Lakers-Spurs Best Bets: Los Angeles Could Extend the Spurs’ Misery

Lakers Head to San Antonio as Wider Favorites

December 15, 2023 117 3 minutes readNBA Picks & Parlays

Lakers-Spurs Best Bets: Los Angeles Could Extend the Spurs’ Misery — Photo taken from poundingtherock.com

Lakers Favored By Even More in This Rematch

The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs rematch following a thrilling game on Wednesday, which the Lakers won. Now, the betting lines favor the Lakers by more: 7.5 points versus 3.5 from the first game. That’s likely due to LeBron James rejoining the team after sitting out. He’s listed as “questionable,” but he should play as the Lakers need to improve their standing. Hence, the Lakers-Spurs best bets are with the favorites.

Los Angeles Lakers (16-10), San Antonio Spurs (3-20)

Date, time: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Streaming: Live Sports Stream

Bet the Lakers Because the Spurs are Just Bad

The Lakers should win and cover even if 7.5 points is by three possessions. That means Los Angeles will need to blow out San Antonio to get a cushion. That’s plausible, given how poorly the Spurs have played.

The Spurs have lost 18 straight games, are 1-11 at home, and just 5-7 against the spread (ATS). As an underdog of 7+ points, the Spurs are just 6-8 ATS. Thus, the NBA lines today are what they are: +250 on the moneyline. That may not be enough to warrant a bet.

San Antonio’s defense is almost nonexistent at home. The Spurs give up over 122 points per game and over 46.5 rebounds. These are the third and second-most on the defensive side. Teams have their way in San Antonio. There is not much of a homecourt “advantage” here.

As such, totals have also trended over for Spurs home games: 10 of their 12 games. This 83.3% percentage is the highest among hosts. That’s why the total here is set 234 points and betting over it could still be one of the Lakers-Spurs best bets.

The Lakers are not the best road team, however. They are just 5-8 and are getting outscored 120-112 on average. But if you compare the Spurs to the Lakers’ opponents, it’s night and day.

Los Angeles’ unflattering road rating is due to some blowout losses to Houston, Philadelphia, and Orlando. The Lakers’ losses are against teams with a combined home record of 62-21. The three we mentioned are the top 10 home teams in winning percentage.

Even if the Lakers are just 2-4 ATS as road favorites, the Spurs are atrocious.

Victor Wembanyama’s Efforts are Being Wasted

The Spurs looked like a team on the rise thanks to winning the “Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.” He immediately impacted the team as San Antonio won three of its first five games. Then things quickly went awry. Wembanyama then sounded off on his feelings about the team’s historic losing skid.

“I mean, of course, it’s not easy. But we don’t have a choice. We have to keep going and keep grinding,” Wembanyama said after the Spurs broke the franchise record for losing skids in Monday’s loss to Houston. “The good thing is nobody doubts that in the long run, we’ll be the winners. We have people who have the expertise and experience. Of course, I hate losing. But I stay focused on the long-term goal.”

Wembanyama is posting 21 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks in 12 home games. These are already All-Star caliber numbers. He’s putting up a good chunk of his production in the second half, where San Antonio is one of the worst NBA west teams.

San Antonio is dead last with a -18.2 net rating in the second half. Its defense allows 65+ points here, which is a sizable dropoff from 55 in the first. Thus, one of the Lakers-Spurs best bets here could be on the Lakers when San Antonio makes it a close game in the first.

Otherwise, keep fading the Spurs. Bet the over or the Lakers’ spread on NBA picks and parlays.