Lakers Look To Snap Losing Streak At Home vs. Brooklyn

The Los Angeles Lakers (16-17 SU, 12-21 ATS) are 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS over their last four games. The Lakers will try to break out of this slump when they host the COVID-19 depleted Brooklyn Nets (21-9 SU, 12-17-1 ATS) this Saturday in Los Angeles.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Unlike many of the Christmas Day lines that have seen huge movement in the days leading up to the games, the Lakers opened as a 1.5-point favorite in this matchup and the line has moved only slightly to Los Angeles -1. The total, on the other hand, is way down to 226.5 points from its Sportsbook line of 238.5 points. Brooklyn is 4-2 SU and ATS in its last six games against the Lakers.

Brooklyn News & Notes

The Nets had a 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 100-93 loss at home against the Orlando Magic. Brooklyn was extremely short-handed in that game due to a COVID-19 outbreak; each of the team’s top three scorers in 2021-22 were out with Kevin Durant, James Harden and LaMarcus Aldridge in quarantine. Harden, Paul Millsap and Jevon Carter have all cleared protocols this week and are set to start against the Lakers.

Brooklyn has been a strong road team this season with an 11-3 SU and 8-6 ATS record. The Nets are about to get even stronger on the road after reversing course on their original decision not to let Kyrie Irving play on the team as a part-time player. Irving still isn’t eligible to play in home games in New York due to the state’s indoor vaccination requirement, but he will be able to play on the road once he has cleared conditioning.

Los Angeles News & Notes

With the Staples Center being rebranded as the Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day, the Lakers played their final game at Staples on Thursday night. They didn’t do much to send the name of the building they’ve won six championships in out in style, losing to the San Antonio Spurs 138-110 as 1.5-point favorites. Los Angeles has been outscored by an average margin of 17.3 points per game over its current four-game losing streak.

LeBron James has continued to play at a high level in his 19th season in the NBA averaging 26.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. But not much else is working in Los Angeles this season. Russell Westbrook has been an awful fit and Anthony Davis is currently out indefinitely with an MCL sprain. The Lakers still have time to turn things around, though that time is fading fast.

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How Brooklyn Will Cover

The return of James Harden and Paul Millsap should give the Nets a nice boost on offense against the Lakers. The Nets will still be missing Kevin Durant and a handful of other players, but this group is good enough to beat the struggling Lakers with a solid effort.

How Los Angeles Will Cover

LeBron James (25.5 points per game on Christmas) and Russell Westbrook (24.1 PPG on Christmas) are two of the most prolific Christmas Day scorers of all time. If the two stars can get in sync at home on Saturday, there could be enough firepower here to outshoot a Durant-less Nets team.

Computer Pick: Nets +1

Are you looking for more NBA predictions such as the Nets +1? See our NBA Computer Picks page for all the Christmas Day picks.