The Los Angeles Lakers (32-21) travel to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers (23-32) on Thursday, February 20th. This game will be played at Moda Center in Portland and televised on SN-LA. Both the Lakers and Trail Blazers will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip off is scheduled for 10:00 ET.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers

The Lakers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Lakers fell to 32-21 on the season after a 100-97 loss to the Hornets on Wednesday. Despite being -13 point favorites at home, L.A. couldn’t cover the spread. The total score of 197 points was well under the 230.5-point line.

After a 12-0 run early, the Lakers led 48-37 at halftime. However, they were outscored 32-18 in the 3rd quarter, and despite a 31-point 4th quarter, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

The Trail Blazers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Trail Blazers fell to 23-32 on the season following a 132-121 road loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday. Portland entered the game as +9 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points of 253.5 exceeded the O/U line of 231.5 by 21.5 points.

Portland’s slow start saw them down 40-27 after the 1st quarter and 75-56 at halftime. They outscored Denver 35-32 in the 3rd and 30-25 in the 4th, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.

Lakers Offense Breakdown

In their 100-97 loss to the Hornets, the Lakers shot just 41.1% from the field, with a three-point percentage of 29.4%. Despite the struggles from deep, they connected on 15 threes overall. LeBron James led the way with 26 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, hitting 4 threes at a 36.4% rate.

Rui Hachimura added 17 points, while Luka Dončić contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, though he shot just 27.8% from the field. LeBron scored 16 of his 26 points in the 4th quarter, while Hachimura and Dončić each added 5 points in the final period.

Trail Blazers Offense Breakdown

In their 132-121 loss to the Nuggets, the Trail Blazers shot 45.7% from the field and connected on 14 threes at a 36.8% clip. Anfernee Simons led the way with 26 points and 6 assists, while Donovan Clingan and Jabari Walker each added 17 points, with Walker hitting 3 threes at 100% efficiency.

Simons scored 8 points in the 3rd quarter, and Shaedon Sharpe added 11 of his 14 points in the 4th. Toumani Camara also contributed 7 of his 13 points in the final period.

Lakers Team Defense

The Lakers put together a strong defensive effort on Wednesday, holding the Hornets to 100 points on 36% shooting. They were especially effective in the 2nd quarter, allowing just 16 points. However, the Hornets managed to score 32 points in the 3rd quarter and 31 in the 4th, which contributed to the Lakers’ 100-97 loss.

From beyond the arc, the Hornets hit 18 threes at a 34% clip. The Lakers also sent the Hornets to the line 17 times, where they made 16 free throws. Defensively, the Lakers recorded 7 steals and 4 blocks while giving up 9 offensive rebounds.

Trail Blazers Team Defense

Despite a strong defensive effort, the Lakers couldn’t capitalize, allowing 100 points in their loss to the Hornets. They were particularly effective in the 2nd quarter, giving up just 16 points, but struggled in the 3rd and 4th, where they allowed 32 and 31 points, respectively. Overall, they held the Hornets to 36% shooting.

The Lakers also did a decent job defending the three, with the Hornets shooting 34% from deep, making 18 threes. Charlotte went 16/17 from the free-throw line. The Lakers secured 38 defensive rebounds, gave up 9 offensive boards, and added 7 steals and 4 blocks.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers Trends

• Los Angeles has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 123 points per game while allowing 113. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
• Through their last ten home games, Portland has an ATS record of just 7-3. However, their overall record was 5-5 while averaging 110 points per game.
• In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Trail Blazers have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 2-3.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Lakers have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers Prediction

For today’s matchup we are recommending to take the Lakers to secure the win, with an expected final score of 121-116. When it comes to the spread, we believe they’ll cover at -3.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 226.5, and our model predicts the Lakers and Trail Blazers to score a combined 237 points. We recommend betting on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.