Lakers vs Warriors Series Odds & Spread
- The Golden State Warriors battle the LA Lakers in Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs
- The Warriors needed seven to beat the Kings, while the Lakers stopped Memphis in six
- Find the latest Lakers vs Warriors series odds, betting discussion and picks below
At one point in the second half of the year, there were rumblings that neither the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers would even make the NBA playoffs.
Now, they clash in Round 2 in the West’s NBA playoff bracket — with a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line.
The 7th-seeded Lakers dusted the 2nd-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in six, while the Warriors went the distance with the Sacramento Kings, pulling away in the second half and taking Game 7 on the road.
The NBA odds are treading somewhat lightly in this LeBron vs GState throwback, with the slight advantage going to 6th-seeded Warriors at -155, an implied series win probability of 60.78%.
Lakers vs Warriors Series Odds
| Team | Odds to Win Series | Series Spread |
|---|---|---|
| [7] Los Angeles Lakers | +130 | +1.5 games (-190) |
| [6] Golden State Warriors | -155 | -1.5 games (+155) |
Game 1 gets going Tuesday night (May 2) at 10pm ET from Chase Center, in a game you can see live on TNT. Game 2 goes Thursday (May 4) at 10pm ET, and can be seen live on ABC.
The scene shifts to LA, with Game 3 (May 6) at 8:30pm ET on ABC, and Game 4 (May 8) at 10pm ET on TNT.
The Warriors and Lakers rank 4-5 in the current NBA Championship odds, looking up at Boston, Denver and Phoenix.
SPORTSBOOK
Bet $5 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly + a No Sweat NBA SGP Every Day!
Odds as of April 30 at DraftKings.
Lakers Not All LeBron & AD
This isn’t your typical LeBron James-led squad.
The 38-year-old is still effective, yet clearly not the dominant figure he’s been, and he’s also dealing with a foot injury. James might have the most complete roster he’s ever had in the playoffs — or at least one that he trusts.
A different Laker led the team in scoring five times across six games. Austin Reaves has emerged as the defacto secondary ball handler behind James, averaging 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
5 different leading scorers in 6 games.
Game 1 – Rui Hachimura (29)
Game 2 – LeBron James (28)
Game 3 – Anthony Davis (31)
Game 4 – Austin Reaves (23)
Game 5 – Anthony Davis (31)
Game 6 – D’Angelo Russell (31)Depth. pic.twitter.com/EhKJY8emEP
— Los Angeles Lakers ❼ (@CookedByLakers) April 30, 2023
D’Angelo Russell can catch fire any game, like he did in the Game 6 clincher: 31 points, including 5-for-9 from downtown. D-Lo shot 37.2% from distance in the series.
And then there’s Anthony Davis, who unleashed a defensive performance not many players in the league could match. His 26 blocks were just a fraction of dominance in the series, while also averaging 20.8 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.3 blocks of 49% shooting.
Warriors Survive, On To Round 2
In a career of virtuoso performance, Stephen Curry just etched his name into the record books again. He dropped 50 points in Game 7 to blow out the Kings on the road, 120-100. That’s the most points scored in a Game 7 in NBA history.
It was a less-heralded but equally historic showing from Kevon Looney. The big man grabbed 21 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass to help bury the 3rd-seeded Kings. He joins Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond to have three 20+ rebound games in a single series in franchise history.
Lakers vs Warriors Head-to-Head Playoff Stats
| 112.2 (10th) | Points per Game | 115.2 (9th) |
| 104.7 (5th) | Points Against per Game | 116.0 (12th) |
| 49.7 (1st) | Rebounds Per Game | 45.0 (T-7th) |
| 46.3% (6th) | Field Goal Shooting | 45.8% (T-8th) |
| 40.2% (1st) | Field Goal Shooting Defense | 43.8% (3rd) |
| 31.0% (15th) | 3-Point Shooting | 32.8% (10th) |
| 31.2% (3rd) | 3-Point Shooting Defense | 31.6% (4th) |
How Anthony Davis and LeBron / Rui Hachimura control the leading rebounder in the playoffs will go a long way to determining the winner.
There’s some work to do to support those two. Klay Thompson was a brutal 4-for-19 in Game 7, and while he averaged 20.6 points in the Round 1 series, he shot a pedestrian 42.5% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range.
Those are numbers Jordan Poole would have killed for. He tallied 10 points or less in four of the seven Round 1 games, averaging 12 points on 33.8% from the field and 25.7% from distance. Poole is hoping a new opponent might be the change he needs to get going.
Opening Lakers vs Warriors Prediction
In the West’s Final Four, the Lakers and Dubs are still looking up at the winner of the Suns-Nuggets series as the favorites in the NBA Conference odds.
A couple of stats that will be put to the test in Round 2. The Lakers had the top field-goal shooting defense (40.2%), with GState right behind them in third (43.8%). Both sides were also top-4 in three-point shooting defense.
"A 50-POINT GAME 7 FOR STEPH CURRY!"#PLAYOFFMODE ACTIVATED IN GAME 7.
WARRIORS/KINGS ON ABC. pic.twitter.com/zny9xgn4ge
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2023
The Dubs were uncharacteristically below-average from three against the Kings, ranking 10th in the playoffs at 32.8%. LA, meanwhile, is bottom-2 from distance, at 31%.
LA makes their hay inside, second in paint scoring at 53 points per game. We’ll see how the undersized Warriors deal with it. They are 5th-worst in paint points allowed at 50.3 per game.
Golden State’s extended series means the Lakers have had three full days off between games, which gives them the best advantage to get the split at Chase. By the slightest of margins, I think the Lakers’ star power and depth outshines a supernova Curry series.
DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $200 INSTANTLY & A NO SWEAT NBA SGP EVERY DAY!
- FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK
BET $5 & GET $150 GUARANTEED!
- BETMGM SPORTSBOOK
GET UP TO $1,500 BACK IN BONUS BETS!
- CAESARS SPORTSBOOK
GET UP TO $1,000 BACK - ON CAESARS!
- BET365 SPORTSBOOK
BET $5 & GET $150 IN BONUS BETS!
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
