Lakers vs. Hawks NBA expert prediction and odds for Tuesday, Jan. 30 (Fade Lakers on back-to-back)
By Peter Dewey
The Los Angeles Lakers will play the second night of a back-to-back on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks, and these teams have been linked as of late.
Los Angeles has been rumored to be a potential destination for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray at the trade deadline, but the recent play of D’Angelo Russell may make the Lakers hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal.
After getting blown out by the Houston Rockets on Monday night, the Lakers did receive some good news, as LeBron James is expected to play on the second night of a back-to-back. Anthony Davis’ status is still up in the air.
LeBron James said he plans on playing the second night of the Lakers' back-to-back tomorrow in Atlanta. Anthony Davis said his hip injury limited him tonight and he would make his determination to play on Tuesday before the Hawks game.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 30, 2024
Meanwhile, Murray is listed as questionable for the Hawks, who are trying to get back into the playoff conversation in the Eastern Conference.
If you’re looking to bet on any game in the NBA tonight, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $200 in bonus bets -- if their bet wins.
Sign up for FanDuel now!
Let’s break down the odds and a best bet for Tuesday’s contest:
Lakers vs. Hawks odds, spread and total
Lakers vs. Hawks how to watch
- Date: Tuesday, Jan. 30
- Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Venue: State Farm Arena
- How to watch (TV): Spectrum Sportsnet, Bally Sports Southeast
- Lakers record: 24-24
- Hawks record: 19-27
Lakers vs. Hawks injury reports
Lakers injury report
- Not submitted yet
Hawks injury report
- Kobe Bufkin – questionable
- Bruno Fernando – out
- Mouhamed Gueye – out
- De’Andre Hunter – questionable
- Vit Krejci – out
- Seth Lundy – questionable
- Dejounte Murray – questionable
Lakers vs. Hawks key players to watch
Los Angeles Lakers
D’Angelo Russell: Has Russell done enough to convince the Lakers to keep him through the trade deadline. Since returning to the starting lineup, Russell is averaging 27.0 points and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from 3. He’s been rumored as a candidate that could be moved to Atlanta in a Murray deal.
Atlanta Hawks
Jalen Johnson: Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has been one of the most exciting youngsters in the NBA this season. This season, Johnson is averaging 15.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field. He may draw the defensive assignment on LeBron James on Tuesday night.
Lakers vs. Hawks prediction and pick
The Lakers looked awful on Monday night, and now there’s a chance they don’t have Davis in this game.
Los Angeles is one of the worst teams in the NBA on the second night of a back-to-back this season, going just 1-6 against the spread in those games.
While Atlanta has been a nightmare against the spread overall this season (11-35), this is one of the rare occasions where I’m going to back the team.
The Lakers rank 23rd in the NBA in defensive rating over their last 10 games, which is shockingly below Atlanta (20th), and the Hawks allowed a 73-point game to Luka Doncic last week.
If Davis sits, Los Angeles’ defense gets significantly worse, as he’s the team’s leading shot-blocker this season.
I don’t love laying five points with Atlanta, but the Lakers are just 7-7 ATS as road dogs, losing those games by an average margin of 8.1 points per game. The team is also just 7-16 straight up on the road in the 2023-24 campaign.
L.A. will struggle again tonight.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.