Lakers vs Warriors Game 2 Odds, Picks, and Predictions: No Lack of Hope for Lakers

The Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers in the second game of the Western Conference Semifinals on Thursday night. The Lakers took the first game on the road, and will look to take a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.

However, oddsmakers expect Golden State to bounce back, with NBA odds opening the Dubs as five-point favorites before ticking up to -7 for Game 2. Here are my best free Lakers vs. Warriors NBA picks and predictions for May 4.

Lakers vs Warriors Game 2 best odds

Lakers vs Warriors Game 2 picks and predictions

The Lakers beat the Warriors on their home floor on Tuesday, and there's reason to think that the same thing could very well happen again.

The Warriors were dominant at home during the regular season (33-8 straight up with a net rating of +7.7), but it's important not to overvalue that advantage in this series.

Not all home-court advantages are the same. The Lakers won't have to travel far for this interstate showdown and have played well at this venue in the past. Not only are the Lakers 4-0 straight-up and against the spread vs the Warriors this calendar year, but they've gone 5-2 ATS in their last seven trips to Chase Center.

The Lakers beat Golden State on Tuesday despite Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole all scoring more than 20 points, and the team going 21-for-53 from long range. The fact that the Warriors were red-hot from deep and still couldn't score enough was because they shot just 41.5% from inside the arc.

That was due to the inside presence of Anthony Davis, who racked up 30 points, 23 boards, five assists, and four blocks. The Dubs will have a tough time with Davis on both ends of the floor, and their inability to attack the rim means that Davis and LeBron James won't get in foul trouble.

The Lakers' offensive and defensive ratings from the regular season need to be taken with a massive grain of salt. Keep in mind that they played just 36 games with both James and Davis in their lineup, and the moves that they made down the stretch have improved the team on both ends of the floor. Trading for D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt shored up several weaknesses while ramping up playing time for Austin Reaves has given the squad more cohesion.

This is a very talented team that's gelling at the right time, and they shouldn't be catching this many points against a Warriors squad that has struggled defensively.

My best bet: Lakers +7 (-105 at bet365)

Lakers vs Warriors same-game parlay

James Alt points Over 27.5

Warriors Under 116.5 points

Curry Under 5.5 made 3s

+584 at FanDuel

LeBron had a relatively quiet Game 1, but with the Dubs likely focusing on stopping AD, King James should be in line for more points tonight.

We saw in the second half on Tuesday that both teams can play solid defense when they slow things down. The Lakers have an NBA-best defensive rating of 103.9 during the postseason and are more than capable of keeping the Warriors below this number.

The Warriors rarely attacked the rim in Game 1, resulting in just six free throw attempts. Look for Curry to be more aggressive at getting to the basket and less likely to settle for three-point attempts tonight. That should lead to him hitting fewer than the six treys he drained on Tuesday.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Lakers vs Warriors Game 2 spread and Over/Under analysis

Tonight's line opened with the Warriors at -5, but money has poured in on the home side, fattening that spread to -7. 

The Dubs entered Game 1 as 4.5-point chalk. While the game was close at halftime, the Lakers went on a 24-12 run in the third quarter to pull ahead, and they held off Golden State's comeback bid in the fourth.  

The Lakers had to fight for their playoff lives down the stretch in the regular season, needing to beat the Timberwolves in the play-in to secure the No. 7 seed. But they proved they are still contenders by knocking off the No. 2 seed Grizzlies in six games in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, the Warriors were down 2-0 in their first-round series against the Kings, but won four of the next five games to take the series.

Both the Lakers and Warriors are much better than their regular-season records would suggest, and they entered the postseason with momentum. They both went 8-2 SU in the final 10 games of the regular season, with the Lakers boasting a net rating of +7.2, and the Warriors sitting at +13.2 (albeit inflated by a 56-point massacre of a D-League Portland squad in their season finale). 

The total has seen modest movement, opening at 227.5 and ticking down to 227. It was a tale of two completely different halves when these teams clashed on Tuesday. They combined for 129 points in the first half, but scored just 100 points in the second.

The Warriors played at the fastest pace in the league during the regular season, while the Lakers were fourth. That up-tempo style has continued in the playoffs, with Golden State's series against Sacramento played at the fastest pace, while the Lakers' showdown with Memphis was the third-fastest.

Lakers vs Warriors betting trend to know

The Lakers are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings with the Warriors. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Warriors.

Lakers vs Warriors Game 2 game info

Lakers vs Warriors Game 2 key injuries

Pages related to this topic