Maybe it was the Kobe-inspired black jerseys or just LeBron James getting sick of hearing how the Los Angeles Lakers can’t win it all. Whatever the reason, No. 1 L.A. flexed its muscles in Game 4 of its quarterfinal series with the Portland Trail Blazers, smashing the No. 8 seed 135-115.
The Lakers enter Game 5 as 13.5-point NBA betting favorites, trying to close out Portland. This game was scheduled Wednesday but was moved to Saturday due to the players' boycott.
Here are our favorite NBA free picks and predictions for Trail Blazers vs. Lakers on August 29.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Lakers betting preview
NBA Odds to Win Series
Portland: +2,200
Los Angeles: -20,000
Injuries
Portland: PG Damian Lillard (out)
Los Angeles: PG Rajon Rondo (Questionable), PF Anthony Davis (Probable), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope G (Probable)
Find our latest NBA injury reports for every game.
Betting Trend to Know
The Lakers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight-up win. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Trail Blazers.
Against the spread pick
Damian Lillard has broken down after carrying the Blazers on his shoulders inside the bubble. Portland’s star guard was already nursing a banged-up left hand before leaving Monday’s blowout with a knee injury. Lillard is out for Game 5 after leaving the bubble to get his knee examined back in Portland.
The original spread for Wednesday's game indicated that books were padding against his absence to begin with. And now, knowing that they’ll draw L.A. money – especially after the blowout – this number could climb even higher.
Portland still has capable scorers to keep this within the lofty spread, with CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony and Gary Trent Jr. all dangerous from deep. And when those guys aren’t hitting, center Jusuf Nurkic has cleaned up the glass on the offensive end, scoring easy put-backs around the basket.
The Lakers put in an inspired effort from the opening tip on Monday and had Portland on its heels early with foul trouble and hot shooting. Even with Lillard out, we like the Blazers to battle to the end. This one stinks of backdoor cover to grab as many points as you can if you're betting the Blazers.
PREDICTION: Portland +13.5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
Over bettors needed an insano shooting night from the Lakers to cash in their Game 4 totals bets (the only Over winner in this series).
Los Angeles clicked at 56 percent shooting and got a 17-for-39 night from 3-point range in Game 4 – this coming from a club that shot just under 44 percent in the previous three outings, including a mere 29 for 100 from beyond the arc. With the extended hiatus between games during the boycott, any momentum gained but the Lakers' shooters has likely cooled.
Even with Lillard in the lineup, L.A. has handcuffed Portland to 43 percent shooting from the field and limited its opponents to 24 made triples on their last 63 attempts from long range over the past two games.
That’s left the Blazers to settle for far more mid-range jumpers than the analytics nerds would like, making 16 of 39 from that distance (41 percent), which is an Under bettor’s wet dream.
PREDICTION: Under 223 (-110)
Player prop pick
As ugly as things got on Monday, they could’ve been a lot worse if Nurkic didn’t pull down eight offensive rebounds and score 10 second-chance points for the Blazers. Portland’s center finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds in the Game 4 loss.
For the series, Nurkic is averaging just under 14 points and 10.5 rebounds versus a towering Lakers frontcourt. However, L.A. was pretty soft on the inside during the seeding schedule, allowing opposing centers to score 27.5 points and accrue 9.8 rebounds per game. Those averages aren’t far off the team’s season-long defensive stats either.
Anthony Davis exited Monday’s one-sided win with back spasms but says he’s playing in Game 5. Even so, a slowed or limited AD will help the Blazers big man put up numbers in the paint.
PREDICTION: Jusuf Nurkic Over 27.5 points + rebounds (-110)
Lakers vs Trail Blazers Betting Card
- Portland +13.5 (-110)
- Under 223 (-110)
- Jusuf Nurkic Over 27.5 points + rebounds (-110)
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