The Los Angeles Lakers (13-13) travel to Paycom Center Friday to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (8-16). Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Lakers vs. Thunder odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Lakers are coming off a discouraging loss against the Memphis Grizzlies as road favorites Thursday. This will be their second of a back-to-back set of games before returning home.
Los Angeles is led by F LeBron James and F Anthony Davis. The Lakers are the worst team in the NBA against the spread (ATS) at just 9-17.
The Thunder are among the worst teams in the Western Conference but have been surprisingly good ATS this season at 15-9. They’re 7-4 ATS as a home side and 6-3 ATS as home underdogs. Oklahoma City is led by G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Lakers at Thunder odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:52 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Lakers -210 (bet $210 to win $100) | Thunder +170 (bet $100 to win $170)
- Against the spread (ATS): Lakers -5.5 (-105) | Thunder +5.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 217.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
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Lakers at Thunder key injuries
Lakers (not officially submitted)
- G Rajon Rondo (illness) questionable
Thunder
- None affecting gambling odds
Lakers at Thunder odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Lakers 110, Thunder 107
Money line
PASS on the money line here.
I do have a slight lean to the Thunder. The Thunder are better at home and the Lakers are in the second game of a back-to-back set with an average roster age of almost 31, the oldest in the NBA by a wide margin.
Oklahoma City is the youngest team in the league and L.A. may not have the energy to take on a young team at home after playing a tough game Thursday. A win isn’t worth betting on.
Against the spread
BET on the THUNDER +5.5 (-120) as the better play on the spread. The Lakers are 1-2 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back this season and they’re 0-3 ATS as road favorites.
L.A. has the league’s 15th-best defensive rating with Oklahoma City just behind at 17th. It’s offensively where the difference starts to be clear.
However, with older players like F Carmelo Anthony and James in their rotation, I’m willing to bet an away meeting against an ultra-young team doesn’t bode well for their shooting.
The Thunder beat the Lakers in Oklahoma City on the second day of a back-to-back already once this season. Can history repeat itself? Play the THUNDER +5.5 (-120) here.
Over/Under
BET on the UNDER 217.5 (-108) as the better side of the total. There are several reasons for this, one being the relative strength of these two defenses as compared to the two offenses.
Both teams have been better defensively this season. The Thunder have missed 100 points in three of their last six games. They just aren’t consistently a great offensive team.
OKC is just 10-14 on the Over/Under. With one team laggy and the other just not great offensively, I’d play the Under.
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