The two defining players of the last 20 years of NBA history will meet on Christmas Day in an always thrilling matchup, as Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers and Lebron James.
After an offseason of considerable change, most notably the departure of Splash Brother Klay Thompson, the Warriors are firing on all cylinders. They’ve consistently been among the top teams in the competitive Western Conference, with Curry seemingly buoyed by the revitalized roster and added depth around him.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have shown more of the same in their recent history, led by the James-Anthony Davis pairing. Even under new head coach JJ Redick’s tutelage, the Lake Show has proven to be downright maddening on offense, capable of suffocating on defense, and entirely dependent on Davis’s health.
Regardless of each team’s performance, this is a special, must-watch moment. At this stage of their careers, the high-profile matchups between James and Curry are few and far between. Ahead of a memorable night at Chase Center, check out our Lakers vs. Warriors predictions, including our NBA expert picks. The tip is set for December 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Lakers vs Warriors Overview
- Teams: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
- Date: Wednesday, December 25, 2024
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ETVenue: Chase Center
Win Probabilities
The prediction tip for the winner in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors is the Golden State Warriors. The winner probabilities are 62.2% (Golden State Warriors) and 44.4% (Los Angeles Lakers).
Projected Final Score
Our predicted final score for this NBA matchup is Warriors 120-114 Lakers.
Expert Prediction: Who Wins?
The start of the JJ Redick era in Los Angeles has already led to some curious results. In one sense, the Lakers are frustratingly close to the team that played out the string under Darvin Ham last year. Yet, in another sense, they’ve modernized and look closer to optimizing a limited roster.
Redick’s biggest and most immediate impact has been, unsurprisingly, on the offensive end of the floor. Despite leading a roster with a glaring lack of shooters, the former lights-out shooter has instilled an efficient approach into his squad. Despite Los Angeles’ two best shooters, D’Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent, having horrible starts to the season, the Lakers are ranking out around the top five in both adjusted offensive rating and true shooting percentage.
Even with a limited group, those metrics can help a team overcome roster construction limitations—which the Lakers undoubtedly have. That’s even more crucial with this iteration of the Lake Show because the defense has cratered. Even in Los Angeles’ more mediocre seasons in the Lebron James-Anthony Davis era, a good defense was nearly a guarantee—the notion of “Lebron, AD, and some guys” was an actual formula.
However, time has crept up on the nearly 40-year-old Lebron. James has lost several steps on defense and can no longer be a plus defender for more than a few spurts throughout a game. The Lakers have begun losing James’s minutes – even when he is sharing the floor with Davis – and as a result, they’ve routinely been in the bottom five in the league in adjusted defensive rating.
While the inevitable march of time begins to haunt the Lakers, the Warriors are enjoying a season with the clocks turned back. In their first season without Klay Thompson, the Dubs have rediscovered the kind of two-way magic that helped to power a dynasty last decade.
Flanked by improved shooting and depth, Curry and Draymond Green lead an offense threatening elite status. The Warriors’ biggest credit on offense is that they perform brilliantly even without highly efficient shooting. Golden State is barely a top 20 team in true shooting percentage, yet it has stuck around the top five in adjusted offensive rating. Even a month of hot shooting beyond Curry could see the offense vault into elite levels.
Yet, even if that month does not come, the Warriors are fairly insulated from a backslide. That’s because they mesh their high-level offense with a defense that has played ridiculously well. Green’s basketball IQ and length continue to extend his effectiveness as a defender, and the addition of Kyle Anderson in free agency gave them another versatile defender who understands coverages at an elite level.
Even after De’Anthony Melton’s season-ending injury, the Warriors have a solid string of rangy defenders they can throw at you. The consistency may come and go — and the defensive level may fluctuate — but any of Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga are capable of giving opposing players trouble on a nightly basis.
Ultimately, the Lakers and Warriors are excellent representations of average-to-good vs. great. Los Angeles has had a good offense to rely on, but its defense has been so poor that it has suffered overall. An adjusted net rating on the fringes of the top 20 is an accurate representation of the team’s level.
Golden State, meanwhile, has the classic hallmarks of a great team with a top 10 standing in both adjusted offensive and defensive rating. It is a top-five team in adjusted net rating, and that’s a mark that’s true to its play thus far. The Warriors have looked every bit the title contender that their underlying metrics suggest they are.
With the Lakers’ flaws and a very poor match for this Warriors team – and the Dubs enjoying a little home cooking on this Christmas Night game – expect Curry to win another win over his old nemesis in Lebron and the Lakers.
Current Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Lakers | +125 | +3.5 (-115) | O234.5 (-115) |
| Warriors | -165 | -3.5 (-115) | U234.5 (-115) |
How to Make Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors Picks
Ready to make picks on the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors matchup on Wednesday, December 25? Make sure to head over to Sportzino, where you can find every NBA game on the slate this weekend and so much more!
