The Los Angeles Lakers are going to need something short of a miracle to get their heads out of the play-in tournament picture. Will the New York Knicks bend over and let the Lakers get what they want this Wednesday? Or, will they win and sweep the Lakers this regular season?
Catch this game live on Wednesday, May 12, at 10 AM, Manila time.
HOME TEAM: Los Angeles Lakers (38-30, 19-15 at home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Alex Caruso
- SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- SF: LeBron James
- PF: Anthony Davis
- C: Andre Drummond
There is a good chance that LeBron James is going to play against the Knicks. James has missed the past few games with an ankle injury, but with the Lakers fighting their way out of a play-in tournament appearance, it’s fair to say that the four-time league MVP is going to see action this Wednesday.
The Lakers are coming off a sweet 123-110 win at home over the Phoenix Suns on Monday, and are now 2-2 straight up in their last four games. They are also 2-0 against the spread in their last two games at STAPLES Center as the home team. Anthony Davis is currently listed probable for the Knicks game but don’t expect him to sit out after he dropped 42 points to go with 12 rebounds in the victory over the Suns.
This is a chance for the Lakers to avenge their 111-96 loss at Madison Square Garden to the Knicks last April when they were missing Davis and James. Needless to say, the Lakers are an incredibly better team with those two on the floor. Both Davis and James have an offensive rating of 112.4 this season.
ROAD TEAM: New York Knicks (38-30, 16-19 on the road)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Elfrid Payton
- SG: Reggie Bullock
- SF: RJ Barrett
- PF: Julius Randle
- C: Nerlens Noel
The Knicks finish their lengthy six-game road trip with a match against the Lakers. They have gone 3-2 in the five games before this showdown with Anthony Davis and company, with the latest being a huge 106-100 win against the Clippers that followed after back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns.
The Knicks should always be a team to watch out for whenever they win a game. For one, they are 24-12-ATS in games after a win this season — the best in the NBA. In addition to that, the Knicks are 22-13 ATS on the road — second-best overall. Julius Randle is easily the MVP of the team, but it’s Derrick Rose who turned the most heads in the previous game, dropping 25 points off the bench against the Clippers.
Randle scored just 14 on 7-19 FG, but look for him to bounce back. He had 34 points (13-24 FG) in the first meeting with the Lakers. The Knicks’ defense should remain a key for the team, as it is tops in the league with just 105.0 points allowed per game.
PREDICTIONS:
Spread: Fueled by desperation, the Lakers pull off a win but allow the Knicks to stick close until the end. Take the Knicks to cover +5.5.
Over/Under: Even when considering the fact that the Lakers and the Knicks are among the slowest teams in the NBA, we’re taking the Over 213.5.
