And just like that, the Golden State Warriors dynasty is on life support.
This is not an overstatement of the predicament in which they find themselves against the Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State is down 3-1 and facing elimination. Their odds to win the 2023 NBA Finals have plummeted as a result. And if they bow out in the second round of their title defense, there's a chance we see major changes over the offseason. But before we talk about all of that, here's everything you need to know about the next matchup in this Lakers vs. Warriors series:
- What: Warriors vs. Lakers Game 5
- Date: Wednesday, May 10
- Time: 10:30 p.m. EST
- Where: Chase Center in San Francisco, California
- Series Score: Los Angeles leads Golden 3-1
Golden State has been a crummy team on the road all year, and that trend continued against the Lakers. The Warriors lost two straight at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles to create this 3-1 series deficit. Some think Golden State is now done. Surely LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers won't lose three games in a row, right? This might be true. But home teams trailing 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have regularly responded well at home. The betting lines for Warriors vs. Lakers Game 5 suggest the Dubs will do the same.
Remember to keep rechecking these 2023 NBA playoff betting odds until you have officially submitted your wager. Our Warriors vs. Lakers betting odds are accurate as of Tuesday, May 9. Linemakers will have plenty of time to implement changes ahead of opening tip-off on Wednesday, May 10.
Of course, staying on top of any last-minute alterations to NBA playoff betting lines is a breeze if you've created an account with a trustworthy sportsbook. Like usual, we've got your back there. You'll have no trouble, at all, spotting the best online NBA betting sites if you take the time to peruse our reviews of the top online sportsbooks.
A Western Conference Finals is well within the Lakers' reach. The prevailing consensus is that they'll get there. But they need to win Game 5 first. Whether the Golden State will let them, though, is a different story. Without further delay, let's get to some Lakers vs. Warriors picks.
Should You Trust the Golden State Warriors to Save Their Season in Game 5?
History suggests the Warriors will respond by absolutely trucking the Lakers in Game 5. That's a reasonable gambit to make. And yet, these are no longer the Warriors of old. They have been maddeningly inconsistent all season, particularly on the road.
Still, we can't shake the feeling they're due for a detonation. Stephen Curry's job should get easier at Chase Center, if only because supporting role players tend to shoot better on their own floor. That's great news for Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole, because they combined to score just 29 points through Games 3 and 4.
There's also no way Lonnie Walker IV continues to come up this big for the Lakers. He has 27 points over the past two games after barely playing the entire postseason. His story is a good one, but he won't be the safety valve forever.
This is not to say the Lakers are getting lucky. They have defended their butts off the past two games. But they still don't have a ton of reliable shooters, they have failed to get Anthony Davis involved on offense later in games, and the Warriors won't shoot sub-30 percent from distance like they did in Game 4 every night.
OSB Prediction: Golden State Warriors (-255)
Expect the Warriors to Deliver a Strong Response at Home
How confident is the 2023 NBA playoffs betting market in the Warriors winning Game 5? Extremely confident. Just look at the latest NBA point spread betting odds for Warriors vs. Lakers Game 5:
- Golden State Warriors, -6.5 (-110)
- Los Angeles Lakers, +6.5 (-110)
The Warriors have shown they can blow out the Lakers in this series, with their 127-100 victory in Game 2. We're almost expecting to see them do it again.
Indeed, this might go against what we've seen the past two games. But Steph's job should get a little easier at home. The Warriors have needed to put the ball in hands more because Thompson, Poole and Andrew Wiggins aren't offering enough secondary creation. All three tend to play better at home, which should allow the Dubs to explore more pet sets where Steph wreaks havoc away from the ball and, by extension, isn't as gassed by the fourth quarter.
OSB Prediction: Golden State Warriors, -6.5 (-110)
Will the Golden State Offense Finally Get Back on Track vs. Los Angeles?
Over the past two games, the Warriors are averaging a paltry 99 points. Most don't expect their malaise to continue. This belief is reflected in the sky-high over/under betting odds for Lakers vs. Warriors Game 5:
- Over 226.5 (-110)
- Under 226.5 (-110)
This feels like a line plucked straight from the beginning of the series. And that makes sense. Both games at Chase Center this series have topped 227 points, and the market is clearly banking on the Warriors spitting out a comeback performance after two consecutive offensive duds.
We're expecting that trend to hold. The Warriors have gone small to open up the floor, and that's actually helped benefit the Lakers offense. They're more capable of capitalizing on mismatches. While Golden State could try to combat this by leaning on more Draymond Green-Kevon Looney minutes in Game 5, their response to series deficits has almost always included going smaller and smaller.
In other words: We're expecting both the Warriors and Lakers offenses to cook, which should give us an "over" cover.
OSB Prediction: Over 226.5 (-110)
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