Despite dealing with some key injuries, the Spurs are 5-2 ATS - including 3-0 on the road. Derrick White (toe) is still out, but they received a big boost when LaMarcus Aldridge returned from injury to help them defeat the Clippers on Tuesday. This will be the first game of a back-to-back set for the Lakers, and both LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (thigh) are listed as questionable. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of them sit, which would be a big swing in San Antonio's favor. Even if they both play, the Spurs have a chance to keep this close enough, given the hefty line.

One key to betting on the NBA is correctly predicting when a team might give a superstar the night off on one end of a back-to-back. The Lakers are in the front end of one Thursday vs. the Spurs and are listing both LeBron James and Anthony Davis as questionable (see news feed story). I tend to think one of them perhaps does sit and this spread obviously would drop. Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is out. The Spurs clearly are comfortable at Staples Center, having beaten the Clippers there on Tuesday. San Antonio has covered six straight as a road dog overall.