Game: Toronto Raptors @ Los Angeles Lakers
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Odds: Raptors +1, Lakers -1
Total: 224.5
Anthony Davis continues to lead the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff push. He gets another chance tonight as LA hosts Toronto. Over his last five games, Davis has averaged 33.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks as the Lakers continue to climb the Western Conference standings in an effort to secure a spot in the play-in round.
Davis scored 30 points and pulled down a season-high 22 rebounds as the Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 112-103 at home on Tuesday. The win moved the Lakers into ninth place. Davis, who has been banged up all season, received a blow from Memphis’ David Roddy that caused him to bleed from his nose. It was at that point that Davis’ productive night began.
The Lakers star will continue to play through the pain. With only 16 games left in the regular season, Los Angeles has been playing without its other star LeBron James. James could miss another three weeks due to a tendon injury to his right foot. Since recovering from a stress fracture in his foot, Davis has played in 16 of the Lakers’ last 18 games. In those 16 games, he has averaged 26.5 points and 12.5 rebounds.
On Tuesday, the Lakers played without D’Angelo Russell and Mo Bamba. Dennis Schroder, Rui Hachimura, and Austin Reaves all scored 17 points each. Russell is probable for tonight while Bamba will remain out.
The Raptors are back at Crypto.com Arena after a 108-100 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday night. LA had allowed 131.7 points a game over its previous six but held the Raptors to just 38.5 percent shooting. Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes scored 20 points apiece, but Toronto was outscored 59-51 in the second half. Toronto lost despite forcing the Clippers into 17 turnovers and outshooting Los Angeles 96 to 71 in field goal attempts. The difference was at the free throw line where the Clippers attempted 31 free throws compared to the Raptors’ 14.
Toronto is 1-3 so far in its current five-game road trip. The Raptors are fighting for ninth place in the East, similar to the Lakers in the West. The Raptors are just 1.5 games from being out of the play-in tournament.
On Dec. 7, Siakam led the Raptors to a 126-113 victory in Toronto in the first meeting of the season with the Lakers. Siakam had 25 points and 10 rebounds. James and Davis did not play for the Lakers. Toronto has actually won eight of the last ten games against LA and if you go back 16 games, the Raptors have won 14. Toronto is also 11-2 ATS in the last 13 and 7-0 ATS in the last seven on the road against the Lakers.
The Lakers are 6-2 SU and ATS in their last eight games. They have won their last two straight with some strong defense holding Golden State to 105 and Memphis to 103. For the season, the Lakers rank 23rd in the league in points allowed per game (117.4).
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