The 2021-22 NBA season is only a few weeks away, and the preseason will begin this weekend. The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Brooklyn Nets in an interconference matchup on Sunday at the Staples Center. This year, Brooklyn is the odds-on favorite to win it all this year, despite fizzling out of last year's playoffs after a slew of injuries. The Lakers are a close second after revamping their team with a host of big-name veterans. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m ET.

Before you make any Nets vs. Lakers picks, you have to see what SportsLine's NBA expert Kyle Akins has to say. He went 36-20-1 (+1400) on against-the-spread picks last season. Now he's keyed in on Sunday's Nets vs. Lakers preseason matchup. 

While preseason games can be tricky because of the irregular minute distribution, Akins believes one team's "build is helpful in this type of game." Check out which side he's taking to win the opening game of the NBA preseason below.

Who wins the Nets vs. Lakers 2021-22 preseason opener? And why should bettors be "optimistic" about one side? ... Join SportsLine right now to see which side of the Nets vs. Lakers matchup you should jump on!