Lakers vs. Celtics NBA Preview and Best Bet (Archive)
Historic rivals face off in a prime-time NBA matchup. When the teams with the most NBA championships compete on Friday night, which team will be the winning NBA pick?
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics
Friday, November 19, 2021- 7:30 PM EST at TD Garden
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are off to a slow start this season at 7-8. The Celtics are under new coach Ime Udoka. The Celtics have been struggling with key players on injured reserve. Both Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams III will be game-time decisions. The Celtics are led by Jayson Tatum. Tatum is averaging 24 points per game for the Celtics. He leads the offense and is an excellent shot-creator in the half-court. Let’s see the NBA odds.
The Celtics added Dennis Schroder in the offseason. He is taking up some of the offensive responsibilities with Jaylen Brown being out. Schroder is a sneaky quick point guard and he gets to the rim against most offenses. His defensive play has improved since he came into the league as a one-way player. Schroder’s defensive improvement has made Schroeder a nice pickup for the Boston Celtics team.
The heart of the Celtics is Marcus Smart. While Smart is not an impressive player when looking at statistics, all one has to do is watch the game to see how much Smart means to the team. Smart is the leader on the defensive end and he has a fighting spirit that gives the team energy especially during the Celtics lulls in intensity. Smart is not the leader of the Celtics in statistical categories, he is the spiritual leader of this team.
Los Angeles Lakers
The reeling Los Angeles Lakers are hoping tonight marks the return of their leader LeBron James. LeBron is also a game-time decision. The Lakers are 8-8, which wouldn’t seem bad until you realize they have played one of the easier schedules in the NBA. The Lakers are 1-3 on the road this season, showing they have played 75% of their games at home so far this season.
Without LeBron, Anthony Davis’ flaws in leadership have been quite apparent. There was a reason that Anthony Davis demanded his way out of the Pelicans after many unsuccessful seasons. Davis isn’t built to be a leader in the way that LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler are. There is a reason that Davis demanded to go to Los Angeles where he could showcase his exceptional basketball talent without being burdened with the pressure of being the team leader.
Davis and Lakers fans are eagerly awaiting LeBron’s return. Lebron’s exceptional basketball IQ allows Davis to become the best version of himself. The Lakers’ new addition in the offseason was met with shock and surprise to many observers. They questioned Westbrook’s fit and so far those questions seem to be valid. Westbrook has had trouble fitting in with the Lakers. It is too early to say that this move was a failure, however.
Westbrook has often struggled to fit in with new teams but by the time the All-Star break rolls around, he is back to his elite playing level. The Lakers knew that they would experience growing pains in adding an erratic player of Westbrook’s caliber, but they felt the risks were worth the reward. In a couple of months, we will find out whether or not these risks were justified.
Key Matchup
Dennis Schroder vs. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook has a feast or famine playing style. Even in a shooting slump, Westbrook is not hesitant to throw up shots to get himself back on track. Westbrook is also susceptible to falling into a trap of trying to outdo the respective point guard he’s competing against.
If an opposing point guard is doing well and scoring off Westbrook, he can start to force things and fail to get his teammates involved. If Westbrook can limit Schroder on the defensive end and put together positive plus/minus minutes, the Lakers have a great chance to win this game.
Best Bet
Even with the Lakers getting an emotional boost from LeBron returning to this game, I like the Celtics here to get the win. While Boston does not have much continuity right now, the Lakers have even less. With players darting in-and-out of the lineup the Lakers, they will once again have to reestablish their pecking order.
This is a great opportunity for the Celtics to get a win in a high-profile game and I expect to see the best version of the Celtics team. My best bet for today is the Boston Celtics.
NBA Pick: Boston Celtics -1(-110) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.