The Los Angeles Lakers begin their NBA championship defense against the rival Los Angeles Clippers with no fans in attendance at Staples Center Tuesday. Tip-off will be at 10 p.m. ET. Below, we give you five NBA player/team prop bets to consider from the BetMGM game menu.
Also see: Clippers at Lakers odds, picks and prediction
Clippers at Lakers prop bet predictions
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 1 p.m. ET.
Lakers C Marc Gasol OVER 8.5 points+assists (-110)
Gasol, 35, averaged career lows nearly across the board last season with the Toronto Raptors. He had 7.5 points per game, 3.3 assists per game and 6.3 rebounds per game over 44 games played.
Still, the Over is well within reach for his Lakers debut. He hit 1.3 of 3.4 3-point attempts per game last season and should have little trouble getting free on the outside with PF Anthony Davis commanding the paint at the Clippers’ end of the court. Gasol will also be able to find either Davis or F LeBron James for easy buckets with his expert court vision.
Clippers SF Kawhi Leonard OVER 4.5 assists (+120)
Leonard averaged 30.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.5 APG over four games against the rival Lakers last year. Look for him to focus a little more on distribution this season with the Clippers’ offseason additions of PF Serge Ibaka and SG Luke Kennard. They averaged a combined 3.9 3-pointers per game last season and Leonard will look for them on the outside.
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Lakers PF Anthony Davis OVER 10.5 rebounds (+105)
Davis averaged 7.5 RPG in four games against the Clippers in 2019-20. Look for an increase in that number in the first game of the season for both teams. A few more bricks from either side following the shortened offseason will give Davis the opportunities he needs to grab 11 or more boards.
Clippers PF Serge Ibaka OVER 22.5 points+assists+rebounds (-105)
Ibaka joined Gasol in leaving the Raptors via free agency and he’ll reunite with Leonard in playing a large role for the Clippers. The 31-year-old expanded his role in Toronto last year with a career-best 15.4 PPG while adding 8.2 RPG and 1.4 APG.
He solidifies a positional weakness for the Clippers from last season and will have increased opportunity in his debut with F Marcus Morris Sr. out due to a knee injury.
Lakers F LeBron James UNDER 24.5 points (-105)
James averaged 25.3 PPG and a career-best 10.2 APG last season. This prop isn’t to incite fears of a decline for the 35-year-old but instead looks for him to continue his distribution role.
He was “held” to 21.3 PPG in four games against the Clippers when primarily guarded by Leonard last season. He’ll fall short of 24 points Tuesday while trying to get the team’s offseason additions of Gasol and PG Dennis Schroder involved early.
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Also see:
- Schroder says he doesn’t want to take anything from James (LeBron Wire)
- How restricted free agency will look (Hoops Hype)
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