Warriors vs Lakers Predictions: Game 6 for Western Conference Semifinals

The Los Angeles Lakers try again to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals as they host the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of their semifinal series on Friday up 3-2. The Lakers are favored on the NBA odds but might be without star Anthony Davis. 

Warriors vs. Lakers, Game 6 | 2023 NBA Expert Analysis

 

How to Bet Golden State at Los Angeles NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 10 PM ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Lakers -2 (total 221.5)

 

Why Bet on Golden State?

The Warriors forced Game 6 with a 121-106 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday. Draymond Green had an unlikely 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting to go with 10 rebounds and four assists.

Green ended with 20 points (7-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists, one block and two steals over 30 minutes during Wednesday’s 121-106 win over the Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Since erupting for 21 points in Game 2 against Sacramento, Green had averaged just 6.5 points. He was aggressive Wednesday, going off for his second 20-point game of the postseason and finishing as one of three starters (Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins) with at least 20.

Curry had 27 points and eight assists, and Wiggins added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Gary Payton II, making his second straight start, scored 13 points. The bad news is that Jordan Poole struggled yet again with 11 points in 5-for-14 shooting. Klay Thompson was held to 10 points on 3-for-12. Both will need to be better to win in LA.

Golden State is trying to rally from down 3-1 to win a series for only the second time in franchise history in a 16th try. Thirteen times in NBA history a team has won a playoff series after trailing 3-1, the last two came in 2020 when Denver did it twice. The Warriors have won at least one road game in 28 straight playoff series, an NBA record. That’s also on the line Friday.

Steve Kerr now has 99 playoff wins, tied with Red Auerbach for the seventh-most in NBA Playoff history. He is one win away from reaching 100 coaching victories in the playoffs and tying Larry Brown for the sixth-most playoff coaching wins.

The Warriors have a 35-29 (.547) all-time record in elimination games, including 9-4 (.692) since 2013. Since 2015, the Warriors have an 8-2 (.800) record in games facing elimination. Friday will be the Warriors’ 13th playoff game in 2023, the most games played in the first two rounds for the Warriors since 2003 when the league expanded the first round to a best-of-seven format. Prior to this postseason, the most games the Warriors have played in the first two rounds of the playoffs was 12, twice, in 2013 and 2019. Since 2015, the Warriors averaged 10.2 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Bet Warriors to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

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Why Bet on LA Lakers?

In the Game 5 loss in San Francisco, Los Angeles was outrebounded 48-38 overall. The Lakers scored 20 points off the Warriors’ 14 turnovers but committed 16 leading to 20 Warriors points. The Warriors shot 51.1 percent from the field and 93.3 percent from the free throw line to secure the win. LeBron James finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block.

Austin Reaves recorded 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and one steal, while D’Angelo Russell contributed 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Dennis Schröder led the Lakers’ bench unit with 14 points, two rebounds and four assists.

Will Anthony Davis play on Friday? That’s the big question. The All-Star left Wednesday’s loss midway through the fourth quarter and did not return after being inadvertently struck on the side of the head by Golden State’s Kevon Looney. Davis was initially evaluated on the Lakers’ bench by athletic trainer Jon Ishop before retreating to the back of the arena for further medical attention. Davis was placed in a wheelchair and carted to a training room after feeling “woozy” but an initial evaluation revealed no concussion. Prior to leaving Wednesday’s game, Davis was on the verge of another double-double, scoring 23 points and collecting nine rebounds.

But in the event that he is diagnosed with a concussion later today, the NBA has firm protocols that would make a return in time for Game 6 about out of the question. Per league rules: “A player diagnosed with a concussion should be regularly monitored for 24 hours for the evolution of symptoms, and accordingly the player may not begin the return-to-participation exertion process until 24 hours after the time of injury.”

Now, it’s back to LA where the Lakers 5-0 at home this postseason, having won eight consecutive games on their own floor since losing to the Bulls on March 26. If the Lakers fail to take care of business in Game 6 on Friday, they will be forced to play a Game 7 on Sunday afternoon in San Francisco. Road teams rarely win Game 7s, especially when they have lost the prior two contests of the series.

“Friday is an opportunity for us to see where we are, to see what we are made of, and go out there with the grit and the fight that we have since we came together after the All-Star break,” said LeBron, who did tweak his ankle a bit in Game 5. “A very resilient team and we respond well to adversity.”

Bet Lakers to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

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Game Trends

• Warriors are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
• Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
• Lakers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
• Lakers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games.
• Warriors are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
• Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.

 

Expert Prediction

Warriors 110, Lakers 108

 

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