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After splitting the first two games of this series in San Francisco, the Western Conference semifinals between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers shifts to Southern California on Saturday, May 6 for Game 3. Tipoff from Crypto.com Arena is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET and the contest will air on ABC.
No major names are projected to pop up on the injury report for either team, with only Patrick Baldwin Jr. (toe) and Mo Bamba (ankle) remaining questionable for the Warriors and Lakers, respectively.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, the Lakers are 3-point favorites and -150 on the moneyline, with the point total set at 227. The Warriors are +130 moneyline underdogs.
Warriors vs. Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Lakers -3
The Lakers’ success in the postseason predicates on Anthony Davis having a monster game, which at this point feels like an “every other game” sort of deal. After dropping 30 points and 20 rebounds in a Game 1 win, he proved relatively disengaged in a Game 2 loss where he totaled just 11 points and a -22 plus/minus. Now back at home, I think Davis and the Lakers get a much-needed win, while the Warriors' road struggles could potentially creep back up in this matchup.
Over/Under: Over 227
Each of the first two games in this series has finished over the combined point total and I don’t see any reason for that trend not to continue. Los Angeles should bounce back mightily from its Game 2 loss with a convincing offensive performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the role players like Austin Reaves or Jarred Vanderbilt put together big games in front of the home crowd.
Even if the Warriors were to fall in Game 3, their high-octane offense led by the postseason’s fourth-ranked scorer Stephen Curry (31.1 PPG) should mean they match the Lakers point for point. If anything, Game 3 feels like a high-scoring affair after Game 2’s relatively mundane script.