The Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.
The Lakers are now in a 2-0 series hole after falling in Game 2, 125-107, on Thursday. They looked to be in position to win early in the third quarter when they held a five-point lead and drew Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s fourth foul, which sent him to the bench for the rest of the period. But Oklahoma City hit the Lakers with a sizable run without its franchise player, and they never recovered.
An increasing number of people are starting to expect L.A. to get swept. In all likelihood, the team will have to win on Saturday in order to avoid that outcome.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
Lakers vs Thunder injury reports
Thunder: Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgical recovery) and Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) are out.
Lakers: Jarred Vanderbilt (right finger dislocation) is questionable. Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) is out.
Advice and Prediction:
The Lakers started to figure some things out offensively in Game 2, and they ended up shooting 50% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range. They also got a breakout performance from Austin Reaves in his fourth game back from an oblique strain. He scored 31 points and shot 10-of-16 overall, 3-of-6 from downtown and 8-of-10 from the free throw line, and he also contributed six assists.
But the Lakers still have tons of work to do. They need to find a way to get more easy baskets — they had only four fast-break points in Game 2. They also infamously complained about the officiating in Game 2, and they will need to figure out how to get more calls in their favor on both ends of the floor.
Defensively, they need to rotate out to the Thunder’s 3-point shooters better. It has been the “others” who have hurt Los Angeles so far in this series, including role players such as Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain. L.A. also has to limit its turnovers, something it has had lots of trouble doing since the playoffs started. It had 18 turnovers in Game 2 and 21 turnovers in Game 2, and that simply won’t get the job done.
Perhaps the Lakers won’t get swept, but right now, it isn’t easy to imagine them winning one game in this series.
Prediction: Thunder 115, Lakers 108
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Prediction and betting odds for Lakers vs. Thunder Game 3
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
