3 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Warriors vs. Lakers

Even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Golden State Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds and NBA player props, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Warriors at Lakers Betting Picks

Lakers Moneyline (+128)

The NBA's opening night brings us a showdown between the Warriors and Lakers. Even with LeBron James (sciatica) missing, I can still get behind LA's moneyline at +128 odds.

Golden State added Al Horford this offseason while Los Angeles brought in Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton. Both sides have similar expectations for the 2025-26 season -- the Warriors have a 47.5 win total and the Lakers have a 46.5 win total.

The Warriors are better equipped to compete tonight at nearly full health. They were also elite in the regular season after adding Jimmy Butler last year. So, why back the Lakers without LeBron?

Well, JJ Redick's group went 31-10 at home last season, and his team has performed well when given ample time to prepare for the matchup. Los Angeles started last season 3-0 and went 8-1 coming out of the All-Star break. The Warriors, meanwhile, consistently toy with their rotations and apparently haven't nailed down a starting lineup just yet. That doesn't mean Golden State won't thrive tonight. I think they are the better team. But it does add a "figuring it out" layer that could lend itself to struggles in the first game of the year.

Luka Doncic has a chip on his shoulder this season. I'd say Ayton and Smart do, too. At least effort wise, that should be seen from the jump. I don't know that I'd be into LA's moneyline at anything shorter than +128 odds, but I can support the current number.

Luka Doncic Over 38.5 Pts + Ast (-118)

Luka averaged 40.4 combined points and assists (PA) in 2022-23 and 43.7 PA in 2023-24. The 26-year-old is primed to average those type of numbers this season, and I like him in this spot with no Bron.

Luka amassed 38.4 PA per game across his final 22 regular-season contests with the Lakers last season. He posted 34, 35, 38, 41, and 48 PA across five games without LeBron, averaging 1.07 PA per minute in the split. At that rate, Luka would need to play roughly 36 minutes tonight to clear this prop. I'd take the over on 36 minutes. This is the season opener, the Lakers won't play again until Friday, and the spread (2.5) is close.

As far as assists are concerned, having Ayton around should be a big help. Luka got used to having the likes of Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford around in Dallas but was met with dismal post players in Los Angeles last season. Following a whirlwind 2024-25 campaign, Luka should be at his best in his first season opener with LA.

Al Horford Over 14.5 Pts + Reb + Ast (-104)

I think Steve Kerr could get greedy with Horford tonight.

Horford is 39 years old. He's no longer built to play 30-plus minutes a night. The Warriors have already announced that the veteran will not play both legs of back-to-backs this season. However, the season opener is grounds to grant Big Al a slightly longer leash, and the Warriors might want to do just that.

Last season, Horford averaged 17.3 combined points, rebounds, and assists (PRA) playing 27.7 minutes per game for the Boston Celtics. He went over 14.5 PRA in 61.7% of games. He has a decent ceiling in all three major stat categories and is a knock-down three-point shooter, offering him multiple quick paths to rack up counting stats.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.