The Washington Wizards welcome the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers to the nation's capital on Wednesday evening. Washington won the first matchup between the two teams on Feb. 22 in Los Angeles. The Lakers are 19-12 on the road, with Washington boasting a 15-17 record in its home venue. LeBron James (ankle) is out for Los Angeles, with Alex Caruso (back) listed as questionable.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Washington. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Lakers as 1.5-point road favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 229 in the latest Lakers vs. Wizards odds. Before you make any Wizards vs. Lakers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,400 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,400 on its top-rated picks this season and entered Week 19 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 97-60 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Wizards. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Wizards vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Wizards spread: Lakers -1.5
- Lakers vs. Wizards over-under: 229 points
- Lakers vs. Wizards money line: Lakers -125, Wizards +105
- LAL: The Lakers are 4-6 against the spread in the last 10 games
- WAS: The Wizards are 7-3 against the spread in the last 10 games
Why the Lakers can cover
Though the Wizards have been hot recently, their overall baseline is not inspiring. Washington is a bottom-10 team in both offensive and defensive rating this season, ranking 23rd in the NBA in net point differential (-3.0 points per 100 possessions). Offensively, the Wizards are a bottom-five team in generating second-chance opportunities, and the Lakers are No. 8 in the NBA in defensive rebound rate at 74.7 percent.
Los Angeles is also the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA overall, giving up only 1.06 points per possession, with top-eight marks in shooting efficiency allowed, turnover creation rate and free throw rate allowed. Washington also struggles to prevent free throw attempts defensively, ranking third-worst in the NBA, and the Lakers are a top-six team in free throw creation on offense. Finally, the Wizards are dead-last in blocked shots (4.0 per game) and their lack of rim protection could be vulnerable against the big, physical Lakers frontcourt.
Why the Wizards can cover
Washington is led by intriguing offensive talent, including the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week in Bradley Beal. Beal is averaging 31.4 points per game this season, and he is the team's No. 1 option. Russell Westbrook is enjoying a hot streak right now, averaging 23.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 12.1 assists per game in the 27 contests since the All-Star break. Finally, Davis Bertans is one of the NBA's best shooters, converting 47.8 percent of his 3-point attempts in April. Since Apr. 7, the Wizards are 10-2, the best record in the NBA over that span, and they are a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense over that time.
Washington is leading the NBA in shooting 50.2 percent from the floor in that 12-game sample, and the Wizards are also burying 38.3 percent of their 3-pointers. In contrast, the Lakers aren't playing their best with a short-handed roster. Los Angeles is a bottom-five offensive team since the All-Star break, scoring only 107.8 points per 100 possessions.
How to make Wizards vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 234 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Wizards? And which side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a roll on NBA picks.
