The Philadelphia 76ers (37-24) have had difficulties with consistent play all season long, most especially in the difference between their record at home (28-2) and on the road (9-22). The team just started a West Coast road trip, with both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons currently ruled out due to injuries. Philadelphia is still ten games ahead of Orlando and Brooklyn, currently sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, so their postseason seems somewhat secure at this point, but if they do not improve their road play, their postseason could last just one series. Their next opponent is the Los Angeles Lakers (46-13), who currently lead the Western Conference standings by 5 ½ games over Denver and the L.A. Clippers. Will the 76ers pick up their tenth road win of the year in what would be a significant upset? Or will the Lakers avenge the 17-point beating that the 76ers gave them in Philadelphia back in January? Don’t miss our sports betting preview. Let’s see how the NBA odds will be for the 76ers vs Lakers.
76ers vs Lakers 2020 NBA Game Preview & Betting Odds
- When: Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 10:00 pm ET
- Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
- TV: TNT
- Radio: WPEN 97.5 FM Philadelphia / ESPNLA 710 AM Los Angeles
- Live Stream: fuboTV
- NBA Odds: Los Angeles -12.5 / O/U 220.5
Why you should bet on Philadelphia
The 76ers continued to show their road woes three games ago, when they went to Cleveland and lost to the woeful Cavaliers by 14 points. They came home and (of course) beat New York by nine. Then they headed out west to face the Clippers on Sunday. Shake Milton led the 76ers with 39 points, knocking down seven three-pointers, and they hung 130 points on the third-ranked team in the West. However, the Clippers got 24 points or more from four different players, including 30 points from Kawhi Leonard, and they won by six.
The crucial quarter of the game was the third, when the Clippers outscored Philadelphia, 38-24. The 76ers had jumped out to an early 25-11 lead in the first quarter, but the Clippers cut the deficit to just five by the end of the period, and the second quarter had three lead changes and five ties. If you like the 76ers against the Lakers, you see them doing a better job of getting stops — and the Lakers don’t have quite the scoring depth that the Clippers do.
Why you should put your money on the Lakers
The Lakers became just the latest team to go to Memphis and endure a surprising loss to the Grizzlies last week, but then they went to New Orleans and beat the Pelicans by eight in another epic matchup between LeBron James and Pelicans rookie phenom Zion Williamson. James had a triple-double with 34 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, making a huge contribution in the absence of Anthony Davis.
Kyle Kuzma kicked in 20 points for the Lakers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 13, and jaVale McGee had eight points — and six blocks, dominating the paint. McGee’s layup in the last minute of regulation staked the Lakers to an eight-point lead. If you like the Lakers here, you see them taking advantage of a Sixers team that will be without Embiid and Simmons. Without Embiid, the Sixers don’t have as much of an interior presence to counter McGee, even with Al Horford out there — Horford tends to drift outside to shoot on offense.
76ers vs Lakers Final Score Prediction
I’m a big fan of Shake Milton’s progress with the 76ers. Milton is one of the up-and-coming scorers on the Philadelphia roster right now. However, I don’t think he can carry the team by himself in the absence of Embiid and Simmons. The 76ers just don’t thrive away from home, and with those two starters out, I see the Lakers winning, 130-120.
