Clippers vs Lakers Prediction 10/28/26 NBA Picks Today

The LA Lakers were rolling to start their season as they reeled off three straight wins before they got stopped by the Trail Blazers in a 136-129 loss last night. Luka Doncic led the team with 41 points and nine assists on 12-of-22 shooting; Austin Reaves added 26 points with seven assists, while Sandro Mamukelashvili chipped in with 17 points off the bench.

As a team, the Lakers shot a healthy 56 percent from the field and 17 of 43 from the 3-point line as they poured in 73 points in the first half to lead for most of the contest, until late in the fourth quarter when missed open looks and missed free throws came back to bite them.

Meanwhile, the LA Clippers will be hoping to avoid a third straight defeat after falling short to the red-hot Thunder in a 108-101 road defeat on Sunday. Darius Garland led the team with 16 points and 11 assists; Kris Dunn and Brook Lopez each scored 15 points, while Isaiah Jackson chipped in with 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

As a team, the Clippers shot 46 percent from the field and 15 of 38 from the 3-point line which was good enough to keep pace with the Thunder until 2:33 left in the fourth quarter where the Clippers trailed by just one before they allowed the Thunder to go on a pivotal 6-0 run to decide the game. Rui Hachimura had a night to forget as he shot just two of 11 from the field for his five points in 29 minutes of action.

Why the Los Angeles Clippers will win

• The Clippers have won each of their last eight games against Pacific Division opponents following a loss.
• The Lakers have lost six of their last eight games as road favorites against Pacific Division opponents.
• The Clippers have covered the spread in eight of their last nine home games against Western Conference opponents following a loss.
• The Lakers have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games against the Clippers after losing as favorites.

Why the Los Angeles Lakers will win

• The Clippers have lost each of their last nine games as underdogs against Western Conference opponents.
• The Lakers have won each of their last six games against Pacific Division opponents.
• The Lakers have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games on the second leg of a back-to-back.
• The Clippers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games against opponents who are on the second leg of a back-to-back.

Total Points Facts

• Six of the Lakers’ last seven games have gone OVER the total points line.
• Six of the Clippers’ last seven home games following a road loss have gone UNDER the total points line.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Clippers rank 30th in the league for opponent steals per game this season (12.7).
• The Clippers rank 30th in the league for turnovers per game this season (23.3).
• The Lakers rank 30th in the league for rebounds per game this season (35.5).
• The Lakers rank 30th in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (7.3).

The Lakers are still missing Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero, while the Clippers are missing Bradley Beal, Max Strus, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Miller, and Rui Hachimura. The Lakers are playing their second game of a back-to-back set, but they won’t have to travel, and they are up against a struggling Clippers squad missing half their roster.

The Clippers were more than competitive against the Thunder in their last outing, but with the line so short, I have to stick with the more settled Lakers to bounce back after a tough loss last night.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: LA Clippers +5.5