Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
October 18, 2022 10:00 PM ET
The Line: Los Angeles Lakers +5.5 / Golden State Warriors -5.5
On opening night, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to make a statement as they
go to Chase Center in an effort to spoil the Golden State Warriors' celebration
after winning the championship. In a road preseason game, the Lakers defeated
the Warriors 124–121 thanks to 28 points by Anthony Davis. It's difficult to
assign much significance to the result because LeBron James, Russell Westbrook,
and Patrick Beverly were all absent from that game. However, following a
disappointing campaign last year, Los Angeles expects this season to be different
for the Lakers. The great news is none of the prominent stars are believed to be
seriously injured and that they will all start.
After a relatively calm summer, the Warriors' October got off to a tumultuous
start when Draymond Green punched teammate Jordan Poole during practice.
Green has taken some time off since that event, so it's uncertain if he'll be there
for the ring ceremony on opening night. The defending champions' performance
on championship night and whether or not the event has caused any lingering
problems in the locker room are both in doubt, even if he does play. Last season,
Golden State went 29-19-2 ATS at home, which is good going into this game.
I don't see either team winning this one in a blowout because the first-season
game is often a feel-out game for both teams. Given that they have nothing to lose
on the road in this game, the Lakers should stand to gain more. They have a new
head coach, Beverly, to annoy Stephen Curry, and Westbrook has a chip on his
shoulder, so they are far more motivated than the Warriors are to win the
opening. Recommend picking up for the Lakers.
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