Lakers vs Celtics Prediction NBA Picks 2/1/24

Boston Celtics (37-11) vs Los Angeles Lakers (25-25)

Game Info: Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 7:30 pm (TD Garden)

Betting Odds: Boston Celtics -10.5 -- Over/Under: 244

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics duke it out at the TD Garden on Thursday night. Here’s a Lakers vs Celtics Prediction.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have been in a bit of a rut as they've lost three of their past five games overall and they will be hoping to snap a two-game skid after getting beaten by the Hawks in a 138-122 road loss on Tuesday. Austin Reaves led the team with 28 points and six assists, LeBron James added 20 points with nine rebounds and eight assists while Rui Hachimura chipped in with 16 points off the bench. As a team, the Lakers shot 53 percent from the field and 12 of 33 from the 3-point line, but they were slow to get their offense going and just never looked threatening after allowing 67 points in the first half. In fact, the Lakers got outscored in every quarter and trailed by as many as 20 points despite shooting 53 percent from the field as a team.

Boston Celtics

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics have been in red-hot form as they've won eight of their last 10 games overall and they will be aiming for a third straight victory after sneaking past the Pacers in a 129-124 win on Tuesday. Jayson Tatum led the team with 30 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, Jaylen Brown added 25 points while Derrick White chipped in with 24 points and five assists. As a team, the Celtics shot 54 percent from the field and 17 of 36 from the 3-point line as they stormed out of the gates with exploded for 45 points in the second quarter to take a 20-point, before they held off a late rally from the Pacers who cut the lead to just three points with 16.1 seconds left on the clock.

Boston Celtics Player Facts

• Jayson Tatum ranks 2nd amongst qualified Guards for rebounds per game (8.4) this season.
• Kristaps Porzingis is one of only six qualified players in the league averaging at least 1.5 threes and 1.5 blocks this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Celtics rank 1st in the league for point differential per game this season (+9.4).
• The Celtics rank 1st in the league for rebounds per game this season (47.2).
• The Lakers rank 30th in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (8.3).
• The Lakers rank 30th in the league for opponent three-point field goals made per game this season (14.4).

Lakers vs Celtics Prediction

The Lakers could be shorthanded again with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both listed as questionable, while the Celtics are keeping an eye on Luke Kornet who is questionable also. The Lakers were good enough to beat the Warriors in a thrilling double-overtime win back on Saturday, but it must've taken a lot out of them as they've lost their last two games by 16 points. In contrast, the Celtics have continued their excellent form, they have all their key players healthy and they should have too much firepower for the Lakers here. This could be a close one if Davis and James are able to suit up and play well, but the Celtics have clearly been the more reliable team and I think they get the job done at home.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.