Clippers vs Lakers Predictions & Odds (Oct. 20)

• The Clippers kick off their 2022-23 campaign against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday, October 20th
• Kawhi Leonard and company are a 5.5-point favorite in this classic all-LA matchup
• Find the odds, preview, and Clippers vs Lakers prediction below

Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers officially begin their 2022-23 season on Thursday evening against a familiar foe in the Los Angeles Lakers, who lost their opener on Tuesday night to the defending champion Golden State Warriors. The tip-off for this contest is scheduled for 10 PM ET at Crypto.com Arena and will be available on TNT. Read on for the Clippers vs Lakers prediction.

Clippers vs Lakers Odds

Odds as of October 19th at Barstool Sportsbook. Claim the Barstool Sportsbook bonus code. 

The Clippers head into this clash as a clear 5.5-point favorite with steep moneyline odds of -215. That’s a 70.15% chance of securing the victory. The Lakers come back at +194, with an implied win probability of 34%.

The Lakeshow might be the more established franchise in the City of Angels, but the Clips have dominated them in recent history, winning seven in a row dating back to the beginning of 2020-21.

LAC vs LAL Betting Trends

Ty Lue’s squad is one of the favorites in the 2023 NBA Championship odds alongside Boston and Milwaukee for a reason.  This team is extremely solid on both sides of the ball and gets their best player, Kawhi Leonard, back this season after he missed all of 2021-22 with a knee injury. The Klaw is one of the most established winners in the Association and the front office has done a fine job of building a fantastic roster around him and Paul George.

1️⃣ day away from the regular season so here are some highlights from #️⃣1️⃣. pic.twitter.com/fBj55dNH6K

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 19, 2022

LA went out and acquired John Wall this past summer, a player with loads of experience that could prove to be the star of their second unit. Plus, there are still the likes of Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Reggie Jackson, and Ivica Zubac, among others, around the star duo. From shooters to lockdown defenders, the Clips are legit and will be in the mix for the Western Conference crown.

The Lakers honestly didn’t make any notable moves in the offseason and it showed in their first game against the high-flying Warriors. Darvin Ham’s group lost 123-109 at the Chase Center and honestly just looked overmatched. Steph Curry and the rest of the shooters made it rain, draining 36% of their triples, and picked apart the Los Angeles defense with 31 assists. The Lakers meanwhile shot a putrid 25% from long range and committed 21 turnovers with translated into 27 points for their opponent.

On a more positive note, LeBron balled out for 31 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists while Anthony Davis also had 27 points and six boards. Russell Westbrook wasn’t bad either, contributing 19 points and 11 rebounds. LA showed some promise in transition and did a good job of cooking the Dubs on the fast break, but the glaring issue is their shooting. There just isn’t anyone on this roster who is a reliable sniper and that will continue to be a problem as the season rolls on.

Clippers vs Lakers Prediction

Three of the last four games between these two teams were closer than the spread here. However, Kawhi wasn’t on the floor. Sure, the Clippers have yet to play in the regular season but they’re just visibly better than the Lakers. I’m expecting a statement win here.

Pick: Clippers -5.5 (-110)