LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Match Preview - February 12th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors - Opening night (2021-22 NBA season) [Source USA Today]

The LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors will go head-to-head against each other in Saturday evening's marquee 2021-22 NBA regular-season game at Chase Center.

The Lakers have been in dismal form of late, having lost six of their last eight games. The Portland Trail Blazers defeated them 115-117 in their previous outing. Meanwhile, the Warriors are on a two-game skid. They are coming off a 114-116 loss against the New York Knicks.

Match Details

Fixture: LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Saturday, February 12th; 8:30 PM ET (Sunday, February 13th; 7:00 AM IST)

Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA.

LA Lakers Preview

The LA Lakers arguably suffered one of their most disappointing losses of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers in their last match. Portland traded three starters last week and were also without star man Damian Lillard.

The Lakers couldn't bag the win, though, as the team's co-captains, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both produced underwhelming outings. LA once again suffered a second-half meltdown. They entered halftime with a seven-point lead, but were outscored 51-60 in the last two quarters. Frank Vogel's side suffered plenty of defensive collapses and were careless with the ball down the stretch.

Final from Portland. https://t.co/vyoM0pjxNu

The LA Lakers committed 21 turnovers, conceding 28 points off them. LA has been doing a decent job of creating scoring opportunities from the perimeter. However, they haven't found success scoring in the paint.

The Golden State Warriors are the no. 1 defensive-rated team in the league, so LeBron James and Co. will need to do a better job on that front.

Key Player - Anthony Davis

Los Angeles Lakers v Portland Trail Blazers

Anthony Davis returned from a four-week injury absence in style, recording four double-doubles in seven games during that stretch. He has cooled off of late, though, and was outplayed by the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jusuf Nurkic over his last two outings.

Davis will need to be at his best on both ends of the floor against the Warriors to give the LA Lakers a decent shot at winning this match. The Dubs lack size at the moment with Draymond Green out, so the Lakers' big man will have to be active on the boards and seek scoring opportunities at the rim more often.

LA Lakers Predicted Lineup

G - Russell Westbrook | G - Avery Bradley | F - Trevor Ariza | F - LeBron James | C - Anthony Davis.

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Golden State Warriors Preview

The Golden State Warriors were among the top five teams in offensive and defensive ratings for most of the season. They continue to dominate on defense and are ranked first in the ratings but have had their issues on the offensive end.

The Warriors have surprisingly struggled to get off to a good start coming out of halftime in their last two games. The Utah Jazz were outscored the Dubs16-24 in the third quarter, while the Knicks had a 31-20 advantage over them in their previous outing. Steve Kerr's men have conceded a whopping 88 points in the paint across those two fixtures.

Came up just short

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The Golden State Warriors didn't have an answer to Julius Randle's dominance in the paint but will have to be prepared to limit the likes of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who are among the most lethal rim attackers in the NBA.

The Dubs will have to capitalize on fastbreak opportunities to strengthen their hopes of taking a 2-0 season series lead against the LA Lakers, as Vogel's men are one of the worst teams in transition defense.

Key Player - Steph Curry

With Draymond Green still out, Steph Curry continues to be the Golden State Warriors' focal point on offense. Curry will need to be at his lethal best scoring-wise and with his playmaking to help his side improve their odds of beating the star-studded LA Lakers.

The Dubs have had better chances of winning games when Curry can produce efficient shooting performances, so that could prove to be the key again.

Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup

G - Steph Curry | G - Klay Thompson | F - Andrew Wiggins | F - Jonathan Kuminga | C - Kevon Looney.

Lakers vs Warriors Match Prediction

The LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors are both on a two-game skid. The Warriors have been the better team throughout the campaign and over the last ten games as well, though, so they will be the favorites to emerge winners. Nevertheless, it could be a close encounter if the Lakers can manage to execute their plans well, especially on defense.

Where to watch Lakers vs Warriors

ABC will nationally televise the game between the LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors. Local TV coverage will be carried out by Spectrum SportsNet (LA) and NBC Sports Bay Area. Fans can also watch the match online via NBA League Pass.