Raptors vs Lakers Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks
Lakers Look To Even Season Series
The Los Angeles Lakers are again shorthanded as they duel the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The last time they met, LA was down LeBron James and Anthony Davis against Toronto north of the border, and it lost by 13. Davis is suiting up on Friday, along with the projected return of D’Angelo Russell. LA is trending up, while the Raptors are falling apart, and the NBA lines list the Lakers as short favorites on the NBA point spread.
Find the latest NBA odds for upcoming games and futures markets at odds NBA.

Raptors Cover Just 41% of Road Games
The Raptors are a below-average road team heading into their fifth road game in a row and second in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Clippers beat Toronto 108–100 on Wednesday, and the Raptors hope to leave town with a win on Friday.
Losing on the road is nothing new for the Raptors as the seventh-worst team against the spread (ATS) at 14-20 with a return on investment (ROI) of -21.39%. The NBA news only gets worse for Toronto, with a 3-7 ATS mark in their last ten games.
It’s not all bad for Toronto, however. Their starting lineup is healthy and at full strength, and its defense matches up well against LA. Turnovers could be an issue for the Lakers as they cough the ball up an average of 14.1 times per game, while Toronto forces a whopping 9.3 steals on defense.
Lakers Hanging On to Play-In Tournament Berth
The Lakers enter Friday on the edge of not qualifying for the playoffs, with a single game separating LA from the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference. Despite their chances of missing the playoffs, the Lake Show has optimistic NBA Finals odds of +2800. Those odds make no sense to me, and it feels like the bookmakers are putting far too much faith in LeBron and his bum foot.
But their slim chances to go all the way don’t mean the Lakers are a bad bet on Friday.
The Lakers aren’t a great team overall regarding NBA point spread betting, with a perfectly average 32-32-2 ATS record. But LA is picking up the pace and has a 4-1 ATS record in their last five home games with an ROI of 52.73%. They are learning to compete without James, and the positive results are becoming more common.
The defense, in particular, has been incredible, with the top defensive rating in the NBA since the trade deadline at 107.6.
The defensive masterminds on the Los Angeles Lakers 👇
3 and D guys on the Los Angeles Lakers:
• Austin Reaves (does more than that also)
• Max Christie (might be the best perimeter defender on this team alongside Vanderbilt)
• Troy Brown Jr. (important they resign him)… https://t.co/4KvHCwCEnw pic.twitter.com/kanX5rS4w1— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Prime_LeBron23) March 9, 2023
Word is Russell will return on Friday. James, meanwhile, will be re-evaluated in two weeks, and Mo Bamba will miss four weeks with a high left ankle sprain.
Raptors vs Lakers Game Injuries
Raptors vs Lakers Head-to-Head
The Raptors hold a 1-0 season series lead over the Lakers after beating up LA 126-113 and covering as -12.5 point favorites on the NBA betting lines. The Lakers were destined to fail with James and Davis out.
Raptors vs Lakers Game Information
- Game: Raptors (32-35) vs Lakers (32-34)
- Location crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- Day/Time: Friday, March 10, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Raptors vs Lakers Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
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Raptors vs Lakers Betting Lines
Raptors vs Lakers Picks and Prediction
This is a straightforward example of teams heading in different directions when it matters most. LA is 6-2 in their last eight games and holding on to their playoff berth like grim death despite missing their best player. On the other hand, the Raptors are 1-3 in their last four and 1-4 in their previous five road games. My NBA odds for this game are on the Lakers to win outright and cover the short spread.
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Raptors vs Lakers Trends
Raptors vs Lakers Edge
Raptors vs Lakers Results
Raptors vs Lakers Game Summary
Lakers vs Raptors Previous Game(Dec. 07, 2022)
The Raptors are listed as nine-point favorites in the sportsbook and that’s likely with the assumption that Davis is out. The Lakers have been better as of late, but the loss of Davis could potentially change things quite a bit.
At the same time, the Lakers have been playing well enough that you can trust them as a sizable dog. They might not win outright, but can cash for your NBA picks here and cover the spread.
The Los Angeles Lakers had been on a hot streak, winning eight out of 10 before stumbling in Cleveland on Tuesday night. Not only did they lose by 14 points, but they also lost Anthony Davis for the game because of flu-like symptoms.
They’ll have an opportunity to regain momentum against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday when they travel north of the border. Toronto has lost three of its last four games.