Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

Two teams on three-game losing streaks will meet at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for a 9:30 ET tip-off. The Lakers are favored by 8.5 points over the Trail Blazers in a Western Conference matchup. The over/under line is set at 225.5.

Portland is 8-15 on the season and 13th in the West. They are 307 underdogs on the moneyline. The Lakers are 12-11 and 10th in the conference. They are -387 favorites on the moneyline.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Portland Trail Blazers +8.5

This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena at 9:30 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 149-125 in favor of the Trail Blazers.
• Our projections have Anfernee Simons finishing with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists.
• From the field, we have the Trail Blazers finishing with a field goal percentage of 44.0% and knocking down 15 threes.

Can the Trail Blazers Lock in a Win at Los Angeles?

The Trail Blazers fell to 8-15 on the season after a 141-99 loss to the Jazz on Friday. Portland, favored by 4 points at home, not only lost but failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 240 exceeded the O/U line of 224.5 by 15.5 points.

Utah’s 11-0 run early on set the tone, and they never looked back. The Jazz outscored Portland in every quarter, including a 39-29 edge in the 4th, after leading 102-70 going into the final period.

In their 141-99 loss to the Jazz, the Trail Blazers shot just 38.9% from the field. Their three-point shooting was also below average, hitting 29.8% from deep, though they did connect on 14 threes.

Dalano Banton and Jerami Grant each scored 19 points, with Banton putting up 14 in the 4th quarter. Kris Murray also added 12 of his 14 points in the final period.

Defensively, the Trail Blazers struggled throughout the game, giving up 141 points to the Jazz. Portland allowed 33 points in the 1st quarter, 34 in the 2nd, 35 in the 3rd, and 39 in the 4th. Utah shot 55% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Jazz hit 14 threes at a 43% clip. Portland also sent Utah to the line 23 times, where they made 21 free throws. The Trail Blazers recorded 28 defensive rebounds, while allowing 11 offensive boards, and finished with 4 steals and 7 blocks.

Will Los Angeles Make it Happen at Home?

The Lakers fell to 12-11 on the season after a 134-132 road loss to the Hawks on Friday. Despite being +4 point underdogs, L.A. kept it close, losing by just two points. The game’s total of 266 points went well over the 234.5 O/U line.

After a 13-0 run put the Lakers ahead 79-67, Atlanta battled back. L.A. led 97-94 going into the 4th quarter, but the Hawks outscored them 25-22 in the final period to secure the win.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 77 points in the Lakers’ 134-132 loss to the Hawks, with LeBron posting a triple-double, including 6 made threes at 54.5% efficiency. The Lakers shot 51.5% from the field and hit 16 threes at a 45.7% rate.

LeBron scored 14 points in the 4th quarter, while Davis added 4 points in both the 4th and overtime. Dalton Knecht contributed 7 of his 14 points in the 3rd quarter.

Despite a solid defensive effort in the 1st and 4th quarters, the Lakers couldn’t contain the Hawks in the 2nd, giving up 38 points in a 134-132 loss. Atlanta shot 50% from the field overall.

The Lakers struggled to defend the three, allowing the Hawks to hit 17 threes at a 42% clip. Los Angeles sent Atlanta to the line 22 times, where they made 17 free throws. The Lakers finished with 11 steals and 10 blocks.