The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Brooklyn Nets in a marquee showdown on Tuesday. The Lakers are 23-24 overall and 8-12 in road games this season. The Nets are 29-17 overall and 12-11 at Barclays Center to begin the 2021-22 campaign. Kevin Durant (knee), Kyrie Irving (ineligible), Joe Harris (ankle) and Paul Millsap (personal) are out for Brooklyn, with Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) listed as questionable. Anthony Davis (knee) is listed as probable for the Lakers, with Kendrick Nunn (knee) ruled out.
Los Angeles is a four-point road favorite for this 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 226 in the latest Lakers vs. Nets odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before finalizing any Nets 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 well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 15 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 58-32 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Nets, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Nets vs. Lakers:
- Nets vs. Lakers spread: Lakers -4
- Nets vs. Lakers over-under: 226 points
- Nets vs. Lakers money line: Lakers -170, Nets +145
- LAL: The Lakers are 9-11 against the spread in road games
- BKN: The Nets are 5-17-1 against the spread in home games
Why the Lakers can cover
Los Angeles has strengths on both ends of the floor. The Lakers are in the top 10 of the NBA in field-goal percentage and 2-point percentage on offense, with top-five marks in free-throw attempts and fast-break points. Los Angeles averages 24.2 assists per game, with 47.7 points in the paint per contest. Brooklyn is No. 26 in the NBA in turnover creation on defense, with the No. 24 mark in free-throw attempts allowed.
On the other end, the Lakers are in the top 10 in turnovers created, steals, and blocked shots, with above-average 3-point defense. Brooklyn is just No. 27 in the NBA in 3-pointers per game and missing key pieces of the team's offensive attack due to injury and unavailability.
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn is one of the best offensive teams in the NBA this season. The Nets are scoring 112.2 points per 100 possessions, landing in the top five of the league. Brooklyn is also in the top five in true shooting percentage (57.5 percent), with a league-leading free- throw percentage (82.7 percent) and the No. 2 mark in field-goal percentage (47.4 percent). The Nets are averaging 25.6 assists per game, No. 7 in the NBA, and Brooklyn has 1.81 assists for every turnover.
The Nets are averaging 13.6 fast-break points per game, a top-10 mark, and the Lakers have noteworthy defensive shortcomings. Brooklyn is No. 27 in the NBA in free-throw prevention on defense, and the Nets are No. 28 in the league in assists allowed. Los Angeles also commits 15 turnovers per game, giving Brooklyn potential opportunities in transition.
How to make Lakers vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 217 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nets vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
