Lakers vs. Thunder Opening Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 2 (Thunder Remain Massive Favorites)
Game 1 Recap
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday night, holding LA to just 90 points in an 18-point win. Now, OKC sits as a double-digit favorite for the second straight game in this series, as oddsmakers anticipate Luka Dončić (hamstring) may miss another game for Los Angeles. The Lakers didn’t generate much offense beyond LeBron James (27 points) in the opener, while the Thunder (No. 1 in defensive rating this season) boosted their playoff net rating to plus 18.4, trailing only the Knicks. SGA (18 points) didn’t have his best night, but Chet Holmgren (24 points) carried the load with Jalen Williams out of the lineup due to a hamstring injury.
The Thunder are among the favorites to win the title, so it’s reasonable that oddsmakers expect them to grab a 2-0 series lead on Thursday. Here are the opening odds for this matchup, with the total having moved significantly since Game 1.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread:
-Lakers +15.5
-Thunder -15.5
Moneyline:
-Lakers +600
-Thunder -900
Total:
-209.5
The Thunder remain 15.5-point favorites in Game 2—the same spread as Game 1—but the total has fallen notably for Thursday. After Game 1’s total was set at 213.5, it dropped to 209.5 ahead of Game 2. The four-point swing follows a game that produced just 198 combined points, with the Lakers shooting 41.2 percent from the floor.
Lakers vs. Thunder Game 2 Preview
It’s hard to see a path for the Lakers to win this series unless Dončić returns soon, as they wasted a strong showing from LeBron (27 points on 12-for-17 shooting) and managed only 90 points in Game 1. OKC owns the NBA’s No. 1 defense, and its playoff net rating now sits at +18.4 after sweeping Phoenix in the first round. Austin Reaves (3-for-16 in Game 1) will need to bounce back if Los Angeles hopes to contend, but the Lakers have now lost all five meetings with the Thunder this season, including four losses by 18 or more points.
Even with the total trending downward ahead of Game 2, the under looks like a solid early lean for this matchup. LA ranks 12th in offensive rating among the 16 playoff teams and hasn’t cracked 100 points in four straight games.
