NBA Basketball BETTING PREVIEW - Los Angeles Lakers @ Brooklyn Nets

NBA Basketball

2026-02-03 - Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

Los Angeles Lakers @ Brooklyn Nets
United States : NBA Basketball
Tuesday 3rd February 2025 - Scheduled 7:30pm
12:30am (British Time)

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Preview

There are always going to be big expectations around the Los Angeles Lakers (29-19), but a year on from the quite shocking trade to bring in Luka Doncic, fans are still not sure what the Lakers are.

They have won enough games to currently sit in the top six of the Western Conference, but you would also make the Lakers significant underdogs if they were to compete in a Playoff Series with any of the current top four teams. The trade deadline is unlikely to be as dramatic for the Lakers as it was twelve months ago, while the team are struggling for some consistency with wins and losses split in the last six games played.

Los Angeles could soon have Austin Reaves back, which is very important for the team, but they should have enough when visiting the Brooklyn Nets (13-35) on Tuesday before returning to the West Coast.

This game also concludes an eight game road trip for the Los Angeles Lakers and a win would mean finishing with a winning record in that time.

They do look to be facing the right opponent to do that after the Brooklyn Nets were restricted to just 77 points in a blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Brooklyn were without Michael Porter Jr, who has been involved in some trade talk, but that is not a good enough excuse for a team that have dropped eight of the lsat nine games.

Michael Porter Jr is expected to suit up on Tuesday, and the Nets will need the spark of the top scorer on the roster. The Offensive numbers were unsurprisingly awful considering the team scored just 77 points, but they will be expected to be much better, even if that is not enough to win the game or cover the spread.

It will help that they are facing a Lakers team that have been a little messy Defensively and who will allow the Nets to find some open looks from outside of the three point arc. Of course that doesn't mean Brooklyn will be knocking that shot down over and over, but there are more Offensive opportunities in this game.

Unfortunately for the home team, they are going to have to find a way to improve the Defensive intensity and try and slow down what has been a pretty good Lakers Offensive showing in recent games. With the likes of Doncic and LeBron James on the roster, it is no surprise the Lakers can be very strong on the Offensive side of the court and they will be looking to use that experience to continue to give a young Nets team problems.

In a League where so many teams look to really dominate behind the three point shot, the Lakers feel a bit more balanced and this matches up well with the Nets.

We cannot expect this to be anything like the beatdown the Pistons just put on Brooklyn, but the Lakers may still have the Offensive firepower to win this one by double digits.

Prediction

Lay the points with the road favourite in this regular season game.

The Pick :

Brooklyn Nets 103-113 Los Angeles Lakers

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Los Angeles Lakers - 8 Points at -105 with @bookmaker