Lakers at Warriors Prediction, NBA Moneyline Today for Chistmas & Team’s Analysis

It’s quite possibly the last time that future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Steph Curry face off on Christmas.

Los Angeles Lakers visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night with the Dubs as short favorites on the NBA odds in Week 10.

How to Bet Lakers at Warriors Prediction Week 10 & TV Info

NBA Moneyline Today: Los Angeles +137 vs Golden State -169
When: Wednesday, 8 PM ET
Where: Chase Center
TV: ABC, ESPN
Stream: ESPN+

Los Angeles Lakers Analysis

The Lakers had a three-game winning streak snapped in a 117-114 home upset to Detroit on Monday. The Pistons led 117-106 with 2 1/2 minutes to play, but the Lakers scored eight straight points capped by LeBron James’ driving layup with 46 seconds left. After the Pistons got a foul overturned by video review with 28.9 seconds left, Cade Cunningham missed a 3-pointer before James missed his open 30-footer and that sealed it. The Pistons had lost seven straight road games in the series.

LeBron James

LeBron had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the 120th triple-double of his career. Only Nikola Jokic (11) has more triple-doubles this season than the 39-year-old James (8). It was also LeBron’s 13th game with 10 or more assists and his ninth contest with double-digit rebounds. James missed two games due to left foot soreness earlier this month, but he’s been impressive since returning to action with 24.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. Against Detroit, LeBron also hit his 847th career 3-pointer for the Lakers, passing Derek Fisher for the second-most in franchise history. Only Kobe Bryant (1,827) made more.

Anthony Davis

Davis was questionable Monday but played and had 19 points, 10 boards and six assists as he failed to reach the 20-point mark for the second straight game, but at least he managed to extend his double-double streak to seven contests. Over that seven-game stretch, Davis is averaging 25.9 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.1 blocks per game.

J.J. Redick

The Lakers‘ offense ranks 29th in the NBA over the past four weeks and head coach J.J. Redick believes the team’s shot selection is a big part of the reason why.

“Over the last 13 (games), we’re taking five more non-paint twos – we’re shooting 39% on those,” Redick said. “… Those five extra non-paint twos, if we shot them at the same rate as Phoenix – who shoots 49% on non-paint twos – our offense would go from 29th to 27th. … If we took those five middies and we shot league average on threes, our offense would go from 27th to 12th. In some ways, we need to shoot more threes and we need to make more threes. That doesn’t mean we come down and just, no pass, one dribble shot. We’ve got to generate the right ones and we’ve got to do it with the right process.”

D’Angelo Russell

Guard Russell could be in some question for this one after he left the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss due to a hand injury. Russell had five points and five assists in 16 minutes. In the starting lineup to begin the 2024-25 season, Russell moved to the bench after the eighth game of the season. Russell has missed only one game this season and is averaging 12.8 points and 4.7 assists.

As for this game, LeBron admits his terrific head-to-head rivalry against Golden State star Steph Curry is nearing an end. This will be the 4th time LeBron and Curry will have played each other on Christmas.

“Any time you get an opportunity to be on the court and compete against one of the greatest to ever play this game, you don’t take it for granted. I don’t know how many more opportunities we’re going to get to go against each other so it’s always fun,” James said.

Golden State Warriors Analysis

Golden State lost for the fourth time in five games Monday, 111-105 at home in an upset vs. Indiana. Myles Turner made a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 16 seconds left to clinch for the Pacers. The Warriors’ bench kept them in it with 53 points, 13 of those from Buddy Hield against his former team.

Steph Curry

Curry finished with just 10 points on 2-for-13 shooting, missing his initial five tries before hitting a 3-pointer for his first field goal with 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He missed a 3 for the lead with 47 seconds left. Curry didn’t even have his first attempt until the 10:35 mark of the second quarter and his first points on a pair of free throws at 9:51. Curry has scored 10 or fewer points in two of his last three games while shooting a meager 29.3 percent from the field, and 29.0 percent from three.

Jonathan Kuminga

Kuminga scored 26 points and added eight rebounds and four assists off the bench. Kuminga is averaging 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game over his last six appearances. Kuminga started six straight games earlier this month, but has come off the bench for the past three. Coach Steve Kerr has suggested the change isn’t necessarily permanent, but noted last week that the club sets a better defensive tone with Draymond Green starting alongside a center.

Steve Kerr

Prior to Monday’s game, Kerr told reporters that Jonathan Kuminga‘s recent shot selection and decision-making had been “poor” in recent games and that he had spoken to both Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski about making better decisions. Kuminga responded with maybe his best game of the season.

“This is the JK we want,” Kerr said after the game. “Spent a lot of time in the paint, took care of the ball. Had a couple really nice passes. Found Buddy (Hield) for three on a beautiful play and really attacked. So this is a great example of how JK needs to play. I’m really proud of him for coming out, playing that way. … He’s getting better, and it’s fun to watch his development.”

Gary Payton II

Guard Payton II missed his first game of the season because of a bruised left calf, leaving Hield as the lone Warrior to play in every contest. Swingman Moses Moody returned from a four-game absence with a left knee injury.

Golden State is tied for eighth in defensive rating (109.7) and 15th in offensive rating (111.7) by NBA.com. The Warriors are ranked third in the NBA in rebounding (47.1 rpg), fifth in assists per game (29.0 apg), tied 14th in scoring (112.8 ppg). Golden State is fourth in opponent field goal percentage (44.9 FG%) in the NBA and seventh in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (34.9 3P%). The Warriors are also ranked fourth in deflections per game (18.3).

The Warriors have played on Christmas Day in 14 of the last 15 years, including the last 12 consecutive and have a 15-18 record on December 25. This is the third time the Warriors face the Lakers on Christmas Day, second since the Lakers moved to Los Angeles. The last time these two teams met on December 25 was in 2018, a 127-101 Lakers’ victory at Oracle Arena. The Warriors are 0-2 vs. the Lakers on Christmas.

The Stats

Curry is averaging 15.6 points (31.7 FG%, 23.1 3P, 89.5 FT%), 4.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 steals in 10 games on Christmas Day. Curry has one career double-double on December 25 all-time. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 18.3 points (46.2 FG%) in four career Christmas Day appearances. Green is averaging 10.6 points (46.9 FG%, 34.4 3P%), 8.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks in nine career games (eight starts) on December 25 all-time.

Christmas Day Warriors individual players single-game highs: 59 points by Wilt Chamberlain (1961, PHI at NYK, 2OT); 36 rebounds by Chamberlain (1961, PHI at NYK, 2OT); 13 assists by Guy Rodgers (1959, PHI vs. SYR).

Lakers vs Warriors Series History

First meeting this year. Golden State took three of four last season and has won 16 of the past 22 at home. The last matchup was on April 9 in Los Angeles and the Warriors won 134-120. Golden State hit 26 of its 41 3-point attempts — including an astonishing 16 of 23 from Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Golden State’s 26 3s were the most ever allowed in a game by the Lakers. Thompson is now with the Mavericks. The Lakers were without the injured Anthony Davis. LeBron James had 33 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the loss.

NBA STANDINGS UPDATE ‼️

▪️ HOU climbs to 2nd in West
▪️ OKC wins 8th straight
▪️ CLE, IND win 5th straight
▪️ LAC rises to 6th in West

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— NBA (@NBA) December 24, 2024

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