The Warriors are decimated heading into this opener — Jimmy Butler (ACL), Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Kristaps Porzingis are all ruled out, giving Golden State a severely depleted rotation. The Lakers get the home floor at Crypto.com Arena with their core intact, and laying 6.5 against a shorthanded Warriors squad is a gift. Talent and depth win out here — back the Lakers with confidence.

Everyone wants to crown the Lakers behind Luka Doncic, but their injury report heading into this opener is already leaking — two players out and Collin Sexton questionable with a soleus issue — and you don't spot the Warriors 6.5 points at full health! Golden State has historically been a buzzsaw in early-season games on national TV, and this is exactly the kind of 'gimme' line that gets torched by a hungry underdog team looking to make a statement.