Clippers Lakers Line
The Clippers gave up a 3-1 lead in a playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets. Tip-off is at 10 p.m. ET at Staples Center. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Lakers as three-point favorites, up from the opening line, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 223.5 in the latest Lakers vs. Clippers vs Lakers odds, spread, line, over/under, predictions and betting insights for the 2020 NBA Opening Day game. Harry How/Getty Images Clippers vs Lakers NBA Opening Day Game Info NBA Opening Day Game Los Angeles Clippers (0-0) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (0-0) Date: Tuesday, December 22, 2020 Time: 10:10 p.m. EST Venue: Staples Center.
© Provided by CBS SportsOrlando, FL - AUGUST 25: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers handles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Round One Game Five of the NBA Playoffs on August 25, 2020 at The AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Two of the best teams in the league meet up to get the Thursday NBA schedule underway at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks host the Los Angeles Lakers, with high-end star power on display for both teams. The Bucks are 9-5 this season, including a 6-1 mark at home, and they are looking to bounce back from a road loss to the Brooklyn Nets earlier this week. The Lakers are also aiming to avenge a recent loss, and Los Angeles is unbeaten at 7-0 on the road this season. LeBron James (ankle) is officially listed as questionable to play, with Anthony Davis (ankle) listed as probable for Thursday's game.
The latest Lakers vs. Bucks odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Milwaukee as a two-point favorite, up a point from the opener. The over-under for total points expected is set at 228.5. Before making any Bucks vs. Lakers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it returned over $5,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks last season. The model is up nearly $8,100 over the past two-plus seasons. Dating back to last season, it is also on a stunning 68-39 roll on top-rated picks against the spread, returning almost $2,500 on those selections alone. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Bucks. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Bucks vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Bucks spread: Bucks -2
- Lakers vs. Bucks over-under: 228.5 points
- Lakers vs. Bucks money line: Bucks -130, Lakers +110
- LAL: The Lakers are 5-2 against the spread in 2020-21 road games
- MIL: The Bucks are 4-3 against the spread in 2020-21 home games
Why the Lakers can cover
Led by top-tier star power, the Lakers are excellent on both ends. Los Angeles leads the NBA in defense, giving up only 104.6 points per 100 possessions, and the Lakers are No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rebound rate (76.7 percent), free throw rate allowed and blocked shots per game (6.5). Frank Vogel's team also lands in the top five in shooting efficiency allowed, and the Lakers contest shots at an elite level.
On the offensive side, the Lakers are scoring almost 1.15 points per possession, a top-five figure in the NBA. Los Angeles also ranks in the top six in both effective field goal percentage (55.8 percent) and true shooting percentage (58.8), with the ability to create efficient looks on a regular basis. The Lakers can also use physicality to create second-chance opportunities, as Los Angeles ranks near the top of the league in grabbing 28.4 percent of their own missed shots on the offensive glass.
Why the Bucks can cover
Lakers Clippers Line Vegas
Milwaukee is in strong form right now, led by a trio of star-quality players. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the reigning NBA MVP, and he is averaging 27.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season. Antetokounmpo also anchors the defense alongside Jrue Holiday, with the newly-acquired guard averaging 15.7 points, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game. From there, Khris Middleton is one of the more efficient perimeter scorers in the NBA, averaging 22.1 points per game and shooting 53 percent from the floor and 44 percent from 3-point distance.
Those three players key a team with strongly above-average metrics on both sides of the floor, including the No. 1 offense in the NBA on a per-possession basis. Milwaukee will have its hands full with the reigning champions, but the Bucks have strengths to rely on both offensively and defensively in this game.
Clippers Lakers Spread
How to make Lakers vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, with the teams projected to combine for 219 points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Bucks vs. Lakers spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.
It’s opening night in the NBA, and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers will tip off their season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night. If you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.
The game tips off at 10:00 p.m ET and can be seen on TNT.
The new-look Lakers went a perfect 4-0 in the preaseason, with two wins over the Clippers. Talen Horton-Tucker led the Lakers in scoring in both wins over the Clippers, while LeBron James and Anthony Davis did not play. The superstar duo looked sharp in the Lakers’ last preseason win, combining for 55 points against the Suns.
The Lakers have no players on the injury list. For the Clippers, Marcus Morris Sr. is reportedly out with a knee injury.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
Point spread: Lakers -3.5Money line: Lakers -160 / Clippers +135Over-under: 220.5Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.
Advice and prediction
It’s difficult to glean any useful information from the NBA preseason, especially given the short buildup to the season in 2020, but the Clippers did not look great, going 0-3 and losing their games by an average of 17 points.
The Lakers, meanwhile, may have found a key role player emerging in Talen-Horton Tucker, and got a few reps in with the first-choice lineup. Tuesday’s opener will have an entirely different intensity – and you may want to hold off on betting until you’ve seen each team play – but the best bet on the board is Lakers -3.5.
I’m less confident in the over/under, but in four games last season, Clippers-Lakers hit under 220.5 all four times. I’d lean toward the under again on Tuesday.
Prediction: Lakers 107, Clippers 95
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
Clippers Vs Lakers Lineup
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