The Los Angeles Lakers (34-24) visit the Golden State Warriors (31-28) on Saturday for a high-profile Western Conference clash.
The season series is knotted up at 1-1. The winner of the third matchup gains a much-needed edge in the back half of the regular season, as both teams are fighting to avoid the play-in tournament. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Below, we'll break down our Lakers vs. Warriors prediction and picks for Saturday night's game. Make your NBA picks on PrizePicks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Lakers vs. Warriors Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
Los Angeles is sixth in the Western Conference and is enduring a rough patch. Its offense has been inconsistent despite PG Luka Doncic’s high-level production. The former Dallas Mavericks star is in serious need of support.
Doncic leads the NBA in points per game (32.7), and only two players can top his mark of 8.6 assists per contest. However, the Lakers have averaged just 102.7 points per game during their current three-game losing streak. SG Austin Reaves and F LeBron James have combined for 34.4 points per contest in that span.
The Dubs have won four of their previous nine games without PG Stephen Curry, who hasn’t played since late January because of a right knee injury. G Moses Moody, G DeAnthony Melton, and F Gui Santos have ramped up their scoring during the sharpshooter’s absence.
Moody’s average of 16.3 points per contest over his previous nine outings leads all Warriors. Melton and Santos averaged 15.6 and 15.2 points during the same stretch, respectively.
Ball movement will be crucial for the Warriors, as they’ve tallied 30.9 assists per game since February 3. That’s more than the Atlanta Hawks, who lead the NBA in assists per game (30.3) on the year. Whether Golden State's all-hands-on-deck effort can hold off the visitor’s star power remains to be seen, though.
Lakers vs. Warriors Over/Under, Spread
The Lakers are 3.5-point favorites, returning a 1.56x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Warriors return a 2.38x payout if they win outright, per PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 34 states.
- Spread: Los Angeles Lakers -3.5
- Over/Under: 228.5
- Game Winner Payout: Lakers 1.56x | Warriors 2.38x
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
Lakers vs. Warriors Injury Report
Let’s dive into the full Lakers vs. Warriors injury report for Saturday, via NBA.com.
Los Angeles Lakers Injury Report
- F Rui Hachimura (illness): OUT
Golden State Warriors Injury Report
- G Stephen Curry (knee): OUT
- C Kristaps Porzingis (illness): Questionable
- PF Draymond Green (knee): Probable
Lakers vs. Warriors Prediction on Spread
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Lakers vs. Warriors prediction on spread for Saturday, February 28 on PrizePicks.
- The Lakers are 0-4 against the spread since the All-Star break.
- Los Angeles is attempting the second-fewest field goals per game (83.5) in the sport.
- The Dubs lead the NBA in 3-pointers made per game (16.4) and have raised that mark to 16.8 in the aforementioned Curry-less stretch.
- Opposing teams are shooting 48.6% from the field against Los Angeles.
- Only the Detroit Pistons average more steals per game (10.0) than Golden State.
Lakers vs. Warriors Picks, Stats for PrizePicks Today
Here are two of the top Lakers vs. Warriors picks to consider for Saturday, February 28. Today's PrizePicks NBA player projections feature SG Austin Reaves and PF Draymond Green.
Lakers SG Austin Reaves vs. Warriors Projection: 20.5 Points
- Reaves has eclipsed 20 points twice in his previous 13 games.
- The Lakers guard is averaging a season-low 19.6 PPG in February.
- The Oklahoma product’s average for field goal attempts has dropped in three consecutive months.
- The 27-year-old has fallen short of 20 points in four of his five road starts against Golden State.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Warriors PF Draymond Green vs. Lakers Projection: 14.5 Points
- Green averages just 8.5 PPG on the season, lower than his output in each of the last two years.
- Seven Warriors who have played at least eight games since Curry’s last appearance have averaged more points than Green.
- The playmaking forward shoots an ugly 37.9% from the field on the road.
- The 35-year-old has reached double-digit points only three times in his previous 10 meetings with Los Angeles.
Make Lakers vs. Warriors Picks on PrizePicks
The Lakers take on the Warriors at the Chase Center on Saturday, with both Western Conference teams underachieving in the back half of the regular season and hoping to win enough to avoid the play-in tournament.
You can make your Lakers vs. Warriors picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 34 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued NBA predictions, picks, and news.
