Lakers vs. Celtics Predictions, Picks & Odds: NBA on ABC, Saturday 3/8
One of the most storied rivalries in all of sports, not just the NBA, takes the court tonight with the Boston Celtics hosting the Los Angeles Lakers. With such a great matchup on deck, having it featured as a prime time game on ABC makes it even more exciting, as does our Lakers vs. Celtics predictions.
That also means a best bet from our Lakers vs. Celtics picks, which will be paired with the new $1,500 BetMGM Sportsbook new user bonus.
Lakers vs. Celtics Predictions for NBA on ABC, 3/8
Playing in prime time and on national TV are no strangers to the Lakers and Celtics, especially given that they were both part of the NBA on TNT doubleheader on Thursday night. Those were both home games for these teams, which means that it’s LeBron James, Luka Doncic and company making the long trip to TD Garden.
Although it’s a cross-country travel situation for LA, this is still a matchup that very well may be an NBA Finals preview. That’s something both a ton of fans and the league would love, and with each of them sitting as one of the best seeds in their respective conferences, it’s very much in the realm of possibility.
It’s also not the first time that we’ve seen these historic rivals meet - they did so about a month and half ago. That was one of the most impressive victories for the Lakers, as they crushed Boston by 21 points! Having a recent matchup provides us with some data to look back on for our Lakers vs. Celtics predictions tonight.
Los Angeles Lakers: The King Reigns Supreme
Outside of the interaction with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Thursday night, all the talk has been about the dominance of the Lakers and their climb to the #2 seed in the Western Conference. While the acquisition of Luka Doncic has done a lot for that (they’re 8-2 with him in the lineup), the King still reigns supreme.
For the 41st time in his career, LeBron was named the player of the month in February. After eclipsing 50,000 career combined points, he’s now almost 6,000 ahead of the next-closest player (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). Although it looks like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP shoe-in, some still feel that LeBron remains the best in the game.
Boston Celtics: Lurking In The Shadows
While the Lakers have climbed to the #2 seed in the Western Conference, the Celtics have been comfortably sitting there in the Eastern Conference. On the same night LA got their eight straight win on Thursday, Boston was busy blowing out the Philadelphia 76ers by 18 points. Remaining at home for tonight, of course they’re significantly favored.
The Lakers vs. Celtics odds are a great illustration of why Boston remains the title favorites, despite the Cleveland Cavaliers incredible season. They’re lurking behind them in the sense that while the gap is significant, they also aren’t at risk of falling and are just waiting for their opportunity to pounce - the postseason.
Lakers vs. Celtics Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Even though LA won this matchup earlier this year, with Boston now at home, they’re still the clear favorites according to the latest Lakers vs. Celtics odds at BetMGM Sportsbook:
- Point Spread: Los Angeles Lakers +5.5 (-110) vs. Boston Celtics -5.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Los Angeles Lakers (+180) vs. Boston Celtics (-220)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 225.5 (-110) vs. Under 225.5 (-110)
Lakers vs. Celtics Best Bet: Luka Doncic Over 7.5 Rebounds (-115 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Before we dive into the best bet from our Lakers vs. Celtics predictions, if you want to stick with the standard markets, we’d have to back LA in this spot. They were 6.5-point underdogs when they met in January, and we already noted that impressive blowout win for the Lakers.
Similarly, LA has been far superior in terms of covering the spread this season, as they have the fourth-best record in that regard. Beyond that, an under could be considered for your Lakers vs. Celtics picks, as both LA and Boston are in the top six in terms of record for bettors that back the under in their games.
Having said all that, we’re hoping for an epic back-and-forth rivalry, so we’re going to stick with the player prop markets. In that regard, we’re targeting Luka Doncic, also known as a nightly triple-double threat. With no more Anthony Davis in the mix, his rebounding prowess is even more relied upon.
It may not be the first stat fans think of when it comes to Luka Doncic, but it’s where he can exploit Boston. The Celtics rank inside the top five in nearly every significant team statistic this season other than opponent rebounding. It’s far from awful, but only being middle-of-the-pack in that respect is awful by their lofty standards everywhere else.
Luka having been in the Western Conference with the Dallas Mavericks, he doesn't have a ton of games against Boston, but in his last two games against them, he recorded double-digit rebounds. Even a back-up center Andre Drummond recorded 10 rebounds against the Celtics on Thursday night.
It was what he was missing for a triple-double threat that same night, and we see that being where he improves tonight. So, the best bet from our Lakers vs. Celtics predictions is Luka Doncic over 7.5 rebounds (-115 at BetMGM Sportsbook).
Lakers vs. Celtics Injury Report & Latest News
With this classic rivalry, we want to see the best of the best on the court. Boston has the significant concerns for that to be the case, as Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have been missing from the court. Even Jaylen Brown and Al Horford missed the game against the 76ers. As for Lakers injury news, Markieff Morris missed Thursday’s game, and LA would love to see Rui Hachimura return sooner rather than later.
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Player News
Max Strus shot 0-of-9 from the field in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, going scoreless with seven rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.
Game 5 was brutal for Strus, who missed all six of his three-point attempts and could not make a shot from the field overall. While he did grab seven rebounds, three more than fellow starter Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers needed more offensive production from Strus. Due to offseason ankle surgery, Strus did not make his first appearance until just before Christmas, which put him in a difficult spot regarding fantasy value. While many managers did not expect much from Strus beyond offering late-round value, he finished outside the top-175 in eight- and nine-cat formats. Look for him again to be a late-round pick in most fantasy leagues.
Jarrett Allen accumulated nine points (4-of-6 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), four rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
After scoring 12 points or more in the first three games of this series, Allen was a shell of himself in Games 4 and 5. While more effective as a scorer in Game 5, the Cavaliers’ center’s impact was once again muted as the East’s top seed watched its season end. That’s an unfortunate conclusion for Allen, who matched his Yahoo! ADP (53) in nine-cat formats during the regular season, according to Basketball Monster. While he was a sixth-round player in eight-cat formats, Allen’s value taking a hit due to Evan Mobley’s emergence was unsurprising. He may not come off the board within the first 50 picks in most drafts next fall, but Allen should remain a dependable option for fantasy managers needing a center.
Evan Mobley logged 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 24 points (8-of-12 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs) with 11 rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Recording his third double-double in four games, Mobley had his best performance of the series in Game 5. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t good enough to force a Game 6, as Cleveland combined to shoot 9-of-35 from beyond the arc. A sprained ankle sidelined Mobley for Game 2, and the blown lead in that contest set the tone for the Cavaliers. Regarding fantasy basketball, the Cavaliers forward exceeded his Yahoo! ADP (38) in eight- and nine-cat formats, providing top-25 value in the latter. Mobley’s ADP should be considerably higher next fall as he continues establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top frontcourt players.
Darius Garland shot 4-of-16 from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 11 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.
On a night when the Cavaliers needed Garland to be his best, the point guard could not rise to the challenge. Not only did he miss all six of his three-point attempts, but Garland was also responsible for five turnovers. His toe injury suffered during the first round did Garland no favors, but this was a disappointing way for him to end the 2024-25 season. While having a Yahoo! ADP outside the top-50, the Cavaliers’ point guard finished within that threshold in eight- and nine-cat formats. Playing alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley may limit his ceiling, but Garland’s fantasy floor is relatively safe.
Donovan Mitchell accumulated 35 points (8-of-25 FGs, 15-of-21 FTs), nine rebounds, one assist, four steals, one block and four three-pointers in 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
Mitchell scored at least 33 points in four of the series’ five games, but efficiency was an issue in Tuesday’s series finale. He shot just 32 percent from the field, boosting his point total with frequent trips to the foul line. Sometimes, Mitchell appeared to be impacted by his injured left ankle, but many players are dealing with an injury at this stage in the season. While he did not live up to his Yahoo! ADP of 17, the Cavaliers’ star offered third-round value in nine-cat formats during the regular season. Mitchell won’t be worth selecting with a first-round pick in 12-team drafts next fall, but he should not drop out of the second round.
Aaron Nesmith finished Tuesday’s Game 5 win over the Cavaliers with 13 points (5-of-14 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer in 37 minutes.
Nesmith didn’t have the best night as a three-point shooter, making one of his seven attempts. However, he finished the series 13-of-29 from deep and recorded his first double-double in Tuesday’s clincher. While he had a limited defensive impact on Donovan Mitchell (he shot well over 50 percent when Nesmith was his primary defender), the Pacers’ wing has been a valuable contributor on both ends of the floor. Next up for Indiana is New York or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.