Lakers vs Spurs Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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15 December 2023

Lakers vs Spurs Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Victor Wembanyama's move to center has driven his defensive numbers up even more, and he's not afraid to challenge the league's best. See why our NBA picks are backing the Spurs phenom vs. the Lakers.

Gregg Popovich must wake up every morning these days and thank god for the Detroit Pistons. Because if not for the historic levels of ineptitude going on in Motown, more people would be casting a skeptical eye on the San Antonio Spurs, who are in the midst of a franchise-worst 18-game losing streak of their own.

The Spurs came within a hair's breadth of ending that ignominious streak on Wednesday when they squared off against the Los Angeles Lakers, who, against the NBA odds, let them back into the game late. Instead, the streak continues. They’ll get another crack at L.A., who could be missing significant players on Friday, December 15.

With my NBA picks and predictions for Lakers vs. Spurs I am once again spotlighting the play of Victor Wembanyama, who continues to impress as a full-time center.

Lakers vs Spurs odds

Lakers vs Spurs predictions

It’s usually hard to find much good to say about a team that has lost as much and as badly as the San Antonio Spurs have during this losing streak. Doubly so when they did not intentionally try to tank this season, but are rather genuinely trying to win and merely failing miserably.

But, it’s not difficult to find promise with the play of Victor Wembanyama, especially now that the Spurs have finally gone ahead and moved him to his natural position at the five. While his burst in the fourth quarter on Tuesday wasn’t enough to steal the win against the Los Angeles Lakers, his strong play makes me confident that the losing won’t last forever in Texas.

Victor’s scoring and 3-point shooting captured most of the headlines, and he did go at Anthony Davis admirably multiple times. However, I am once again highlighting the rim protection, because that’s an area where Victor stands a real chance to be not just the best in the NBA at some point, but among the best ever, period.

While the Spurs were skittish about having Victor go blow-for-blow against true centers to start the year, it’s clear already that he’s much more impactful when he can be the true last line of defense. Davis did big-boy Wemby at times, including one of the nastiest dunks over the French rookie you will see this season.

But Wemby never got discouraged in the slightest. When he got knocked off his spot, he simply came right back at AD. He ended up getting the better of Davis on plenty of occasions, including blocking his jumper and one of his attempts at the rim. Wemby’s fearlessness and willingness to engage with physically stronger players is incredibly promising.

And that’s why I think this line is simply too low. Without even getting into the possibility that one or both of Davis and LeBron James could miss Friday’s game, I think Victor is going to make life very hard on L.A. at the rim.

Wemby had six blocks on Wednesday, and he’s averaging 3.9 per game over his last 10. These Victor Wembanyama odds will not last long should he keep this up.

My best bet: Victor Wembanyama Over 2.5 blocks (-140 Sports Interaction)

Lakers vs Spurs same-game parlay

While I’m not bullish on the Lakers' chances of covering if AD and LeBron are both out or limited due to injuries, I do think the Lakers’ other players have enough firepower to beat the Spurs straight up. So, to go with my best bet, I’m taking the Lakers moneyline as well as the Over at 232.5 for my same-game parlay.

Other sportsbooks are pricing the total as high as 234.5, so I think the Over has value for the final leg for my SGP. The Lakers, as you would expect for a team quarterbacked by AD, have largely won through defense. As such, the Under has typically been the play.

That’s not been the case as much on the road, however, where the Over is 8-5 in the Lakers' last 13 road games. If AD doesn’t play, this should absolutely go Over. And I think it’s at least worth mentioning, with that in mind, that Davis’ props are all off the board at time of writing.

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Lakers vs Spurs spread and Over/Under analysis

Friday’s spread opened with the Lakers getting -6.5 to 7 on the road, which has grown a touch to -7.5 at most sportsbooks.

This will be the third game in four nights for the Lakers, which is always a concern for an older group like L.A. LeBron and AD’s official designations as questionable seem an acknowledgment of this fact, and whether they play or not may well come down to how they feel they’ve managed to recover their strength on Thursday.

LeBron missed the first game on Wednesday with a calf injury, and those are easy to aggravate. AD turned his ankle on the opening play on Wednesday, but he’s questionable with an entirely different injury to his groin and hip.

Still, it would be a shock to see them both out, as the Lakers can’t afford to punt many games like this where the chance of victory is so great.

The Spurs are just 5-7 against the spread at home, and they have been receiving generous lines during this losing streak. The Lakers are just 5-8 ATS on the road themselves, however, and failed to cover last time out.

Friday’s total opened at 232.5 and is still available at that number and as high as 234.5 depending on the sportsbook.

The Spurs have been a magnet for Overs this season. The Over has cashed in 15 of the Spurs’ 23 games, the sixth-highest rate in the league. With Victor ensconced as the starting five, I do think their defense has a chance to settle into something more respectable than where it’s been this year so far.

But the Spurs also dodged a bullet last time out in terms of fouls. San Antonio actually generated one more free throw than the Lakers on Wednesday, which is not what you would expect.

The Lakers are Top 10 in free throw rate per Cleaning the Glass, and the Spurs commit some foolish ones. I’d expect L.A. to get more free throws in this one, which is another reason I think this could go Over.