The Wizards are traveling across the country to face the Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena tonight, on February 29th. This will be the first matchup between these two teams in the 2023-24 season. Washington’s 9-49 record does not signal a postseason future, while Los Angeles is still in the playoff picture with a 32-28 record.
The home team is a 9.5-point favorite for this interconference duel, available for betting with BetMGM sports promo code. Let’s preview the teams and odds.
The Wizards' Prospects Are Bleak
After Tuesday's 123-112 defeat to the Warriors, the Wizards' losing streak extended to 12 games, and their prospects of beating the Lakers are bleak. A big reason for the disappointing season is the underperforming defense, which ranks last in the league for points allowed, with 124.2 points conceded per game.
The offense is not at the bottom of the league, ranking 18th in scoring, but it cannot make an impact. Washington averages 114.3 points per game, 47.1% shooting accuracy from the field, and 34.9% beyond the arc. Rebounding is an issue with 40.8 boards per game, and turnovers are on the rise, with 21 turnovers against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Washington lacks bonafide star players, with Kyle Kuzma leading the team with 22.1 points per night. Deni Avdija, Isaiah Livers, and Bilal Coulibaly are questionable players for tonight's game due to injury. The Wizards are vying with the Pistons for the worst record in the NBA and will have another challenging night in California.
The Lakers Are Making a Playoff Push
The Lakers bounced back from the 123-113 defeat at the Suns by beating the hometown rival Clippers 116-112 on Wednesday. The question now is how tired the Lakers are as they stand to play back-to-back games. This Thursday morning, the Lakers are the 9th seed in the Western Conference with a 32-28 record.
Offensively, this team is potent, with 116.9 points per game and a shooting accuracy of 49.5% from the field and 37.0% from the three-point line. Rebounding is also an issue for the Lakers, with 42.6 rebounds per game, which is not much better than the Wizards. The good news is that 39-year-old LeBron James averages 25 points and 7.9 assists per game. Anthony Davis is helping out under the boards with 12.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
Against the Suns and Clippers, the Lakers demonstrated resilience, and with James and Davis providing the offensive firepower, they should not struggle against the Wizards, especially if the supporting cast of players steps up.
Betting Prediction
The Wizards have won two games out of their last 20 matchups, and in any other circumstances, a win for the Lakers would have been considered a sure thing. However, fatigue can influence events on the court, considering the Lakers are playing back-to-back games, and the Wizards had time to rest. Additionally, LeBron James' name appeared questionable for the Clippers game due to an ankle injury, so we are yet to see if he feels better for tonight's game.
The odds on a moneyline bet for the Lakers are -425, and the sportsbooks with online free bets allocate +330 odds on the visiting team for a moneyline bet. The total is 241.5 points with equal -110 odds for the Over and Under bet. If any of the two teams cover the 9.5-point spread, the odds are identical at -110. Los Angeles has the better record and stats, and if their leader is healthy, the Wizards will probably expand their losing streak.
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