NBA: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Series Odds
Western Conference Semifinals: Lakers vs Thunder
After a lengthy stretch of off days, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder will renew their title defense this week as the second round opens against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were underdogs in the first round against the Houston Rockets, but they weathered the storm without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the first four games to win the series in six. Doncic has yet to return and is expected to miss at least some of this series, placing the Lakers in an underdog role again in the Western Conference semifinals. Meanwhile, the Thunder are coming off a relatively easy sweep of the Phoenix Suns, finishing the first round with a high net rating. Jalen Williams (hamstring) left that series, which could make things tougher for OKC going forward. Still, SGA and company dominated the Lakers in the regular season, sweeping them 4-0 with three wins by 29 or more points. LeBron James remains an imposing playoff presence, especially now that Reaves is back, but he faces a monumental task against the defending champions who are favorites to win the title. Here’s a look at all the series markets and my prediction for this matchup in the Western Conference semifinals.
Lakers vs. Thunder Series Odds
Lakers: +900
Thunder: -1600
Thunder in 4: +120
Thunder in 5: +205
Thunder in 6: +650
Thunder in 7: +700
Lakers in 7: +2200
Lakers in 6: +2500
Lakers in 5: +7000
Lakers in 4: +10000
Lakers vs. Thunder Series Spread
Lakers +2.5 (+220)
Thunder -2.5 (-290)
Lakers vs. Thunder Series Total Games
5.5 (Over +220 / Under -275)
OKC is favored to sweep this series, while the Lakers’ most likely outcome is seven games. The longer the series goes, the better for Los Angeles, since it would give Doncic a chance to return and tilt the odds in the Lakers’ favor. The typical max series spread is around 1.5 or 2.5 games, but this one sits at 2.5 and is heavily juiced toward a Thunder victory in four or five games.
Oddsmakers are signaling a relatively short series. With -275 odds implying about a 73.33 percent chance the series ends in five games or fewer.
