Nets vs Lakers Picks and Predictions: Santa Won't be Christmas' Only Bearded Star

In a matchup that will be missing quite a few stars, the Los Angeles Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets in what should still be an exciting Christmas Day game. The Lakers come into this one hoping to avoid a five-game losing streak, but they’ll have their work cut out for them against a Nets team that has won four of its last five. 

Will Los Angeles find a way to get back in the win column? Keep reading our Nets vs. Lakers NBA picks and predictions for Christmas Day, December 25 to find out. 

Nets vs Lakers odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

The Nets were 1-point favorites when this line first hit betting markets, and things haven’t changed all that much since. Los Angeles is still a 1-point underdog nearly everywhere, but the team is oddly sitting as a 1.5-point favorite on one prominent sportsbook. As for the total, the number opened at 226 and has since gone up to 226.5 in some places. 

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

Nets vs Lakers predictions

• Prediction: Nets +1.5 (-120)
• Prediction: Over 226 (-110)
• Best bet: Nets +1.5 (-120)

Predictions made on 12/24/2021 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Nets vs Lakers game info

• Location: STAPLES Center/Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Saturday, December 25, 2021
• Tip-off: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

Nets vs Lakers betting preview

Injuries

Nets: James Johnson F (Out), Bruce Brown G (Out), LaMarcus Aldridge F (Out), Kevin Durant F (Out), David Duke Jr. G (Out), Kessler Edwards F (Out), Cam Thomas G (Out), Joe Harris G (Out), Kyrie Irving G (Out).
Lakers: Malik Monk G (Questionable), Avery Bradley G (Out), Austin Reaves G (Out), Kent Bazemore G (Out), Trevor Ariza F (Out), Anthony Davis F (Out), Kendrick Nunn G (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Nets are 4-1 against the spread in their last five road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Lakers.

Nets vs Lakers picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Spread analysis

The Nets will be without Kevin Durant when they face LeBron James and the Lakers on Christmas Day, but Brooklyn is still the team to beat in this game. A lot has been made about James Harden’s decline this season, but the superstar has had to play a different brand of basketball since being traded to the Nets. The 32-year-old no longer has the opportunity to just dribble out the clock and create for only himself — with the occasional kick out to open shooters — and he has had to defer to Durant and play more of a traditional point guard role. 

With Durant out, we should see the Rockets version of Harden that was one of the best players in basketball. That might not be a sustainable way to play the rest of the year, but Harden should be able to pick apart a Lakers defense that has been abysmal at times this year. It shouldn’t surprise anybody if he’s the best player on the floor in this one, and it’s also important to note that this Nets team simply plays better basketball on both ends of the floor. 

Brooklyn is fifth in the league in defensive efficiency this year, and the team is 13th on offense. Los Angeles, meanwhile, is 27th in offensive rating and just 11th on defense. It’s not going to be easy for the Lakers to turn that offense around against a disciplined Nets team. 

It surely isn’t easy to advise betting against LeBron on a big stage like this one, but it’s important to remember that this Los Angeles team isn’t anything like the one that won the title a few years ago. The Nets should get it done here. 

Prediction: Nets +1.5 (-120) 

Over/Under analysis

The Over is 25-14 when Brooklyn has played as a road favorite over the last two seasons, with the average total points scored in those games being 231.6. The Over is also 3-1 in the Nets’ last four games, and 2-1 in the Lakers’ last three. Los Angeles is coming off a game in which 248 total points were scored against the San Antonio Spurs, with the Spurs scoring 138. That should give you a good idea of where this Los Angeles defense is right now. 

For what it’s worth, the Over is also 10-7-2 in Lakers home games this year, and it’s also 8-4-1 in Los Angeles’ games against Eastern Conference opponents. 

Prediction: Over 226 (-110) 

Best bet

The Nets are going to be putting a lot on Harden’s plate in this meeting with the Lakers, but Los Angeles doesn’t have anybody that can stop Harden from getting to the basket. Even with Harden playing at a slower pace recently, he should be able to get to the paint and dominate this game offensively. He’ll also regularly create open looks for his teammates, which is where a guy like Patty Mills could feast in this game. Brooklyn also has a few key players returning to the rotation in this one, with Nicolas Claxton being one that stands out. The Nets will need some big minutes from him in this game, as they are short on rim protectors. 

It should be noted that Brooklyn is 11-3 straight-up and 8-6 against the spread in road games this season. The team is also facing a Lakers group that is just 6-17 against the spread against Atlantic division opponents since Frank Vogel became the coach. Vogel won’t be at the helm in this one, as he is currently dealing with COVID-19, but point being, Los Angeles has underperformed against the Atlantic over the years. 

Pick: Nets +1.5 (-120) 

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