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The Los Angeles Lakers will travel to Oregon to face the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. It will be the final regular-season game as we continue our NBA odds series with a Lakers-Trail Blazers prediction and pick.
The Lakers lead the head-to-head series 133-114. Ultimately, the Lakers have won six games in a row against the Blazers. The Lakers have won all three games this season. First, they won 107-98 at Crypto on December 8, 2024. Then, they won 114-106 a few weeks later at Crypto. The Lakers went into the Moda Center and defeated the Blazers 110-102 on February 20, 2025.
Here are the Lakers-Trail Blazers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Lakers-Trail Blazers Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +138
Portland Trail Blazers: -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -164
Over: 221 (-110)
Under: 221 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Trail Blazers
Time: 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT
TV: Sportsnet-LA, KATU and KUNP
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Lakers Will Cover the Spread/Win
The Lakers have clinched the third spot in the Western Conference and will begin the playoffs against the sixth seed. They await their opponent and will focus on getting healthy before their Western Conference Quarterfinals matchup next weekend. Despite an injury scare for LeBron James, the superstar insists he is fine.
Luka Doncic torched the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday to set up this scenario. Next, he helped the Lakers finish off the Houston Rockets. Because of this, the Lakers have relatively nothing to play for in this game. When you consider betting circumstances for games where teams have already locked up a playoff spot, you must consider when they rest players up. The Lakers destroyed the Rockets because Houston rested their stars.
The likely Lakers’ lineup could be considerably different this Sunday. If James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves sit, the Lakers will likely roll with Gabe Vincent, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes as their starting lineup. This lineup still could beat the Blazers, as they have been solid enough to keep the Lakers alive when their stars have sat. Also, the Blazers are hurting, too, which could easily give the Lakers a better chance of winning.
Finney-Smith has been very efficient off the bench. Meanwhile, Hachimura, assuming he plays, has gone off for 20 points several times this season. Vanderbilt can fill in efficiently, and Vincent has shown he can hit shots from beyond the arc.
The Lakers will cover the spread if the options they start can find their stride and hit their shots. Then, they must defend the perimeter and not allow the Trail Blazers to drive down the lane.
Why the Trail Blazers Will Cover the Spread/Win
The Trail Blazers extended General Manager Joe Croin after he engineered the moves that have helped them improve their win total by 14. No, they will once again not be in the playoffs. But the improvement is there. The Blazers are making moves and playing well. Yet, they could be shorthanded for this game, making the Lakers’ potential restups null.
Anfernee Simons has a forearm injury, while Shaedon Sharpe has a right knee injury. Likewise, Deni Avdija has a thumb injury that caused him to miss Friday’s game. Jerami Grant has a knee injury and did not play on Friday. Additionally, Deandre Ayton has a calf injury and did not play on Friday. Scooter Henderson has a concussion and is again questionable to play in this game.
The injuries have given Toumani Camara and Delano Banton more opportunities, and they have capitalized. Canton had 23 points, while Banton had 20 points last weekend against the San Antonio Spurs. While both have been inconsistent, they have also shown they can play with the best of them when they are on their game.
The Trail Blazers will cover the spread if Camara and Banton can both have good days on the floor. Then, they must contain the Lakers’ top options they throw at them and not let them dictate the game.
Final Lakers-Trail Blazers Prediction & Pick
The Lakers are 45-34-2 against the spread, while the Trail Blazers are 45-35-1. Also, the Lakers are 18-20-2 against the spread on the road, while the Blazers are 23-17 against the spread at home. The Lakers are 34-17 against the spread when facing the Western Conference, while the Trail Blazers are 24-26-1 against the spread when facing the West.
I would normally pick the Lakers to cover the spread on the road here. But the Lakers likely will not have their best as they prepare for the first-round showdown with the sixth seed. I think the Trail Blazers will put a strong effort here to finish the season, while the Lakers will moreso be playing out their final game before the playoffs begin. Thus, the Trail Blazers cover the spread at home.
Final Lakers-Trail Blazers Prediction & Pick: Portland Trail Blazers: -3.5 (-110)
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