Los Angeles Lakers: Betting picks vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Los Angeles Lakers have a potential NBA Finals preview on Thursday as the team returns home to take on Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets.

This was arguably the most anticipated game of the entire NBA season to date but it has been soiled a tad. Anthony Davis is not playing because of his Achilles injury and is going to miss the foreseeable future.

The important thing for the Lakers is making sure that Davis stays healthy that way he can actually help the team get to the NBA Finals to potentially take on the Nets when it matters most.

However, they are not the only team dealing with injuries in this game. Kevin Durant has been declared out with a hamstring injury and Kyrie Irving is dealing with a back injury, albeit he is listed as probable to play.

So it is an NBA Finals preview without two of the three best players actually playing. That is why it was arguably the most anticipated game of the season, not is. 

But still, it should be a really fun matchup against two contending teams that are both still very talented. And as part of the ongoing series on the Lake Show Life Podcast, I have to pick both against the spread and point total.

I did go 0-2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I had the Lakers winning but the T-Wolves covering +6.5 and it looked like they were going to do so for most of the game. The Lakers 112-104, which also caused the under to hit as well. My season record is now 27-25.

According to the Bet MGM odds on the Action Network, the Lakers are 2.5-point favorites against the Nets with a point total of 231.5.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets betting picks:

• Los Angeles Lakers -2.5, under 231.5 (Final score: Lakers 118, Nets 111)

Even though the Nets have two stars with both Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant out I think the advantage goes to the Lakers. Kyrie Irving and James Harden are both really great basketball players, but they won’t be able to stop the Lakers.

First of all, the Lakers are simply a much deeper team than the Brooklyn Nets. While the Nets still have Joe Harris and DeAndre Jordan as solid role players, the bench is not close to the Lakers and with no KD and Kyrie probably limited it will be exposed.

Second of all, the Nets are a terrible defensive basketball team that just lost its best defensive superstar. Durant is absolutely the best defender of the three and having Harden and Kyrie with no Durant could be a tough look defensively. This could lead to a big game from Dennis Schroder.

I think LeBron is going to explode in this game. He has something to prove and the Nets are in trouble considering Jeff Green is the best defensive option to guard him. I think LeBron scores 35+ in this game.

The over is still a little bit too high as I think the Lakers solid perimeter defenders will step up in this game and slow Harden and Kyrie down enough to keep them from having an explosive game.

Lakers by 7. And in the NBA Finals: Lakers in 5.