NBA: Los Angeles Lakers VS Golden State Warriors Pick and Predictions 02/11/2023

Game: 8:10 PM ET,  Saturday, February 12th, 2023

Venue:  Chase Center, San Francisco, California

TV:  ABC

Lakers: 25-31, 13th place Western Conference

Warriors: 28-27, 7th place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Warriors -2.5, O/U 238.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Warriors -2.5, O/U 238.5

Fanduel: Point Spread: Warriors -3, O/U 238.5

Lakers: PG D’Angelo Russell, SG Malik Beasley, SF Lonnie Walker IV, PF Rui Hachimura, C Anthony Davis

Warriors: PG Jordan Poole, SG Klay Thompson, SF Andrew Wiggins, PF Draymond Green, C Kevon Looney

An NBA Western Conference all out battle of dreamers.  These two teams are not having the seasons that their future Hall of Famers wanted… Neither is where they thought they would or should be. The OK team (defending champs) made a couple of small moves at the NBA trade deadline in hopes of improving.  The terrible team made a full overhaul complete with “charity” from other teams that wanted first round picks more than winning… The result is a New Hope with an uphill battle ahead.  

The Warriors are the team that most exemplifies why if a time machine were ever built the first 32 people in line would be NBA GM’s.  The Warriors had Gary Payton II on their bench last season and got a lot of productive play as they won a Championship. They also had C James Wiseman who missed most of last season with an injury and was not ready for game action when the team won the Championship… in the offseason they let Gary Payton II walk to the Portland Trail Blazers, a much worse team, where he remained a bench player in limited minutes… They then tried C James Wiseman (a former #2 pick overall in the NBA draft) at Center… then they sat him, then they tried him in the G-League where he played well, then they tried him again.. Then they sat him again.. Then they traded him for 5 future 2nd round picks… Then they traded all 5 future second round picks for Gary Payton II, a bench guard who they had, who will again be on the bench for them.  HUMMMM… Are you telling me if they had to do it over again?... They wouldn’t simply sign Payton during the offseason as they traded Wiseman for the first round pick and player he would have commanded?... Definitely a bungled moment in time.

The Lakers go to work everyday knowing they have basketball’s GOAT in LeBron James.. They also know that they bungled the last 3-4 seasons worth of trades to build a terrible team. In fact the team that LeBron joined as a free agent… PG Lonzo Ball, PG/SG De’Angelo Russell, PF Julius Randle, SF Brandon Ingram, SF/PF Kyle Kuzma, SG Josh Hart, PF Larry Nance Jr… and tons of future draft picks!  Would have won multiple championships instead of 1 if they stayed PAT… and if they had traded just Lonzo Ball?... for a pick and a mid-level big man?... Sheesh! All those players were shipped out for Anthony Davis who can’t stay healthy (and they already knew that) and Russell Westbrook who is was over the hill (and they knew that).... 3 of the jettisoned players are the best players on their current teams… Three are quality role players in the NBA… and Lonzo is injured in Chicago.  So, they mixed the cocktail again and have added De’Angelo Russell back… plus PF Rui Hachimura, plus PF Jarred Vanderbuilt, plus C Mo Bamba… They got a whole lot better really fast… They gave up guys they did not want: like Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, Thomas Bryant, Davon Reed (who?)... and a future first round pick and 3 future second round picks.  What this means is the Lakers are immediately better NOW.. but as good as they could have been.  Plus after LeBron James leaves them 2 years from now?... They won’t have a draft pick until pigs fly. They need to immediately in order to make the playoffs. 

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The Lakers are playing with 3 new starters.  Plus 2 new bench players and no LeBron... Their season averages are meaningless at this moment in time. They will be more accurate in two weeks when they have either lifted them or lowered them.

Our prediction for Saturday, February 11th is…. Warriors 117 - Lakers 112

Bet on the Warriors.  The one thing the Warriors are is a full blown team.  They play defense and offense at the teamwork level.  The Warriors are missing Steph but have plenty of firepower.  The Lakers will be missing LeBron but.. The one thing the Lakers are doing is a chemistry experiment.  Several guys who just met will have to develop chemistry in just a few days… They will have to learn defensive rotations… and of course the entire Laker experiment will be over the moment Anthony Davis twists an ankle.

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33 of 39 games in this matchup have gone OVER since 1996.

The Lakers are 1-9 ATS versus division opponents this season.

The Warriors are 77-44 ATS in home games the last 3 seasons.

Lakers: LeBron.  He is the all time scoring leader in NBA history.  The rest of the Lakers are a question mark. He also will not play in this game according to Adrian Wojnowasky (I spelled it wrong on purpose because he eats all the shrimp in the club box)

Warriors: PF Draymond Green.  Draymond takes things personally. So personally he punched a teammate in the face.. HARD. A good teammate too.  Draymoond will be in the hall of Fame one day.. But will he be able to take this Lakers “instant rebuild” personally enough to get his usual statline of 8 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists… while playing shut down defense?... and will it matter without Steph on the floor.

Lakers: Darvin “hammy” Ham

Warriors: Steve “Lord of the Rings” Kerr