A California clash between two veteran-laden teams takes place at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with the Golden State Warriors (28-24) heading to Crypto.com Arena on Saturday to face the Los Angeles Lakers (31-19).
Both teams will be without their respective superstars, with PG Luka Doncic (hamstring) and PG Stephen Curry (foot) both set to miss tonight’s matchup.
The Lakers may have the easier time overcoming the loss of their best player, as they recently welcomed back SG Austin Reaves from his month-long absence due to a calf strain. He immediately showed his value with a 35-point performance in his last outing vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.
Below, we’ll break down our Warriors vs. Lakers prediction and Saturday NBA picks for PrizePicks. Use PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to make picks on player projections or game winners, spreads, and over/unders.
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Warriors vs. Lakers Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
One has to wonder where the offensive production will come from for a Warriors team missing its face of the franchise. Two guys who could have perhaps stepped up were SF Jonathan Kuminga and SG Buddy Hield, but both were shipped off to Atlanta during the trade deadline for C Kristaps Porzingis, who will miss tonight’s game with an Achilles injury.
Without Curry, the offensive load could have to be carried by a mix of guards in Brandon Podziemski, Pat Spencer, and Moses Moody.
The Lakers, meanwhile, lost Doncic to a hamstring injury early in their last game. Thankfully, that was the second game back for Reaves, who stepped right up to the tune of an incredibly efficient 12-of-17 from the field. Despite remaining on a minutes limit for tonight, Reaves may be heavily involved in this one.
The Lakers likely need their trio of stars to be healthy if they want to compete for a championship. Per PrizePicks Team Picks, they return a 22.22 payout for "Yes" to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Warriors vs. Lakers Over/Under, Spread
The Lakers enter Saturday’s game as 3.5-point home favorites, returning a 1.66x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Warriors are road underdogs with a 2.17x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Los Angeles Lakers -3.5 (1.92x payout)
- Over/Under: 221.5 (1.96x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Warriors 2.17x | Lakers 1.66x
Team Picks payouts are live as of writing and are subject to change.
Warriors vs. Lakers Injury Report
Let’s dive into the full Warriors vs. Lakers injury report for Saturday, via NBA.com.
Golden State Warriors Injury Report
- SF Jimmy Butler (ACL): OUT
- PG Steph Curry (Foot): OUT
- SG Seth Curry (Sciatic): OUT
- C Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles): OUT
- SG LJ Cryer (Hamstring): OUT
- SG Brandon Podziemski (Illness): Probable
Los Angeles Lakers Injury Report
- PG Luka Doncic (Hamstring): OUT
- SG Luke Kennard (Trade pending): Questionable
- SF Adou Thiero (Knee): OUT
Warriors vs. Lakers Prediction on Spread
Here are some stats to help you make your Warriors vs. Lakers prediction on the spread today.
- The Lakers are 28-22-0 (56%) against-the-spread (ATS), the ninth-best record in the league.
- The road has been unkind to the Warriors, where they are 11-15-0 (42.3%) ATS, the eighth-worst mark in the Association.
- The Lakers' primary advantage could be on the glass. They're restricting opponents to just 40.7 rebounds per game, the third-lowest mark. The Warriors, meanwhile, rank 22nd in rebounding percentage (49%), according to NBA.com.
- Los Angeles is an impressive 10-5-0 (66.7%) ATS as a home favorite, sixth in the sport.
Warriors vs. Lakers Picks for PrizePicks Today: Saturday, February 7
Here are two of the top Warriors vs. Lakers picks to consider for PrizePicks today. Player projections via the PrizePicks real-money NBA game.
Lakers SG Austin Reaves vs. Warriors Projection – 33 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- Reaves typically has a usage rate of 28.7. Without Luka Doncic on the court, that skyrockets to 35.2, according to AddMoreFunds.
- AR-15 is averaging 37.6 PRA per game, and even with a slight minutes restriction, this is a number he has produced More than in 16 of 25 contests (64%).
- "The Crypt" has been incredibly friendly to Reaves; he shoots 13.5% better from the field at home and 8.8% better from deep.
- The Warriors' defense surrenders the 10th-most rebounds per game at 44.9.
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Warriors PF Draymond Green vs. Lakers Projection – 18.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- The Lakers have the sixth-worst defensive rating in the NBA at 116.8. At home, this number drops to 118.1, the third-worst home defensive rating.
- Green averages a combined 19.1 points, rebounds, and assists per night
- The Lakers' defense yields the sixth-most assists per game at 27.6.
Make Warriors vs. Lakers Picks on PrizePicks
Technically, only four games separate these two teams in the standings. They feel farther apart than that, though, with the Lakers on the precipice of being one of the NBA’s top contenders and the Warriors' best days perhaps being well behind them. Nevertheless, Warriors vs. Lakers picks aren’t the only way hoops fans can get in on the daily NBA action.
You can make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and 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.
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