Trail Blazers vs. Lakers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 2

Can the Lakers cover the spread as a home favorite on Thursday?

Can the Lakers cover the spread as a home favorite on Thursday? / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to rebound from a double-digit loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on New Year’s Eve when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.

Portland has really struggled on the road this season (3-13 straight up) while the Lakers are an impressive 10-5 straight up at home. 

LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers are in the mix for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, but their net rating has not been great. L.A. is just 21st in the league in net rating, a shocking mark for a team that is four games over .500. 

Portland isn’t in the mix for the postseason, and it could be a team that is active at the trade deadline with veterans like Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III and Jerami Grant.

Here’s a breakdown of this matchup, including the odds, players to consider betting in the prop market and my prediction on Thursday night. 

Trail Blazers vs. Lakers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Blazers +9 (-112)
• Lakers -9 (-108)

Moneyline

• Blazers: +300
• Lakers: -380

Total

• 225 (Over -110/Under -110)

Trail Blazers vs. Lakers How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, Jan. 2
• Time: 10:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Crypto.com Arena
• How to Watch (TV): Spectrum SportsNet, Root Sports Northwest
• Blazers record: 11-21
• Lakers record: 18-14

Trail Blazers vs. Lakers Injury Reports

Blazers Injury Report

• Dalano Banton – questionable
• Jerami Grant – out
• Matisse Thybulle – out
• Taze Moore – out
• Justin Minaya – out
• Bryce McGowens – out

Lakers Injury Report

• Christian Wood – out
• Jarred Vanderbilt – out
• Jalen Hood-Schifino – out
• Anthony Davis – questionable
• Gabe Vincent – questionable

Trail Blazers vs. Lakers Best NBA Prop Bets

Portland Trail Blazers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Anfernee Simons UNDER 19.5 Points (-120)

The Blazers are a confusing team to figure out, and Simons (17.5 points per game) may be their best offensive option, although he likely isn’t going to be a key piece in their next playoff team. 

This season, the former first-round pick is shooting just 41.3 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from 3, averaging more than five fewer points per game than he did last season. The Lakers held Simons to just 14 points in their last meeting, and the Blazers guard has cleared 19.5 points in less than half his games (14 out of 29) in the 2024-25 season. 

He’s a fade candidate tonight due to his inconsistent play this season. 

Los Angeles Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

• LeBron James OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-125)

LeBron shot a career-high from 3 last season, but he’s taken a bit of a step back in the 2024-25 campaign, shooting 36.2 percent from downtown. Still, I like him in this 3-point prop for a few reasons on Jan. 2.

First off, the Blazers are 23rd in the NBA in opponent 3s made per game, and they are allowing opponents to shoot 38.0 percent from downtown. James didn’t play against the Blazers earlier this season, but he’s at least four shots from deep in each of his last 11 games.

Over that stretch, LeBron has two or more made 3s in five games, including each of his last three matchups. The attempts should be there for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on Thursday night. 

Trail Blazers vs. Lakers Prediction and Pick

The Lakers may be 21st overall in net rating, but that jumps to No. 16 in the NBA at home this season.

Meanwhile, the Blazers have been awful on the road, posting a -11.6 net rating – good for 28th in the NBA.

With Grant out on Thursday, Portland is in a tough spot when it comes to covering this spread. The Blazers are already just 7-8-1 against the spread as road dogs, posting an average scoring margin of -11.5 in those games.

While the Lakers are just 5-5 against the spread as home favorites, we do know that Los Angeles is a significantly better team when it comes to straight up wins and losses at home.

I don’t mind the Lakers as a moneyline piece in a small parlay, but I’m also going to lay the points with them here – as long as Anthony Davis plays. 

Despite winning two of their last five games, the Blazers also have three 20-point losses in that stretch. They dropped their first meeting with the Lakers by nine points, and I expect them to struggle once again on the road. 

Pick: Lakers -9 (-108)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.