The Los Angeles Lakers are back in Hollywood after splitting a four-game road trip but waiting for them in La-La Land are the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Philadelphia opens a quick three-game Western Conference trek against L.A. coming off a rallying win over rival Miami without superstars James Harden and Joel Embiid in the lineup. Those two are expected on the floor tonight, matching up with Harden’s former teammate Russell Westbrook, who is showing signs of life after a disaster of the debut season with the Lakers.
Here are our free NBA picks and predictions for 76ers vs. Lakers on March 23.
Editor's note: All picks and predictions listed below were published prior to LeBron James being ruled out.
76ers vs Lakers odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
Bookies posted Philadelphia as low as -5.5 as for the opener and that spread jumped to as high as -8.5 at some shops before slimming to Sixers -7. The total hit the board at 227.5 points and has risen to 231.5.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
76ers vs Lakers predictions
Predictions made on 3/23/2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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76ers vs Lakers game info
• Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
• Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2022
• Tip-off: 10:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
76ers vs Lakers betting preview
Key injuries
76ers: No injuries to report.
Lakers: LeBron James F (Out), Talen Horton-Tucker F (Questionable), Anthony Davis F (Out), Kendrick Nunn G (Out)
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 13-3-2 in 76ers’ last 18 games as road favorites. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Lakers.
76ers vs Lakers picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
LeBron James’ historical progress and Westbrook’s sudden surge are clouding some big issues for the Lakers, namely on defense. Los Angeles has had a tough time defending without Anthony Davis patrolling the paint, but things have gotten out of hand.
The team was wretched defensively on its four-game road swing, coming out of that stretch with an advanced defense rating of 123.2 (versus 111.9 on the season). Giving up 124 points to the up-tempo Minnesota Timberwolves in the first game of this trip is expected, but allowing offensively challenged teams like Toronto, Washington, and Cleveland to light up the scoreboard is inexcusable.
The honeymoon period for Philadelphia and James Harden is over, with the Sixers coming back to earth a bit after a hot start to his tenure in the City of Brotherly Love. However, Philly still presents a dangerous and deep offensive attack, as evidenced by its role players stepping up against the Heat.
With Harden and Embiid resting Monday, guys like Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and Shake Milton shared the load and stuck it to one of the premier defenses in the NBA, leading the 76ers to a 113-106 win at home. Now, the Sixers toss Embiid and Harden back in the mix, presenting problems for L.A. in defending pick-and-roll, transition, and isolation – all soft spots for the Lakers defenses this season.
The win over the Heat and this current three-game road run, which features both L.A. teams and the Phoenix Suns, is really a gut-check stretch of the schedule for the 76ers. Philadelphia follows those games with a homestand against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks on March 29, then has only seven games remain in the regular season.
Expect to witness the full potential of the Sixers’ star-studded lineup tonight.
Prediction: 76ers -7 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
Los Angeles’ offense has been jump-started by Westbrook’s recent play. The former NBA MVP has looked about as good as he has all season in the previous three games, averaging more than 21 points, 9.7 assists, and 8.3 rebounds. The Lakers have followed, posting regulation point totals of 116, 119, and 131 in those contests.
Both sides want to push the pace and score in transition, L.A. more so because it struggles in the halfcourt without Davis as an anchor around the key. Los Angeles is still a dangerous team in the open court, with LeBron and Westbrook looking to get to the rim, averaging 23.5 points per game in transition.
The 76ers have been a little laxer on defense since Harden’s arrival (in terms of advanced defensive rating) and do struggle against up-tempo teams and transition attacks, giving up 1.19 points per play and a scoring frequency of 54.5% to transition offenses (second worst in the NBA).
This will also be Philly’s third game in four days and the first time in a long time the Sixers have run against a team that pushes the pace, recently taking on methodical foes like Miami (28th in pace rating), Toronto (26th), Dallas (30th), Cleveland (25th), and Denver (21st) – pumping out a 2-3 Over/Under count.
Look for the Lakers to inject this game with a quicker tempo and the 76ers to lean into it as well, turning this one into a bit of a track meet.
Prediction: Over 230.5 (-110)
Best bet
Los Angeles runs the second fastest pace of play in the first half this season (102.86) and will test the Sixers’ legs early on, with James and Westbrook attempting to beat Embiid and the 76ers defense down the floor.
Philadelphia has allowed an average of 58 first-half points per game in the 13 contests since Harden arrived, ranked 19th in defensive rating in those first two frames. As mentioned, the 76ers have struggled to slow transition attacks and get a major switch in gears against Los Angeles when compared to recent opposition.
The Lakers have put forth some solid 1H production over the past three games, posting scores of 67, 67, and 59 points at the break while shooting better than 54% from the floor in those opening 24 minutes of action.
Pick: Los Angeles Lakers 1H Team Total Over 57.5 (+100)
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