LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction and Betting Tips for 2024 Emirates NBA Cup | Nov. 15   

LeBron James didn't mince words when he said "That will never, ever be topped" after the LA Lakers put on an absolute clinic to win the inaugural Emirates NBA Cup last season. The 4x NBA champion was crowned MVP as the Purple and Gold put away the Indiana Pacers with a dominant 123-109 win.

Come Friday, James and LA will have an opportunity to create history by becoming the first side to defend their championship when they start their NBA Cup title defense against the impressive-looking San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center.

The Lakers head to San Antonio on the back of another three-game winning streak They play the season-opener of the in-season tourney, followed by a regular season skirmish against the New Orleans Pelicans. LA will hope for a better show in its upcoming away games after failing 1-4 early on in the season. It may boast of a brilliant 6-0 run at the Crypto.com Arena but its road record needs massive improvement.

The Spurs have thrived in adversity. They are without head coach Gregg Popovich who continues to recover after suffering a mild stroke. The team is also without key names Jeremy Sochan and Tre Jones — both sidelined with injuries. But the team seems to be determined to push with wins as it blitzed the Sacramento Kings 116-96 and later followed it up with a 139-130 win over the Washington Wizards, courtesy of Victor Wembanyama's 50-point special.

The Spurs' 6-6 record is a stark contrast compared to their dismal start last season. The Lakers are 7-4 after a wobble in between. Both teams met thrice last edition with the Lakers winning the series 2-1. They also lead the Spurs 95-93 in 188 regular-season duels.

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LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs Preview, predicted starting lineups, betting tips, odds, and prediction

The LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs clash tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised live on ESPN and SportsNet LA. The skirmish can also be streamed live on Fubo TV (regional restrictions may apply) and on the NBA App with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.

Here are the odds as listed at the time of writing.

Teams	Spread	Total (o/u)	Moneyline
LA Lakers	-3.5	o226.5 (-114)	-155
San Antonio Spurs	+3.5	u226.5 (-110)	+127

Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off.

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LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs Preview

The Lakers can win the contest if (a) Anthony Davis keeps Victor Webanyama quiet (b) LA can outplay the rest of the Spurs on defense and (c) their bench makes up for the thin frontcourt. San Antonio doesn't have any impact scoring minus its French superstar, and that's a key area for the Lakers to exploit.

That said, the Lakers have issues as well. The non-AD minutes leave too much for James and Cam Reddish to do on the defensive end. Without Jaxson Hayes in the lineup, and Rui Hachimura a doubtful starter, the visitors will have to work extra hard on defense and contain Wembanyama. Note that this is also the first of a back-to-back, meaning there will be a check on the minutes both James and Davis will log. A tough matchup would mean more minutes for the duo.

The Spurs' defense is top-notch. The proof is in the pudding as they contained an elite Kings offense led by De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonisn earlier this week. San Antonio rebounds the ball well averaging 44.9 rebounds per game. It allows 105.9 points per game to be fifth in scoring defense but are 22nd on the offensive front with just 109.8 points per contest.

LA is still placed 24th on defense, allowing its opponents to score around 117+ points per game. It is still a top-tier offensive unit averaging 117.6 points to take sixth place in the league on scoring.

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LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs predicted starting lineups

The Lakers will field their usual starting five if Rui Hachimura (questionable) plays on Friday.

Position	Player
PG	Austin Reaves
SG	Cam Reddish
SF	Rui Hachimura
PF	LeBron James
C	Anthony Davis

LA Lakers Injury Report (Nov. 15): Anthony Davis (left plantar fasciitis) is listed as probable. Hachimura (ankle sprain) is questionable. Backup center Jaxson Hayes (left ankle sprain) is ruled out. Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) and Christian Wood (knee) remain out as they recover from their surgeries.

The Spurs might stick to the same lineup that beat the Wizards.

Position	Player
PG	Chris Paul
SG	Stephon Castle
SF	Julian Champagnie
PF	Harrison Barnes
C	Victor Wembanyama

San Antonio Spurs Injury Report (Nov. 15): Jeremy Sochan (thumb) is out as well. Tre Jones (ankle) joins him on the list.

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LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs betting tips

LeBron James' rich vein of form makes him a player to watch out for. The forward is listed -113/-110 on points. Austin Reaves is -113/-106 on points. Anthony Davis is -102/-109 on points. Victor Wembanyama is a good bet for the Spurs with an o/u of -115/-105 on points and rebounds. Chris Paul is listed -111/-114 on points and boards.

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LA Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs prediction

The San Antonio Spurs are playing good basketball making them more than just a handful. If they manage to put the LA Lakers under the pump early on, this might be a chance to run away with another win at home. Devin Vassell's return bolsters the side and with Wembanyama looking lethal, they will fancy their chances against LA.

The James-Davis combo will be a test, and if the bench unit led by D'Angelo Russell and Dalton Knecht fires again, the Spurs will then rely heavily on their center and seasoned veteran Paul to swing the game in their favor. San Antonio may have homecourt advantage, but take the Lakers for a win with experience helping their case as they course-correct their below-par road record.