A pair of Western Conference teams looking to snap out of losing streaks face off in L.A. on Saturday as the Golden State Warriors take on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite their recent funk, the Warriors are still near the top of the conference standings, while the Lakers are battling for a play-in spot, which is why NBA betting lines have the Dubs installed as 5.5-point road favorites tonight.
Here are our best free Warriors vs. Lakers NBA picks and predictions for Saturday, March 4, with tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Warriors vs Lakers odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
This line hit the board with the Warriors installed as 6.5-point favorites with the Over/Under at 224.5. The line has bounced around a bit, moving up to -7 at some books and moving as low as -5.5 at others. The total has seen consistent upward momentum, ticking up to 226 by 10:30 a.m. ET.
These Western Conference foes previously faced off on February 12 with the Warriors winning 117-115 but failing to cover as 6-point home faves.
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.
Warriors vs Lakers predictions
- Prediction: Warriors -5.5 (-110)
- Prediction: Over 226 (-110))
- Best bet: Warriors TT Over 115.5 (-120)
Predictions made on 3/5/2022 at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Warriors vs Lakers game info
• Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Saturday, March 5, 2022
• Tip-off: 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ABC
Warriors vs Lakers betting preview
Key injuries
Warriors: Draymond Green PF (Out), Gary Payton II PG (Out), James Wiseman C (Out), Andre Iguodala SG (Out).
Lakers: LeBron James SF (Questionable), Avery Bradley G (Questionable), Talen Horton-Tucker SF (Questionable), Anthony Davis PF (Out), Kendrick Nunn G (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 5-0-1 in the Warriors' last six games following a straight-up loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Lakers.
Warriors 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
The Warriors might have the second-best record in the NBA, but they're currently on a three-game skid, most recently falling 122-113 to the Mavericks on Thursday. Golden State's struggles actually go back to before the All-Star break, with the Dubs winning just two of their last nine games and going 1-9-1 ATS in their previous 11 contests.
One of those victories came against the Lakers on February 12 when they edged them 117-115 on a rare occasion when L.A. had LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook in the lineup. Davis (no surprise) is back on the IL and in four games since he sprained his ankle, the Lakers have gone 0-4 SU and 0-3-1 ATS.
It's tough to trust either team against the spread given their recent play, but at least for the Warriors, it appears to be short-term regression for a team that's still a championship contender.
On the other hand, the Lakers have been on a downward spiral for a while and their body language is awful, with LeBron James looking more disinterested as the losses keep piling up. This is a team that's out of sync, turning the ball over at one of the worst rates in the league, routinely getting outrebounded, missing free throws, and allowing opposing teams to get to the rim.
They've also struggled to defend the deep ball lately allowing foes to shoot 42.4% from beyond the arc since the All-Star break. That's bad news against the Dubs, who are led by Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Klay Thompson — with the latter two players poised to bounce back from poor shooting performances.
Prediction: Warriors -5.5 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The Warriors allow the fourth-fewest points per game in the league, but they've regressed lately and have really missed Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala on defense. They've allowed at least 115 points in six of their last eight games, with the only exceptions coming against the punch-less Blazers and the slow-paced Mavs (who still shot a sizzling 50% from the field).
However, the Dubs have been putting up points lately, averaging 115.1 ppg in their last 16 games. And now they face off against a Lakers squad that plays at a fast tempo and ranks 26th in the league with 112.7 ppg allowed — with that number bumping up to 114.2 ppg in 25 contests without Davis.
In their last contest, the Lakers surrendered 132 points on 55% shooting to a Clippers squad whose best offensive player is Reggie Jackson. With the Over going 6-1-1 in the Warriors' last eight games, take the Over tonight.
Prediction: Over 226 (-110)
Best bet
It's really tough to trust either team on the spread at the moment and the Lakers offense has been similarly unreliable, which makes the full game total a bit unpredictable as well. However, their defense has been consistently awful all season.
While the Warriors have struggled to win lately, they have been filling up the hoop, dropping at least 113 points in four of their last five games and averaging 115.2 ppg over that span. They're fresh off a game against one of the top defensive teams in the league in the Mavericks where they scored 113 points on 54 FG%.
We're taking the Over on the Dubs team total.
Pick: Warriors Team Total Over 115.5 (-120)
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