The Los Angeles Lakers travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers in the second half of a back-to-back.
The pregame narrative: The Blazers are one of the NBA's best teams ATS so I'll buy a few points and back Portland on an alternate spread. Prop picks on Anfernee Simons and Donovan Clingan round out this +270 SGP.
Check out my Lakers vs. Trail Blazers same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 20.
Lakers vs. Trail Blazers predictions
Parlay: Trail Blazers +6.5 | Simons over 20.5 points | Clingan over 9.5 rebounds (+270)
Trail Blazers +6.5 (-195): The Lakers were rolling into the all-star break but have it tough in the first week back.
L.A. lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday and now plays its second game in as many nights against the pesky Trail Blazers.
- Portland has the sixth-best ATS record in the NBA (31-23-1), per Team Rankings.
- The Blazers are 9-5 ATS with a rest advantage.
LeBron James played 37 minutes last night while Luka Doncic logged 33, the most since his trade to the Lakers.
It seems Doncic's minute restriction has been lifted but it's no secret the Slovenian superstar looks rusty. Plus, this would be his first back-to-back in quite some time. I can't say I believe in his fitness right now.
Portland's won six straight home games.
SGP legs
Simons over 20.5 points (-148): Simons was cooking before the all-star break and I think it'll continue into the second half of the season.
The point guard has 21-plus points in four of his past five games. He averaged 23.2 and played 31 or more minutes in each of those contests.
He's shooting a blistering 43.8% from 3 on 9.6 attempts per game during that stretch.
With Deandre Ayton out and both Scoot Henderson and Jerami Grant questionable, Simons will once again be tasked with carrying the offensive load.
Clingan over 9.5 rebounds (-134): With Ayton sidelined, the rookie big man has stepped into the starting role and excelled as a rebounder.
30 games off the bench: 13.9 minutes, 5.6 rebounds per game.
11 games as a starter: 22.9 minutes, 10.8 rebounds per game.
In the Blazers' final game before the break, Clingan played 31 minutes against the Denver Nuggets and hauled in 20 rebounds.
He's cleared this mark in 7-of-11 starts this season and gets a nice matchup against the Lakers on a back-to-back.
Since losing Anthony Davis and the trade for Mark Williams fell through, L.A. lacks depth at centre.
Five of the previous six centres to start against the Lakers have grabbed eight-plus boards. That gives this leg of the parlay an incredibly high floor.
Despite only starting 11 games, Clingan averages 12.1 rebound chances per game, according to NBA.com. That number should be inflated on Thursday with the big man in the starting lineup.
Picks made at 12:18 p.m. ET on 02/20/2025.
