The Los Angeles Lakers (0-1) and Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) will face off in Game 2 of their second-round NBA playoff series tonight. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will air live on Amazon Prime Video.
The Thunder are 15.5-point favorites over the Lakers on the spread (Thunder -15.5), with the over/under set at 210.5 total points. Oklahoma City is a -900 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Los Angeles is listed at +600 to pull off the upset.
Let's dive into my Lakers vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Thursday, May 7.
Lakers vs Thunder Prediction
- Lakers vs Thunder pick: Thunder -15.5 (-110)
My Lakers vs. Thunder Game 2 best bet is on Oklahoma City to cover the spread (-15.5). Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Lakers vs Thunder Odds for Game 2
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -110 | 210.5 -112o / -108u | +600 |
| Thunder Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-15.5 -110 | 210.5 -112o / -108u | -900 |
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Lakers vs Thunder NBA Playoffs Game 2 Preview
Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview: No Reason to Think They Pose a Threat
The Lakers hung around for a good portion of Game 1, but they ultimately couldn’t get inside the number. That is highly meaningful.
In a vacuum, Game 1 offered the Lakers a nearly perfect range of outcomes—Jalen Williams was out, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a rare bad shooting night—and yet, L.A. still walked away with an 18-point loss.
If you are looking for a tactical angle to back the Lakers, it’s in the first half. Historically, taking a road underdog on the 1H Moneyline after a blowout loss of 15+ points has been a profitable pride spot, similar to what we saw with the Sixers in Game 2 against New York.
However, over the full 48 minutes, I simply can't find a schematic reason to believe the Lakers can sustain enough success to actually threaten this Thunder team.
Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Preview: Already Survived an Off-Night
Until the Thunder stop absolutely destroying teams and spreads, I’m going to keep backing them, especially at home. They are as close to unstoppable as you are going to find in this postseason.
What’s terrifying for the rest of the West is that Game 1 was arguably OKC’s floor-performance.
The Thunder have a unique ability to sleepwalk through 2.5 quarters and still finish with a massive double-digit win. They wait for that one window in the third or fourth quarter where they can break loose, and once they do, the game is effectively over.
They force turnovers, they capitalize on transition, and they have the depth to survive off-nights from their primary scorers.
Lakers vs Thunder Picks, Betting Analysis
Thunder -15.5
I’m laying the big number again. I don't see any reason to believe the Lakers’ prospects change for the full game in Game 2.
The Thunder didn't even have JDub in the opener, and Shai was far from his usual efficient self, yet they still dominated the margin.
If Oklahoma City finds even a modicum of offensive rhythm from their stars tonight, this lead could balloon quickly.
The Lakers are battling, but they simply don't have the firepower to keep pace once the Thunder engine starts revving.
Under 210.5
Despite the final scores, the Lakers’ defense continues to impress me. They battle with a level of physicality that forces opponents to work for everything; they rarely get torched on-ball and they play with a high level of determination.
While I expect the Thunder to win, I think the Lakers’ defensive grind is enough to suppress the overall scoring.
The Lakers will likely try to slow the pace to prevent the Thunder from busting the game wide open on the fastbreak, which should keep this total under the 210.5 mark.
Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made
The Thunder are going to consistently leave guys like Rui Hachimura open to prioritize taking away the paint and the primary stars.
Rui has proven he is the kind of trigger-man who can make teams pay for that strategy. He has hit at least three 3-pointers and gone over this line in six of his last seven playoff games.
The Lakers want Rui taking these shots, and the Thunder will live with him having a good game if it means neutralizing LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
Matt Moore's Lakers vs Thunder Game 2 Best Bets
- Thunder -15.5 (-110)
- Under 210.5 (-108)
- Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (-165)
