The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics duke it out at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night. Here’s a Lakers vs Celtics Prediction. This article will include a Lakers vs Celtics pick.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics have been in great form, as they’ve won seven of their last eight games overall, and they will be aiming for a third straight victory after beating the Warriors in a 121-110 road win on Thursday. Payton Pritchard led the team with 26 points, six rebounds, and seven assists off the bench; Jaylen Brown tallied a triple-double of 23 points with 15 rebounds and 13 assists, while Sam Hauser chipped in with 16 points and five assists. As a team, the Celtics shot 52 percent from the field and 17 of 40 from the 3-point line as they swarmed the Warriors from the start and were always in complete control after outscoring the Warriors by 38-19 in a dominant second quarter.
Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have been in pretty good shape lately, as they’ve won five of their last seven games overall, and they will be aiming for a third straight victory after sneaking past the Clippers in a 125-122 home win on Friday. Luka Doncic led the team with 38 points and 11 assists, Austin Reaves added 29 points on nine of 15 shooting, and LeBron James tallied 13 points with 11 assists. As a team, the Lakers shot 52 percent from the field and 17 of 31 from the 3-point line as they caught fire early and exploded for 41 points in the first quarter to take an early 16-point lead. However, the Lakers allowed the Clippers back into the contest and didn’t regain control until they went on a pivotal 7-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to reclaim the lead for good.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers will win
- The Lakers have won each of their last eight home games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Celtics have lost five of their last seven games as road favorites following a road win.
- The Lakers have covered the spread in each of their last four home games against Atlantic Division opponents.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The Celtics have won each of their last 10 games against Pacific Division opponents.
- The Lakers have lost each of their last 10 games as underdogs.
- The Lakers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last 10 games as underdogs.
- The Celtics have covered the spread in each of their last eight road games against teams that held a winning record.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Lakers’ last eight home games against Atlantic Division opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Seven of the Celtics’ last eight games as favorites following a road win have gone UNDER the total points line.
Los Angeles Lakers Player Facts
- Luka Doncic ranks 1st amongst qualified players for points per game (33.0) this season.
- Luke Kennard ranks 1st amongst qualified players for 3P% (49.1%) this season.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Payton Pritchard has recorded 11 games with 4+ assists and zero turnovers this season – most of any player in the league.
- Derrick White has recorded 51 games with 3+ assists this season – equal-most of any player in the league.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Lakers rank 1st in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (3.5).
- The Lakers rank 1st in the league for field goal percentage this season (50.0%).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent steals per game this season (6.1).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for turnovers per game this season (12.1).
Lakers vs Celtics Prediction
The Celtics are still playing without the injured Jayson Tatum, while the Lakers expect to have a full squad for this meeting. The Celtics have been one of the most consistent teams all season, and they are coming into this meeting with plenty of momentum with seven wins in their last eight games. The Lakers are starting to heat up themselves as they’ve gotten all their players back from injury, but their win over the Clippers on Friday was far from convincing. These teams last met on Dec 5, and it was the Celtics who romped to a 126-105 win. We should be in for a much closer contest, but I am expecting a similar result with the Celtics getting the win on the road.