The Philadelphia 76ers (29-21) and Los Angeles Lakers (30-19) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:00 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will broadcast live on SportsNet LA.
The Lakers are 4-point favorites over the 76ers on the spread (Lakers -4), with the over/under set at 233.5 total points. Los Angeles is a -180 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Philadelphia is +150 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my 76ers vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, February 5.
76ers vs Lakers Prediction, Picks
- 76ers vs Lakers pick: Over 233.5 (-110)
My Lakers vs. 76ers best bet is on the over at 233.5 total points. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
76ers vs Lakers Odds
| 76ers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 233.5 -110o / -110u | +150 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 233.5 -110o / -110u | -180 |
76ers vs Lakers NBA Preview
The Lakers really need a good win. They are 15-4 against teams in the bottom-10 of point differential and 15-15 against everyone else.
The 76ers are still only a slightly-above-average team, but this would be a good pickup for them.
The Sixers continue to rumble along, winners of five straight game. They have a good chance at nabbing a top-four seed, but their record is also slightly ahead of where it should be.
Joel Embiid is questionable tonight, but that also means absolutely nothing as to whether he’ll play or not. Paul George is out due to suspension.
For the Lakers, Jaxson Hayes is suspended, leaving them very small in the frontcourt behind DeAndre Ayton, who has been benched late in games lately.
The Sixers don’t have the kind of defense built to bother Doncic, not that there is one, but they are great at 3-point containment.
Philadelphia struggles to protect the rim, so expect a lot of assists from Doncic and Reaves.
The Sixers' guards will go bonkers in this game, whether Embiid plays or not.
The Lakers have no perimeter defenders and it's easy to manipulate their rim protection out of position.
76ers vs Lakers Predictions, Betting Analysis
Spread
I lean Sixers but it’s too close for me. I make this spread Lakers -3.4.
Based on in-season numbers I make the Sixers huge 'dogs, but that’s mostly because of their rating adjusted based off offensive rebound issues… and the Lakers are not good on the glass.
I’ll avoid the side but my priors-influenced power rating makes this Lakers -2.4, which sounds closer to right.
Some trends:
- The Sixers are 8-11 ATS this season against teams who are over .500.
- The Lakers’ average line this season is -2.2; when they are favored by more than that, they are 19-9 ATS.
Over/Under
The key here is Austin Reaves. With Reaves in the lineup, the over in Lakers games is 17-8, clearing the total by 3.3 points per game.
There’s a compounding defensive issue that exists with Luka Doncic and Reaves on the floor; the opponent team total is 16-9 with Reaves on the floor, and in games Doncic and Reaves have both played, the opponent team total has gone over in 11 of those 19 games.
Embiid is questionable for this game. If he’s in, the over is 10-11 — no noticeable change. If he’s out, the over is slightly stronger at 16-13.
Neither team has the capacity to get stops here.
The Lakers’ offense is too strong for the Sixers’ defense, and the Lakers’ defense is just poor overall.
The Lakers' pick-and-roll defense is their strength. So, don’t be surprised if it’s a quieter night for Tyrese Maxey, but that will open up perimeter shooting or interior scoring if Embiid plays.
Player Prop
DeAndre Ayton Over 20.5 Points & Rebounds
Lobs, lobs, lobs.
DeAndre Ayton scores on cuts and out of pick-and-roll — and that’s the weakness of the Sixers’ defense.
If Embiid doesn’t play, he’ll destroy them, and if he does play, Ayton will have to play more to counter him with Hayes out.
76ers vs Lakers Best Bets
- Over 233.5 (-110)
- DeAndre Ayton Over 20.5 Points & Rebounds (-115)
Lakers vs 76ers Betting Trends
