Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Predictions, Odds, Picks

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

Dec. 25, 2021

Michael Crosson
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

NBA Christmas action will resume on Saturday night with a blockbuster non-conference showdown between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. Coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.

Score Prediction

Nets 118, Lakers 108

Best Bets

Over 225.5 (-110) at Mirage-MGM

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Predictions

After finishing second in the East with a record of 48-24 SU last year, Brooklyn ended up posting a surprisingly slow start to the new season, as the Nets kicked things off with a head-scratching 2-3 SU and ATS skid– despite being favored in all but one of those affairs.

The Nets never make winning look easy though, considering Brooklyn enters Christmas Day 19-6 SU and 11-15 ATS across the last 25 games – which ranks the Nets 4th in the league SU with an overall record of 21-9 – and 27th ATS with a record of 13-17.

On the other hand, Los Angeles stumbled out to underwhelming start following the groundbreaking acquisition of Russell Westbrook, as the Lakers opened with a lackluster 8-9 SU and 6-11 ATS skid – despite being favored in over half of those matchups (10).

Los Angeles has maintained a similarly unsettling pace all the way through December too, considering the Lakers enter Christmas Day just 8-8 SU and 9-6-1 ATS across the last 16 games. The oddsmakers refuse to give up on the Lakers though, considering L.A. was favored in ten of those affairs.

I’ll take the under here, as OU 230+ is way too high of a bar for a matchup between a Nets’ squad averaging just 109.9 PPG across the last 11 games – and a Lakers’ squad averaging just 102.3 PPG across their last seven.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Odds

• Lakers -120
• Nets +100
• Lakers -1 (-110)
• Nets +1 (-110)
• Over 225.5 (-110)
• Under 225.5 (-110)

More Odds | Futures Odds

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Resources

• Matchup: Atlantic vs. Pacific
• Date: Saturday, December 25, 2021
• Venue: STAPLES Center
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• TV-Time: ABC/ESPN - 8:00 p.m. ET

• Injury Report

Brooklyn Nets Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 21-9
• ATS: 13-7
• O/U: 13-7

After stumbling out to surprisingly poor start to the season, Brooklyn finally began to find its stride during the back-half of December, as the Nets now lead the Eastern Conference pack with a record of 21-9 SU – yet still rank second-to-last ATS with a record of 13-17.

Brooklyn’s run of success will have to be placed on a brief stand-by though, considering 13 different Nets players have cycled through the injury report this week for health and safety protocols or other injury concerns – likely resulting in James Harden serving as the lone wolf on the floor for Brooklyn in this matchup.

Los Angeles Lakers Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 16-17
• ATS: 12-21
• O/U: 16-16-1

Regardless of the circumstances, hovering just one game below .500 is still considered a massive disappointment for this new-look Lakers’ squad, but to be fair, they’ve been banged up from the start, so it’s tough to write them off completely, highlighted by LeBron James participating in just 21 games so far this season.

The Lakers still tread at sixth in the West with a record of 16-17 though, with the Nuggets (15-16), Mavericks (15-16), and Timberwolves (15-17) all closely nipping at their heels – so L. A. desperately needs to continue elevating its level of play in order to avoid that dreaded Play-In Tournament.

(AP) The Nets are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Head-to-Head

The Lakers and Nets split a two-game regular-season set last year, with both matchups staying well under the total set for Christmas Day’s affair at an average of 217 PPG.

Key Players to Watch

• BKN: James Harden - SG (20.8 PPG, 7.9 REB, 9.6 AST)
• BKN: Patty Mills - PG (13.6 PPG, 2 REB, 2.5 AST)
• LAL: LeBron James - SF (26.4 PPG, 6.6 REB, 6.6 AST)
• LAL: Russell Westbrook - PG (19.5 PPG, 7.8 REB, 8.2 AST)

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Conclusion

After Thursday’s postponement due to several Brooklyn players entering the league’s health and safety protocol, the Nets will venture out west on Christmas Day as 1.5-point underdogs against the Lakers at Staples Center – marking just the fourth time Brooklyn has been an underdog all season.

I’ll take the under here, as OU 237 is the highest bar set for a matchup containing either of these teams this season – and there’s no need for that type of number with so many key scoring threats likely sidelined for Saturday’s affair.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Trends

• The Nets are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.
• The total has gone UNDER in five of the last seven meetings between the Lakers and Nets.
• The Lakers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games.
• The total has gone UNDER in seven of the last nine Lakers' games.

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