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Update: James and Davis are both out, apparently waiving the white flag on this team ahead of the trade deadline. It’s hard to say whether this is pressure from James being applied to the front office and head coach Darvin Ham, but it certainly seems that way ahead of a rivalry game. The Celtics are now 14.5-point favorites and I’ll take Boston as the ATS pick. The total is 241 and I like the under with LA’s top offensive players both sidelined.
The most storied rivalry in the NBA will add another chapter Thursday evening when the Los Angeles Lakers (24-25) visit the Boston Celtics (37-11). The Lakers are hoping to snap a two-game losing streak and get some things figured out before the trade deadline, while the Celtics are on a two-game winning streak and hold the best record in the East. This is the second meeting between these teams, with Boston winning on Christmas Day 126-115.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James are both listed questionable but the latter is expected to play. Cam Reddish and Gabe Vincent are out. Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis are in for Boston, while Luke Kornet is questionable.
The Celtics are 11-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 241. Boston is -650 on the moneyline while Los Angeles is +470.
Lakers vs. Celtics, 7:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Lakers +11
Despite holding a 22-2 straight up record at home this season, the Celtics are 13-11 ATS as the home team. A double-digit spread is not something Boston hasn’t covered before, and the Lakers are coming off two brutal losses against the Rockets and Hawks. However, LA will likely shoot better than it did in the Christmas Day loss.
The Lakers are 9-11 ATS as the underdog this season and despite the current rut they are in, I like them to at least cover this spread against Boston in a rivalry game.
Over/Under: Over 241
The Lakers have gone over their totals in the last seven games, and tend to see their defense slip on the road. They are 18-6 to the over in road games. The Celtics have gone over the total in just two of their last nine games but they should be able to put up a big number on this LA squad. Boston has one of the league’s best offenses at 120.4 points per game, and that should be enough to push this game over the total.