Lakers vs. Trail Blazers prediction: Portland to win, LeBron James projected for 27 points in Saturday's NBA game [1/17/2026]

NBA action continues on Saturday at 10:00 PM ET as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center.

Based on updated simulation results and today’s injury news, Dimers' advanced NBA model predicts the Trail Blazers as the most likely winner of the Lakers vs. Trail Blazers game.

This prediction follows the latest NBA Injury Report, which suggests the Trail Blazers lineup will feature players like Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Toumani Camara, while the Lakers will rely on LeBron James, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart.

Luka Doncic will miss the game though with the Slovenian star out for this one.

This article offers further insights into Saturday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and player prop picks.

Lakers vs. Blazers prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using innovative machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the result of Saturday's NBA matchup between the Lakers and Trail Blazers 10,000 times as part of our NBA predictions coverage.

Our independent predictive model gives the Trail Blazers a 63% chance of beating the Lakers. Our predicted final score has the Trail Blazers winning 112-109.

According to our model, the Trail Blazers (-3.5) have a 52% chance of covering the spread, while the 223.5-point over/under has a 53% chance of staying under.

Lakers vs. Trail Blazers odds

We have sourced the best NBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Lakers	Trail Blazers
Spread	+3.5 (-110)	-3.5 (-108)
Moneyline	+134	-150
Total	o223.5 (-110)	u223.5 (-110)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Lakers vs. Trail Blazers picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Trail Blazers -3.5	-108
Moneyline	Trail Blazers	-150
Total	Under 223.5	-110

According to our best NBA bets for Saturday, the top play to make on this game is Trail Blazers to win.

Lakers vs. Trail Blazers player props

NBA player props are an enjoyable way to wager on Saturday's LA Lakers vs. Portland matchup without necessarily betting on the outcome. We use the best information available to project how each team's leading players will perform at Moda Center.

LeBron James is expected to lead the Lakers with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, while Shaedon Sharpe is projected to have 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists for the Trail Blazers.

Check out our NBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's NBA first basket picks.

Lakers prediction

Our model's projected player stats for the Lakers are:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
LeBron James	27	8	7	2	55
Jake LaRavia	13	5	3	2	30
Marcus Smart	12	4	4	2	28
Rui Hachimura	9	3	1	1	17
Kobe Bufkin	8	4	3	1	21

Trail Blazers prediction

Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Trail Blazers:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Shaedon Sharpe	23	5	3	2	40
Jerami Grant	15	3	2	2	26
Toumani Camara	15	5	3	3	31
Caleb Love	13	4	3	2	26
Jrue Holiday	11	3	5	2	27

Lakers vs. Blazers game-day updates and essential details

Saturday's action between the Trail Blazers and Lakers at Moda Center is scheduled to start at 10:00 PM ET.

• Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
• Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
• Time: 10:00 PM ET/7:00PM PT
• Venue: Moda Center

Conclusion

We predict the Trail Blazers, with a 63% win probability, will likely beat the Lakers on Saturday, with LeBron James projected for a game-high 55 fantasy points.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Lakers vs. Trail Blazers insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are sourced from the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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