Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 17/03/2022, 20:09  by Joseph King | Modified on 18/03/2022 at 02:09 in NBA Predictions

The Los Angeles Lakers look to salvage what little playoff hopes they have left when they travel to Canada to take on the Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. It’s certainly been a season to forget for LeBron James and company as their offseason acquisitions have backfired tremendously. Russell Westbrook, in particular, has become the de facto scapegoat for the Lakers failings this season and while he certainly is playing poorly, as a whole they are just not a well constructed team. Los Angeles has a record of 29-40 and a run of eight losses over their last 10 games has seen them trailing the eighth place Clippers by 5.5 games, with the play-in likely their last hope for postseason basketball. The Lakers come up against a streaking Raptors team that is riding a five game winning streak. The recent strong run of seven wins from their last 10 has seen Toronto move up to the seventh seed in the East with a record of 39-30. 

Lakers fans have had little to be excited about this season and watching their team playing away from home must be like pulling teeth. Los Angeles boasts a semi-decent home record of 20-17 but seem to completely capitulate when playing away as evidenced by their cringe-inducing 9-23 record. These two teams met less than a week ago where the Raptors triumphed in Hollywood, defeating the Lakers 113-104 in a game where the visiting Toronto lead by over 20 points at the end of the first quarter. LA will be looking for revenge here but an away trip to Toronto is always tough and the challenge is increased with how well the Raptors have been playing lately. Toronto wrapped up an extremely impressive West Coast away trip, winning all five of their games and recording wins over some tough competition in the form of the Suns, Nuggets and Clippers. Morale should be soaring high right now for Nick Nurse’s team and they are likely to continue their winning ways here.