Anthony Davis, have averaged 108 points over their last two games. In Pace, Portland is ranked 18th, while Los Angeles is ranked 21st. Before the All-Star break, the Blazers played 14 games and finished seventh in terms of defensive rating.
DeAndre Ayton is also sidelined for Portland due to injury, but Clingan is doing a good job filling in. Taking the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft at plus-money to just reach double figures is a prime player prop bet because he scored 21 and 17 points in his last two games. The aborted Mark Williams deal has left the Lakers with a vacancy at center to fill.
Doncic will want to start strong right away because in his first three games with the Lakers, he has missed 19 of 24 three-point tries. If you are a new registrant, you can play the first three-pointer bet on DraftKings for a potentially good return, despite the fact that it is obviously dangerous. Take a chance on Doncic making the first three of the game since you will receive extra bets regardless of the outcome of the initial stake.
Lakers vs. Blazers moneyline odds analysis
Why Los Angeles could win as the favorite
The best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook are -158.
The Lakers have won six straight games until February 10 and have won 10 of their last 13 games overall. Therefore, if Doncic can start regaining his better form starting tonight, they have a good chance of launching a new winning streak.
L.A. had the fourth-highest defensive rating in the seven games played before the All-Star break. Prior to the break, their free throw percentage of 18.3 per game placed them third in the NBA overall.
With ten triple-doubles in the first half of the season, James was second in the league. In his most recent game against Portland, a 114-106 Los Angeles victory on January 2, he scored 38 points and disheveled eight assists.
In the most recent game against the Blazers, Austin Reaves ended with 15 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. His average of 18.9 points and 6.1 assists per game is a career high. In February, Rui Hachimura is averaging 19.0 points per game and has pulled down six or more rebounds in three of his previous four games.
Why Portland could win as the underdog
The best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook are +134.
Clingan has racked up seven or more rebounds in three of his last four games, including his 20-rebound performance against Denver in the final game before the break. He has started 11 games this season and averages 10.8 rebounds per game. Clingan became the second rookie in the previous ten seasons to record a game with 15+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 3+ blocks after scoring 17 points and blocking three shots against the Nuggets.
Anfernee Simons has averaged 23.2 points and 5.6 assists per game over the past five games. His 3.7 three-pointers per game since January 1st place him fourth in the NBA. In the most recent game against the Lakers, he scored 23 points.
With a 10-4 record, the Blazers are tied for third place in the league after 14 games. They were first in opponent three-point percentage (.311) and fourth in points per game allowed (108.2) during that time.
Scoot Henderson is second among second-year players with an average of 5.3 assists per game. In his last 16 games, he has averaged 15.3 points per contest. After a sluggish start to his debut season with Portland, Deni Avdija is averaging 16.5 points and 6.6 rebounds over his last 36 games.
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