A new era of LeBronto begins when Bronny James, his father and the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Toronto Raptors on Friday, November 1st.

The Lakers have lost the first two games of this road trip after a 3-0 start, but will still be heavy favorites against a depleted Raps squad.

But will LA overlook a certain Toronto great? My Raptors vs. Lakers predictions will show you why a Jakob Poeltl player is the best NBA pick for this matchup.

Raptors vs Lakers prediction

My Raptors picks
Jakob Poeltl 15+ points (+110 at PointsBet Canada)

My analysis

With a win total of 30.5, it was always going to be a difficult season for the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately the injury situation made the start worse than expected.

Key backups Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown started the season on the injured list and have since been joined by Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes. Quickley is daily nursing a pelvic contusion, while Barnes is out for at least three weeks with an orbital fracture.

Despite all of those injuries and starting the season 1-4, these Raptors were strong and were able to cover the lead in four straight games. This is mainly due to the fast offense, which takes a lot of high-percentage shots.

The Raptors enter this game against the Los Angeles Lakers ranked seventh in pace per game and tenth in field goal attempts per game. And despite all the injuries they're dealing with, a lot of that offense runs through veteran big man Jakob Poeltl.

The Raptors' starting center has been one of the team's most reliable scoring options so far this season, scoring 13.8 points on 56% shooting from the floor. He has scored at least 16 points in three of his last four games and has a good match against the Lakers tonight.

While Anthony Davis is a good defender, the Lakers appear to be starting the season more relaxed on that end of the court. Heading into this match, LA sits 26th in defensive rating and 21st in opponent points rating. Additionally, AD is somewhat ailing and is listed as an everyday player in this matchup with a hip issue.

I expect Jak to continue attacking the color in this matchup and take his alternate score of 15+ at +110.

Same game between Raptors and Lakers

Jakob Pöltl 15+ points

Jakob Poetlt 10+ rebounds

Austin Reaves over 4.5 assists

Let's stick with Jak for leg #2 of this same parlay. A matchup with AD likely means more good minutes for Poeltl. And while the Raps big man was a good scoring option, he still did his usual work on the glass.

Poeltl is averaging 12.8 rebounds per game this season and has pulled down at least nine rebounds in all five games. He had more than 10 points in three straight games. The Raptors' increase in tempo means more possession of the ball in a game and more opportunities for the boards.

Now, the Lakers' offense will likely face little resistance in this game, as Toronto enters this game dead last in defensive rating. They also rank 24th in opponent assists per game, and that makes me take a look at Austin Reaves.

Reaves has emerged as a great secondary playmaker behind LeBron James and De'Angelo Russell, averaging 4.8 assists per game. With Russell also dealing with a back injury and facing a Raptors defense that is constantly beaten by the extra pass, we're ruling out this SGP with Reaves, who has over 4.5 assists tonight.

Learn how to place a bet in the same game with these helpful tips and strategies.

Raptors vs Lakers odds

Raptors vs Lakers live odds

Raptors vs. Lakers opening odds

• Spread: Toronto +9 | Los Angeles -9
• Money line: Toronto +310 | Los Angeles -390
• Over/Under: About 228.5 | Below 228.5

Odds courtesy of PointsBet Canada

Raptors vs. Lakers distribution and over/under analysis

• The Raptors opened this game as 9-point home underdogs and saw some action early, moving the spread to Toronto +8 before the Lakers buyback pushed it past the opening number to 9.5.
• The Raptors continue to be undermanned and play poorly defensively, but surprisingly, the Lakers' defense was almost as bad, ranking 26th in DEF rating. I would be afraid of a backdoor coverage from the Raptors in this matchup.
• The total stood at 228.5 and early bettors hammered the over, pushing the number to 232.5 on Friday afternoon.
• Even with this increased number, I would lean towards the over. Both teams have played poor defense so far, and while the Raptors' offense hasn't been particularly efficient, they've made up for it with their high pace of play.

Raptors vs Lakers trending

The Raptors have hit the over in 12 of their last 15 games for +8.70 units and a 53% ROI, including a 4-1 O/U mark this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Lakers.

How to watch Raptors vs Lakers

The Raptors vs. Lakers' recent injuries

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