Los Angeles Lakers vs. LA Clippers 2019: Prediction Against The Spread, Odds For NBA Opening Night

The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers made league-altering moves in the offseason, making them the two favorites to win the 2020 NBA Finals. One of the two L.A. teams is going to start off the 2019-2020 season with a losing record since they are set to face off in the opener Tuesday night.

After acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Clippers are given the edge over the Lakers in terms of championships odds. But George won’t play Tuesday at Staples Center, shifting the odds in favor of the Lakers for at least one game.

Playing in their own building but technically on the road, the Lakers are 2.5-point favorites in their first meeting with the Clippers. The over/under is 226, according to OddsShark.

Unlike the Clippers, the Lakers will have both of their stars on the court. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will play together for the first time in the regular season.

James and Anthony are the NBA’s best duo. They gave the league glimpses of what they could be in the preseason, starting with their 123-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the first exhibition game. In just 36 combined minutes, the All-Stars totaled 37 points on 26 shots with 13 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals.

Leonard only played 33 preseason minutes. He was limited to 13 points on 19 shot attempts in his most extended action.

Despite the significant additions and subtractions that the Clippers made this summer, much of their roster remains the same.

Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell and Landry Shamet were three of the team’s top four scorers in the 2018-2019 season, and all three will play against the Lakers. The same goes for Patrick Beverley, Ivica Zubac and JaMychal Green, all of whom started for the Clippers in the 2019 playoffs.

The Lakers don’t have that same continuity. Kyle Kuzma will miss the opener with a foot injury. James and JaVale McGee are expected to be joined by three players making their Laker debuts in the starting lineup.

The Clippers have a deeper bench. Jared Dudley and Quinn Cook were valuable signings for the Lakers, but it remains to be seen how productive veterans like Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo will be this season.

The Clippers had the NBA’s fourth-best defensive rating in the preseason. That might not mean anything for what’s to come, but they’ll be hard to score against when both Leonard and Beverley are on the floor.

After leading the Toronto Raptors to their first-ever championship and winning another NBA Finals MVP award, Leonard has to be considered the best player in basketball. He fit seamlessly on a new team last year. Expect the same to happen with the Clippers.

The new-look Lakers will win the majority of their games to start the season if James and Davis remain healthy, but it could take some time for the team to gel.

The Clippers are the right bet as underdogs in the first game of the season.

Prediction: Clippers over Lakers, 110-105