Lakers vs. Warriors Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Christmas Day

Another chapter in the LeBron James vs. Steph Curry rivalry will be written on Wednesday, as the Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day.

Curry and James are staples of the NBA’s Christmas Day slate, and this year they’ll match up as they battle for playoff position in the Western Conference

Both of these teams lost on Monday, with Golden State slipping to the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference while the Lakers hold the No. 7 spot. The Warriors are really struggling as of late, losing seven of their last 10 games.

Oddsmakers still trust Golden State at home, favoring it by 3.5 points against a Lakers team that is just 7-9 straight up and 6-10 against the spread on the road in the 2024-25 campaign.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for this rivalry matchup on Christmas.

Lakers vs. Warriors Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Lakers +4 (-115)
Warriors -4 (-105)

Moneyline

Lakers: +142
Warriors:-170

Total

223.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Lakers vs. Warriors How to Watch

Date: Sunday, Dec. 25
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Chase Center
How to Watch (TV): ABC/ESPN
Lakers record: 16-13
Warriors record: 15-13

Lakers vs. Warriors Injury Reports

Lakers Injury Report

Anthony Davis – questionable
Jaxson Hayes – out
Jalen Hood-Schifino – out
LeBron James – questionable
D’Angelo Russell – questionable
Jarred Vanderbilt – out
Christian Wood – out

Warriors Injury Report

Gary Payton II -- questionable

Lakers vs. Warriors Best NBA Prop Bets

Los Angeles Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

LeBron James OVER 22.5 Points (-125)

LeBron has more points than anyone in NBA history on Christmas Day, and I expect him to add to that in a big way against a Golden State defense that has slipped to No. 8 in the NBA after starting the season as one of the three best units in basketball.

In fact, over their last 10 games, the Warriors rank just 20th in the NBA in defensive rating.

LeBron has 28 or more points in four of his last six games, pushing his season average to 23.2 points per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from 3. With the Lakers coming off a loss, I expect James to attempt to will his team to a road win on Christmas.

Golden State Warriors Best NBA Prop Bet

Steph Curry OVER 10.5 Rebounds and Assists (-135)

Curry has been in a slump as of late, posting 0-for-7 and 2-for-13 games from the field in two of his last three showings.

Golden State has dropped in the standings as a result, but Curry’s passing and rebounding have not taken a hit during this stretch. The two-time league MVP is averaging 5.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game on the season, clearing 10.5 rebounds and assists in 16 of his 23 games.

He’s had multiple 10-assist games in the last 10 days, and he should be able to get involved as a passer even if the shot isn’t falling on Christmas.

Lakers vs. Warriors Prediction and Pick

With Monday’s loss to Indiana, the Warriors fell to 4-5 against the spread as a home favorite this season, so they don’t exactly have a huge advantage over Los Angeles (6-10 ATS on the road) when it comes to this matchup.

The Lakers have been a much worse defensive team than the Warriors this season (No. 21 in defensive rating overall), but as I mentioned above, the Warriors have slipped to No. 20 in defense over their last 10 games.

Ultimately, Curry has to break this slump if Golden State is going to win this game. The Warriors are 7-6 at home in the 2024-25 campaign, but they’re 4-0 when Curry scores 30 or more points.

LeBron is just 10-8 all time on Christmas Day, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Lakers at least over in this game.

Golden State has failed to cover the spread in three of its last four games.

Pick: Lakers +4 (-115)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.