NBA Betting: Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers
Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers Fri. April 12, 2013 10:30 p.m. ET
The playoff hunt continues for the Los Angeles Lakers as the team once built to win a championship in 2013 is fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with only three games left to go in the regular season.
Despite being favored to do some damage in the West this season in Las Vegas odds, the Lakers haven’t been even close to living up to expectations this season. The Lakers being on the outside looking in on the postseason is very real possibility at this point in time with the team needing to win the remaining three games in order to hold off the Utah Jazz.
On Friday night, the Golden State Warriors will enter Staples Center for the last time this year to face the Lakers unless an unlikely matchup occurs in the postseason. Stephen Curry and company will come in motivated to avenge the devastating loss to the top seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday by getting the best of a desperate squad in Los Angeles.
Although the Warriors are arguably the better all-around team at this point in the season, Kobe has kicked it into high gear with the five-time NBA champion not giving up on the team’s chances at this point in time. Kobe is coming off his best scoring performance of the season with 47 as he was able to lead the Lakers to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden earlier this week.
As of right now, the Lakers are heavily favored to come out on top wit ha -7 1/2 point spread. Although I do believe Los Angeles will get the win, it won’t be by a convincing margin with the Warriors giving them all they can handle.
Prediction: Golden State Warriors +7 1/2
The player prop bet to roll the dice on in this matchup will be Kobe Bryant’s point total. With Kobe determined to make the playoffs, the superstar guard will likely have another impressive offensive display of 30 or more points.