NBA Play-In: Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers Preview, Odds, Prediction

The play-in game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers draws more attention than any contest did this season. Instead of seeing these two teams meeting deep into the playoffs, they are about to decide which one goes to meet the Suns in the opening round, and which one will have to clash with the better from the Spurs vs. Grizzlies matchup. Once again, we will see Steph Curry going against LeBron James, and it seems that their playoff battles have already become a classic. That is something that only adds more fuel to Wednesday’s contest.

Preview

Golden State Warriors (+185) have six wins in a row and look super-hot these days. That is mostly because of Steph Curry, who has been amazing since the All-Star break. Curry shifted into a higher gear, starting to harass the entire league, and eventually became the top scorer of the NBA, surpassing Bradley Beal, who held that spot for a long time.

In the most recent game, against the Memphis Grizzlies, Steph dropped 46 points, leading his team to a 113-101 victory, which was crucial in their quest to get ahold of the 8th spot in the conference. Just to remind you that both GSW and the Grizzlies had the same record before this event.

Curry averaged 36.8 points in the last 10 games, with 44.7% shooting from the field, and 90.9% from the free-throw line, all that in 34.9 minutes. It is vital for Steve Kerr’s unit that the two-time MVP stays at that level; otherwise, the Warriors’ chances of eliminating the Lakers are pretty slim.

LA Lakers (-215) ended the regular part of the year with five straight wins, and what is more important, with both LBJ and Anthony Davis healthy. After all, these two guys are essential in the Lakers’ title quest.

Those five wins the LAL posted recently were against solid teams. The opening three took place at the Staples Center, against the Suns, Knicks, and the Rockets, while the latest two were on the road, in Indiana and New Orleans. In all but the one against the Knicks, the purple and gold scored at least 110 points.

Big relief for James and especially Davis is the fact that the Lakers now have Andre Drummond, one of the best centers and rebounders in the league. Drumond ended the season with four straight double-doubles, and his presence under the rim might have a massive impact tonight.

Head to Head Games

The score in the regular-season series was 2-1 for the Lakers, who lost the first match vs. GSW in Los Angeles, 115-113. After that, they won 117-91 also in LA, before rolling over Golden State at Chase Center, 128-97.

Preview

Even though we love Steph and the Warriors, they can’t compete with the healthy and complete Lakers. Steve Kerr has only Steph Curry as the only solution in his offense, and maybe Andrew Wiggins, while on the other side, the LAL has James, Davis, and several other players able to step up and take the responsibility. This will be an interesting matchup, but the Lakers are going to win eventually.

Pick: Lakers Win