Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. 
One of the games on tonight’s slate features the Los Angeles Lakers (11-8 SU, 8-11 ATS) taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder (11-6 SU, 12-4-1 ATS).
Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.
The Los Angeles Lakers began the season with six wins in their first 12 outings. However, they have gone 5-3 over their last eight contests. This includes a 133-107 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. The Lakers led by a 38-24 margin after the first 12 minutes of action and never looked back.
It was a bounce-back performance for this group on the heels of a 44-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week. D’Angelo Russell scored a season-high 35 points along with nine assists, four rebounds, and two blocked shots. Anthony Davis notched a double-double with 28 points and 16 rebounds. He also tallied three blocks as well. LeBron James chipped in with 25 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
The Thunder kicked off their season with five wins across their first nine games before reeling off six straight victories. Unfortunately, this squad has suffered two straight losses against the Philadelphia 76ers (127-123) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (106-103).
In their recent loss against Minnesota, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced OKC with 32 points (on 13-for-22 shooting), four rebounds, four assists, three assists, and two blocks. Rookie forward Chet Holmgren chipped in with a solid all-around game that included 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. The Thunder are hoping to bounce against a Lakers team that was clicking on all cylinders in their last outing.
Here is a look at some noteworthy betting trends for both teams.
The Picks
The Spread
The Oklahoma City Thunder opened as a seven-point favorite. The line has moved slightly to 6.5. Here is a look at why going with the home team to cover is the best choice.
- The Lakers are 5-10 ATS in their last 15 matchups against Western Conference opponents.
- Los Angeles is 2-4 ATS in its last six games against teams in the Northwest Division.
- The Thunder are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
- Oklahoma City is 5-1 ATS in its last six home games.
- In their last six matchups against Western Conference opponents, the Thunder are 5-0-1 against the spread.
Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5)
Over/Under
The projected over/under for this matchup opened at 227.5 points. The line has moved to 233 points, with the “Under” getting 98 percent of the cash while the “Over” has 71 percent of the tickets (via pregame.com). Let’s look at why going with the OVER is a good bet.
- The OVER has hit for the Los Angeles Lakers four times in their last five games on the road.
- In Los Angeles’ last six games against the Thunder, the OVER total prevailed five times.
- Meanwhile, the OVER total has hit four times in the Thunder’s last six contests.
- In Oklahoma City’s last 20 games against Pacific Division teams, the OVER total cashed in 15 times.
Prediction: OVER 233 points
Player Prop Bets
My key player to watch for the Los Angeles Lakers is LeBron James. He currently has -120 odds of scoring more than 24.5 points and -110 odds of finishing with less than 24.5 points.
In 35 career games against the Thunder, James is averaging 28.4 points per contest. On the season, James is averaging 25.1 points per game. Both trends are higher than his projected total for this matchup. Furthermore, James is averaging 25.5 points per outing over his last 10 games. Given the trends, going with the “Over” for James should be a safe bet.
My key player to watch for the Oklahoma City Thunder is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 31.5 points and -105 odds of scoring less than 31.5 points.
From a historical standpoint, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 19.8 points per contest in 15 career games against the Los Angeles Lakers. This is significantly lower than his projected point total in this matchup. Fortunately, the narrative is a bit better in the present day. On the season, SGA is averaging 30.5 points per contest, which equals his projected total for this matchup. Additionally, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 33.5 points per outing across his last 10 games, and he has amassed three 40-point games during that stretch. Given his recent body of work, going with the “Over” for Gilgeous-Alexander is the best option.
James’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Picks
- The Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5)
- Over/Under: OVER 233 points
- Player Prop Bet #1: LeBron James OVER 24.5 points
- Player Prop Bet #2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 30.5 points.
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