Free Daily NCAAF Lock Pick, Saturday October 28th: Nevada vs New Mexico 10:30pmET
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Two California teams that made the playoffs a year ago will trade blows on Sunday night. The Los Angeles Lakers (1-1; 0-2-0 ATS) are taking the trip north, where the Sacramento Kings (1-1; 1-1-0 ATS) await. Last season's series finished 3-1 in Sacramento's favor. Do the Lakers have a response ready for the 2023-24 campaign? The world will get a hint when round one tips off at 9:00 p.m. EDT in Golden 1 Center. Let's see what each side has in store.
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After dropping the NBA's inaugural game against the Nuggets, Los Angeles responded with a home win over the Suns Thursday night. Anthony Davis finished with 30 points and 12 boards in the 100-95 win. LeBron James added a team-high nine assists. Now, they'll try to do it on the road, where another playoff team is in their way.
The Lakers were sturdy defensively last season, and they've shown a similar resolve through 2023's first two games. They've only allowed 35 free throw attempts, and opponents have taken 31.4% of their shots from midrange. Los Angeles has been solid on the glass while also forcing turnovers at a decent rate. Considering their first two opponents, the Lakers should feel good about where this year's defense is headed. Still, the schedule isn't letting up quite yet.
Offensively, last year's three-point struggles are back. The L akers are 15-58 from beyond the arc, 25.9% clip. Of course, facing two tough defenses made reaching 100 points difficult on both nights. Even with those tough tests Los Angeles only turned the ball over on 10.0% of their possessions. They've also taken 49 trips to the free throw line. 48.3% of their shots this year have come at the rim, with 63.1% of them falling. Imagine if other teams had to respect the Lakers' spacing.
Free Daily NCAAF Lock Pick, Saturday October 28th: Nevada vs New Mexico 10:30pmET CLICK TO SEE PICK NOW