The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a promising start this season at 2-1, but now they’ve lost Luka Doncic – who will join an injured LeBron James on the bench.
We’ll explain in our Trail Blazers vs. Lakers predictions why the loss of Doncic, along with several other big names, could doom an L.A. offense that has had to make up for the team’s poor defensive play all season long.
Read below for my free NBA picks for Monday, October 27.
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Trail Blazers vs Lakers prediction
Trail Blazers vs Lakers best bet: Blazers -2.5 (-110 at bet365)
As we flagged above, Luka Doncic was injured in the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, and now L.A.’s got several key names banged up, with Jaxson Hayes and Gabe Vincent picking up injuries over the weekend.
It’s sure to impact the Lakers' offense, which has been centered squarely around Doncic. The team continues to do much of what it’s done for the past year and change, which is shoot the mid-range shot like it’s not yet gone out of style, and with one of the worst marks from 3-point range, it’s hard to blame it. Now, without Vincent and Doncic, the Lakers are down two of their best options from outside.
The unfortunate news for the Lakers is that the Portland Trail Blazers have given up the bulk of their looks from outside, ranking 12th in 3-point frequency on defense, so while they’ve been one of the worst in the league at stopping the outside shot it hasn’t necessarily hurt them. In fact, Portland ranks seventh thus far in defensive efficiency and has done a bang-up job inside the arc, ranking eighth in rim defense and 13th against the middy.
That should take some of the wind out of the Lakers’ sails on offense, and defensively, we already know there are issues with this team ranking 18th in efficiency and missing James, along with a solid rim protector in Hayes. Portland’s offense may not look like a well-rounded one on paper, but it has taken a ton of shots from 3 and has played incredibly efficiently around some fluctuating numbers beyond the arc.
L.A. currently owns the fourth-worst 3-point defense in the league, and with so many shots going up from distance, I’m inclined to believe the Trail Blazers can handle this one.
Trail Blazers vs Lakers same-game parlay
Trail Blazers -2.5
Shaedon Sharpe Over 2.5 threes
Austin Reaves Over 8.5 assists
We’ll want to pick out the best value on the Blazers’ side when it comes to the 3-point markets, given what we’ve laid out about this matchup above, and despite a brutal start to the year, we’ll take the discount on Shaedon Sharpe. Sure, he hasn’t ever been a fantastic shooter, but it doesn’t seem that matters at all, considering he’s taking the most attempts per game out there of every Portland player, and playing close to 30 minutes per game.
Given L.A.’s struggles against the outside shot, you’d have to think a man averaging eight attempts has a good shot, and given its injury woes, we’ll also have to take Austin Reaves’ assists total. He’s hit it in each game, and now it’s possible that he’ll operate as the Lakers’ lone healthy point guard with Doncic, Vincent, and Marcus Smart all dealing with injuries. Unless L.A. wants to dust off Bronny James, Reaves should have the rock all night long.
Trail Blazers vs Lakers SGP
- Trail Blazers -2.5
- Shaedon Sharpe Over 2.5 threes
- Austin Reeves Over 8.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Make it rain
Trail Blazers -2.5
Shaedon Sharpe Over 2.5 threes
Austin Reaves Over 8.5 assists
Deni Avdija Over 1.5 threes
Jake LaRavia Over 5.5 rebounds
Go Over Deni Avdija’s 3-point total here. He’d cleared this in the first two games of the season prior to an 0-for-6 from deep against Minnesota, but the fact remains that he’s one of the most frequently-used players from outside for Portland and finds himself in an excellent matchup.
Portland’s given up the most rebounds to the small forward position this season, meanwhile, and now that Reaves will be subjected to playing all of his minutes at point guard, it’ll open the door for more Jake LaRavia run. He snatched six boards in a season-high 32 minutes against Minnesota and should find himself on the floor more than long enough to come home on this number.
Trail Blazers vs Lakers SGP
- Trail Blazers -2.5
- Shaedon Sharpe Over 2.5 threes
- Austin Reeves Over 8.5 assists
- Deni Avdija Over 1.5 threes
- Jake LaRavia Over 5.5 rebounds
Trail Blazers vs Lakers odds
- Spread: Trail Blazers -2.5 | Lakers +2.5
- Moneyline: Trail Blazers -140 | Lakers +120
- Over/Under: Over 22605 | Under 226.5
Trail Blazers vs Lakers betting trend to know
The Los Angeles Lakers have hit the 2Q Game Total Over in 20 of their last 21 games (+18.80 Units / 78% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Lakers.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Lakers
| Location | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date | Monday, October 27, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | KUNP, Spectrum SportsNet |
Trail Blazers vs Lakers latest injuries
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