NBA
Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors Odds, Tips and Prediction
On Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Lakers travel to San Francisco to face their biggest intrastate rivals, the Golden State Warriors.
LeBron James//Getty Images
On Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Lakers travel to San Francisco to face their biggest intrastate rivals, the Golden State Warriors. One of the west coast’s most intriguing battles will commence on Wednesday at 5 pm local time in the Bay Area, as the career-long on-court rivalry between Stephen Curry and LeBron James continues.
SportsBoom’s preview examines the key elements of this matchup, including the head-to-head stats of both teams, the odds ahead of the game, and the best betting options.
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Match Details: Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors
Date: Wednesday 25th December
Start time: 5 pm local time (1 am BST)
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Last meeting: April 9, 2024, Golden State Warriors 134-120 Los Angeles Lakers
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Golden State Warriors Heavy Favourites
Los Angeles Lakers: 33/20 (2.65) – 37.7%
Golden State Warriors: 29/50 (1.58) – 63.3%
Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change
Head-to-Head Record
The two Californian teams have previously faced off a total of 438 times in the regular season, with both teams competing against each other in the festive period for the first time since Christmas Day 2018.
The Warriors have a three-game win streak over the Lakers, but the Southern Californian team won the four games before it. Historically, the Lakers have a superior winning record, boasting 262 wins compared to the Warriors, who have picked up 176 themselves.
Last Five Matches:
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2023/24 Season | April 9, 2024 | Golden State Warriors 134-120 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2023/24 Season | March 16, 2024 | Golden State Warriors 128-121 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2023/24 Season | February 22, 2024 | Golden State Warriors 128-110 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2023/24 Season | January 27, 2024 | Los Angeles Lakers 145-144 Golden State Warriors |
| 2022/23 Season | March 5, 2023 | Los Angeles Lakers 113-105 Golden State Warriors |
How is the season so far for both teams?
Los Angeles Lakers
- Record: 16-12
- Home Form: 9-3
- Road Form: 7-9
The Los Angeles Lakers are slowly coming back into form after a strong 10-4 start to the season under their new regime. However, their away record is lacking and left to be desired considering their more impressive 9-3 home record.
Their star player LeBron James continues to post numbers year after year despite him turning 40 years of age before year finishes. He is still matching his career averages in every department except scoring, but that hasn’t stopped him from producing incredible numbers in certain games. However, incredibly enough, James has averaged 28 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists in his previous 41 meetings with the Warriors. One standout game in a Lakers jersey, however, arrived earlier this year where the Cleveland born star posted 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists.
Despite a marginal drop off in points per game from James, the Lakers have utilised power forward Anthony Davis as their main shooter and rebounder. Despite picking up a potential elbow injury in a recent game against the Detroit Pistons, Davis is seventh and fifth overall in points-per-game and rebounds. The importance of Davis will be crucial in this game to beat their arch nemesis.
Golden State Warriors
- Record: 15-12
- Home Form: 7-5
- Road Form: 8-7
The Golden State Warriors produced a vital win against the Minnesota Timberwolves to try and turnaround their form in recent weeks. The Warriors are currently 3-7 in their last ten games after a promising start to the season but are lacking in a dynamic shooter to accompany Stephen Curry.
After “the Splash Bros” split apart in the summer as Klay Thompson departed for the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors are trying to find ways to improve their scoring. However, their recent games show that Curry needs more options in attack. The 36-year-old is averaging 22.4% per game, the lowest since his 2014/15 season, during which he avoided long-term injuries. Curry will no doubt be fired up for this match and, as such, should produce the goods on the big stage once again.
The Warriors recently acquired German star Dennis Schroder from a brief stint at the Brooklyn Nets to help from the bench. It is clear behind closed doors some effort is made to fix part of the problems the team has faced, and this move should help to some extent. Having previously played for the Lakers himself, Schroder could provide insight into certain play styles and patterns from James and Davis in particular.
Value Bets
LeBron James: Over 25 Points, 5 Rebounds and 5 Assists: James’ performances against the Warriors are as consistent as ever, and we believe he will produce another top-level performance in San Francisco. He always delivers against the Warriors. Considering that he plays for their biggest local rivals, he will walk out on the court with extra motivation to contribute to both the offence and the defence.
Stephen Curry//Getty Images
Stephen Curry: Over 25 Points, 5 Rebounds and 5 Assists: We predict the exact same stat line for Curry, as he will have the same motivation. In his last ten games against the Lakers, he has produced consistent numbers in points per game. Curry will continue to find a way to win despite the lack of a key second shooter, but his ability to read situations he faces and exploit gaps in transitions will allow him to be a big help in posting more rebounds and assists for this one.
Prediction: Golden State Warriors to Win
SportsBoom predicts the Golden State Warriors to win in a close affair that could end in a two-possession game. The Warriors’ home advantage could be seen as a benefit, and the three-game winning streak over the Lakers further adds to the momentum. This game is crucial for both teams as it gives each organization an inkling of what is to be expected throughout the rest of the season, but this game could well be one of the most enthralling games of the year.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.
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