3 All Lakers Expert Predictions For LA-Toronto Clash Tonight

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 2, 2024

Jan 9, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) attacks the floor against Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis (3). / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Tonight at 4 p.m. PT, the 42-33 Los Angeles Lakers will look to best the 23-51 Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.

Here are our latest expert predictions for the meeting.

Can LA cover the game spread?

The Lakers are currently -13 point favorites to best the struggling Raptors on the road, according to The Action Network. Toronto has flipped several of its top veterans to other clubs already (most notably swingman OG Anunoby and power forward Pascal Siakam) as team president Masai Ujiri belatedly, mercifully continues his complete roster teardown. As of this writing, it's unclear whether or not one or both of LA's two All-Stars, center Anthony Davis and combo forward LeBron James, will suit up today. Both players are officially questionable. Davis has a hyperextended left knee. James has been struggling through a left ankle peroneal tendinopathy for months.

Several bench role players are already out, too, including key reserve forwards Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt. After a one-game cameo, backup point guard Gabe Vincent is riding pine again, as he works on rehabbing his surgically-repaired left knee effusion. But Vincent's presence is relatively immaterial.

But this Raptors team has its sights set on tanking, hard, down the home stretch here. The team has lost a league-leading 13 straight contests Toronto's best player, All-Star forward Scottie Barnes, had a surgery last month to repair a fractured left hand. So long as one of James or Davis plays, the rest of LA's usual starters seem likely to pick up the scoring slack. Look for LA to win, but I'd shy away from projecting them to cover the spread. Even a blowout can be reduced to a single-digit victory with the advent of enough garbage time.

How should Los Angeles defend RJ Barrett?

Since being acquired from the New York Knicks in exchange for OG Anunoby and other pieces, the hometown hero has been averaging 20.8 points on .553/.417/.592 shooting splits, 6.2 rebounds, four assists and 0.6 steals a game. The 6'6" shooting guard is his team's top healthy scorer. Will LA opt to drape the shorter, slighter Austin Reaves on Barrett all game?

If he's healthy, James should see some time on Barrett, at least in the post if not running around the perimeter all night. It might also behoove head coach Darvin Ham to experiment with 3-and-D swingman Taurean Prince and 6'6" reserve combo guard Spencer Dinwiddie covering Barrett a bit.

Who will be LA's top non-All-Star scorer?

Starting point guard D'Angelo Russell has cooled off a bit since his absolute heater kicked off in January, but he remains the safest bet. Since the calendar rolled over to 2024, he's been averaging 20.9 points on .455/.435/.842 shooting splits, 6.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, one steal and 0.5 blocks a night.

Two-way rookie Javon Freeman-Liberty started Toronto's most recent contest, a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. The DePaul product is fairly athletic, but still quite raw. D-Lo should cook.

Russell has an $18.7 million player option on the 2024-25 season. Should he continue his strong play through the postseason, it's quite possible he opts out and tests the free agent market. It is absolutely critical that he capitalizes on opportunities to put up big numbers against regular season opponents who have stopped trying. There's no doubt he's aware of what's at stake in a game like tonight's, and will perform accordingly.