Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors 3/14/22 NBA Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Toronto Raptors at the Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.

The Toronto Raptors have been in decent shape as they’ve won five of their last eight games overall and they will be eager to build on their current three-game win streak after blowing past the Nuggets in a 127-115 road win on Saturday. Pascal Siakam led the team with 33 points and seven assists, Scottie Barnes added 25 points with eight rebounds and 10 assists while Chris Boucher chipped in with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks off the bench. As a team, the Raptors shot 47 percent from the field and 12 of 31 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in trouble after falling behind by eight points early in the fourth quarter, before they turned the game on its head with a pivotal 21-5 run to rally past the Nuggets and escape with the impressive victory.  

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have been in dreadful form as they’ve lost 10 of their last 13 games overall and they will be hoping for a better showing after last night’s embarrassing 140-111 road loss to the Suns. LeBron James led the team with 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Carmelo Anthony added 18 points in 18 minutes off the bench while Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk each scored 13 points. As a team, the Lakers shot 44 percent from the field and 16 of 40 from the 3-point line, but this game was over in a hurry as the Lakers were already trailing by 48-22 at the end of the first quarter. Talen Horton-Tucker had a night to forget as he scored just three points on one of eight shooting off the bench.

Looking at the betting trends, the Raptors are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against a team with a losing record and 4-1 ATS in their last five road games. The Lakers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games playing on zero days’ rest, 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games against a team with a winning record and 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.

Head to head, the Raptors are 19-7 ATS in the last 26 meetings overall and the Raptors are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Los Angeles.

The Raptors will again be without Malachi Flynn and OG Anunoby while Fred VanVleet is listed as questionable. The Lakers will take any win they can get after getting blown off the floor last night, but I don’t like their chances against a Raptors team who just routed the Nuggets in their own building. The Lakers are also playing this one on zero days’ rest, so I’ll take the Raptors in this spot.