The Los Angeles Lakers aim to begin this season on an improved foot on Tuesday evening as 2022 NBA opening night unfolds. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, visit San Francisco to face Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the season opener for both teams. The Warriors will receive championship rings after claiming the 2021-22 title. Golden State won 53 regular season games in 2021-22, with Los Angeles scuffling to a 33-49 mark.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Golden State as a 6-point favorite for this 10 p.m. ET tip-off. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 225 in the latest Lakers vs. Warriors odds. Before making any Warriors vs. Lakers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four seasons. The model went a stunning 88-60 on all top-rated NBA picks last season, returning more than $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Warriors vs. Lakers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Lakers vs. Warriors:
- Warriors vs. Lakers spread: Warriors -6
- Warriors vs. Lakers over/under: 225 points
- Warriors vs. Lakers money line: Warriors -260, Lakers +210
- LAL: The Lakers were 18-23 against the spread in 2021-22 road games
- GSW: The Warriors were 32-19-2 against the spread in 2021-22 home games
- Warriors vs. Lakers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers have one of the best lead pairings in the NBA with James and Davis. James, an 18-time All-NBA selection, is still operating at the top of the sport, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game last season while shooting 52.4% from the field. Davis missed approximately half the season with injury, but the talented big man produced 23.2 points, 9.9 rebound and 2.3 blocks per game.
James and Davis form the foundation of a team that won the title less than three years ago, and the Lakers were in the top 10 of the NBA in field goal percentage, 2-point percentage and free throw creation last season. Los Angeles has improved its supporting cast in the offseason, and the Lakers are opportunistic on defense, posting above-average steal and block rates on the way to 14.0 turnovers created per game in 2021-22. Golden State finished with the league’s second-worst turnover rate (15.0%) on offense, and the Lakers may be able to create havoc.
Why the Warriors can cover
The Warriors have two-way strengths in this matchup. First, Golden State returns the core of a title-winning team, and Los Angeles struggled to only 33 victories a season ago. The Warriors are also playing at home with a potent offense that ranked in the top three of the NBA with 14.3 3-pointers per game and 55.7% shooting from inside the arc. Golden State also generated 27.1 assists per game in 2021-22, and Curry remains the game’s best shooter.
On the other end, the Warriors finished in the top three of the NBA in assists allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, 2-point percentage allowed and field goal percentage allowed last season. Golden State gave up only 106.6 points per 100 possessions, No. 2 in the NBA, and the Warriors posted top-six marks in defensive rebound rate (73.6) and steals (8.8 per game). Golden State also out-scored opponents by 9.7 points per 100 possessions in regular season home games in 2021-22, providing an even loftier baseline in this matchup.
How to make Lakers vs. Warriors picks
The model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 222 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Warriors vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.