Warriors vs. Lakers Thursday NBA injury report, odds: LeBron James and Lakers need wins with L.A. betting underdog to make playoffs

When the Los Angeles Lakers tipped off the 2022-23 season on Oct. 18 at defending NBA champion Golden State, who would have guessed when they met in the first game following the All-Star break tonight in L.A. that both teams would be battling for a playoff spot? It's desperation time for the Lakers, who are in 13th place in the Western Conference but 6-point favorites at Caesars Sportsbook. The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins. Click here for model picks. 

LeBron James banged up his hand in Sunday's All-Star Game – his team had been 5-0 in the captains format of the ASG previously but lost to Team Giannis – but will play tonight and says he plans to play in every remaining game to avoid another missed postseason.

"It's 23 of the most important games of my career, for the regular season," James said of the Lakers' remaining schedule. "That's the type of mindset that I have and I hope the guys will have coming off the break. ... I'm going to figure out ways to make sure I'm available and on the floor for every single one of these 23 games."

DraftKings gives the Lakers (27-32) an updated season win total over/under of just 40.5 – it was 44.5 entering the season, but that's not happening – with the Under a short favorite. On the bright side, the Lakers have the sixth-easiest schedule remaining. Their 23 remaining opponents have a combined winning percentage of .483.

To make the playoffs, L.A. is +155 with No a -195 favorite. Those odds correspond with reaching the final eight in the West; to compete in the play-in tournament, L.A. is a -110 fourth "favorite" behind Minnesota (-135), Golden State (-135) and New Orleans (-120), who sit eighth, seventh and ninth in the West, respectively.

The Warriors (29-29) are 9-11 without Curry this season and 2-3 since his recent left leg injury on Feb. 4. Curry has started individual on-court workouts and will be reevaluated again in one week, the team said Wednesday. Wiggins missed the Warriors' final game before the break due to personal reasons and is still out. Donte DiVincenzo should start for him again. With Wiggins officially out, this spread rose from an open of Lakers -4.5 to the current -6.

Golden State has an updated wins total of 42.5 (was 52.5 preseason) with the Under favored. It is -240 to make the eight-team playoff final field and +180 to miss. The Warriors and Lakers have split two meetings this season, both in San Francisco. LeBron and Curry were both out on Feb. 11 when L.A. was a 109-103 upset winner there. 

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