Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers Picks and Predictions for Wednesday October 21 2026
Stephen Curry twisted his ankle at practice Sunday, and for a few hours Golden State fans probably thought the season was already going sideways. He’s expected to play Wednesday, which is good news for the Warriors. They could use some. Jimmy Butler is out, Moses Moody is out, and Kristaps Porzingis isn’t available either. That’s a lot of help sitting on the bench when you’re getting ready to play the Lakers in Los Angeles.
The Warriors visit Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Tipoff is at 10:00 PM ET. The Lakers are favored by 5.5 points, and the total is 235.5. The line has been moving around, so check your book before betting. We’ve got more games covered in our free NBA picks.
Golden State Warriors Need Curry To Carry The Load
Golden State beat Portland 128-118 in its last preseason game. Nice way to finish, although nobody’s going to remember that score once the real games start. The Warriors are trying to squeeze another good season out of a roster that’s getting older, and the injuries aren’t helping. Curry is still Curry, but asking him to carry the offense every night isn’t much of a long-term plan. Especially when he’s already had an ankle scare.
The Warriors want to shoot threes. Everybody knows it. They’ll move the ball, set screens, and keep running until somebody gets a clean look. Curry made 4.4 threes a game last season, so leaving him open is a good way to get embarrassed. But Golden State needs somebody else to make shots, too. If the Lakers can stay close to Curry and make the other guys beat them, the Warriors could have some long stretches where the offense doesn’t look very good. They’re also going to have trouble with size. Los Angeles should be able to get into the paint against this lineup.
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Curry averaged 26.6 points last season, but he played only 43 games because of a knee injury. Now he’s coming off the ankle problem. Steve Kerr says he’s fine, although his minutes could be watched. Butler and Moody are out with knee injuries, Porzingis is unavailable because of an ongoing health issue, and Brandin Podziemski has been dealing with a sore back. That’s a rough way to start. Golden State has some younger players who can contribute, but the Warriors need Curry healthy and scoring. Without that, they’re going to have a hard time keeping up.
Los Angeles Lakers Have A Good Chance To Start Strong
The Lakers lost their preseason finale to Denver 121-106. I wouldn’t get too worked up over that. Preseason games are for figuring out rotations and making sure everybody gets through the night without getting hurt. What matters now is that Los Angeles gets Golden State at home, and the Warriors are missing several important players. The Lakers should be able to make this a physical game instead of spending 48 minutes chasing shooters around the perimeter.
Los Angeles needs to attack the basket. That’s where the advantage is. Golden State is short on frontcourt depth, and the Lakers have enough size to make the Warriors work inside. Get the ball into the paint, draw some fouls, and make Golden State defend without giving up offensive rebounds. The Lakers don’t need to match Curry three for three. That’s a bad way to play against him anyway. Make the Warriors guard, keep the pace under control when possible, and don’t hand them easy transition baskets.
Luka Doncic gives Los Angeles somebody who can run the offense and get a good shot when the possession starts falling apart. He’s going to have plenty of chances to attack Golden State’s defense. The Lakers also have enough scoring around him that the Warriors can’t just send everybody at Luka and hope for the best. The concern is Curry. He can make three straight threes before you finish complaining about the first one. Los Angeles has to stay attached to him and make sure Golden State doesn’t get comfortable from outside.
Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers Picks and Predictions
Los Angeles Lakers -5.5 (-110)
I’ll lay the 5.5 with Los Angeles. Golden State is missing too much, and I don’t like the idea of Curry having to do everything on the road. The Lakers should be able to score inside, and the Warriors don’t have their usual depth to deal with it. Now, Curry could come out and hit eight threes. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit. That’s why betting against Golden State is never particularly relaxing. But over four quarters, I think the missing players catch up with the Warriors. The Lakers should get enough good looks around the basket to build a lead and hold it.
Under 235.5 Points (-110)
I’m taking under 235.5. The Warriors can score quickly when the threes are falling, but they’re missing some important offensive players, and Curry might not play his usual minutes. That’s going to hurt. The Lakers should be able to get points inside, but I don’t think they need to race up and down the floor all night to win. They can slow things down when they have a lead and make Golden State defend. The problem with this under is obvious. Curry gets hot, the Lakers start answering, and suddenly both teams are scoring 30 a quarter. I’ll take my chances that Golden State doesn’t have enough offense beyond Curry to keep that going. Something around 118-110 sounds about right.
Final Picks: Los Angeles Lakers -5.5 (-110) and Under 235.5 Points (-110)
This preview was completed October 20, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, starting lineups, and other game information may change before tipoff.
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