Lakers vs. Clippers Prediction, NBA Odds & Best Bets (10/28)

Fact checked at 9:02 AM ET, Oct 28, 2026

Odds as of 8:29 AM ET, Oct 28, 2026

The second Battle of Los Angeles tips off at 10:30 PM ET at Intuit Dome. The Lakers are 3-1 and coming off their first loss, 136-129 at home to Portland. The Clippers are 1-2 after a 108-101 loss in Oklahoma City. The Lakers took the first meeting 125-117 at home, with Austin Reaves scoring 28 and Luka Doncic 23.

We expect the Lakers to keep scoring. They average 128.3 points a game, second in the league after four games, and they give up 120.3. The Clippers are short-handed: Rui Hachimura (left quad soreness), who started all three of their games, is out on the latest official injury report, and so are Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram, Max Strus, Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser. A big Lakers scoring night pushes this game over the total, and Reaves, who has scored at least 23 in every game, is a big part of that night. Both picks win in that game.

The Lakers are 4.5-point favorites (-114) and -190 on the moneyline, with the Clippers +154. The total is 228.5, a point higher than its 227.5 opener. The Lakers are on the second night of a back-to-back and have not filed their injury report yet.

Lakers vs. Clippers Predictions

• Pick #1: Over 228.5 (-110)
• Pick #2: Austin Reaves Over 22.5 Points (-124)

PICK #1: Over 228.5 (-110)

All four Lakers games have gone over this number. They scored 127, 125, 132 and 129, and those games finished at 232, 242, 255 and 265 total points. The defense hasn't helped keep scores down, allowing 120.3 a game, so their games have run high at both ends. The first meeting with the Clippers landed on 242, and the Clippers put up 117 in it.

Count each game once and four of the six games these teams have played went over 228.5. The two that stayed under were Clippers games, against Sacramento (217) and at Oklahoma City (209). The Clippers score 113 a game, right in the middle of the league. Since the total opened it has gone up a point, and the Over has drawn 76% of the money on 60% of the bets. The -110 price implies a 52.4% chance.

The case against the Over is the Clippers' defense. They've allowed just 109.7 points a game, two of their three games stayed under, and the injury list takes Hachimura's scoring away on top of Beal, Ingram and Strus. A slow, grinding game plan from them could drag this down. The Lakers are also playing for the second straight night, and four games is a short record. We'll still back a Lakers offense that has scored at least 125 every time out.

PICK #2: Austin Reaves Over 22.5 Points (-124)

Reaves has scored 23, 28, 29 and 26 in the Lakers' four games, clearing 22.5 every time, in 32, 38, 36 and 39 minutes. He went 10-of-13 for 28 against the Clippers in the first meeting and 8-of-13 for 26 against Portland. At -124, the implied probability is 55.4%.

His free throws give him a floor. He went 10-of-10 at the line against Golden State, 11-of-13 in Utah and 6-of-7 against Portland, so he doesn't need the jumper to fall. He also runs the offense when Doncic sits, with 6, 9, 4 and 7 assists.

Four games won't settle it, so here's last season. Reaves averaged 23.3 points over 51 games, and in the 37 games where he played at least 32 minutes he topped 22.5 in 23 of them, about 62%. That's the role he has this season. The risk is the back-to-back: he logged 39 minutes against Portland, and with no Lakers report filed yet, his status and minutes aren't confirmed. Give him his normal workload in a high-scoring game and he gets there.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.