Two teams try to get back into their series after falling down 2-0 when the Indiana Pacers meet the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Houston Rockets Saturday.
The other two games in the Game 3 quadruple-header features split series between each conference’s 1- and 8-seeds. Let’s head out West for our best bet and focus on the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Lakers will go Over 116.5 (-110) points
Damian Lillard dislocating his finger in the second-half of Portland’s 111-88 loss to the Lakers is a concern, to say the least. He’s tough enough to play, but how effective will Lillard be? If he’s even slightly less effective, it’s going to be tough for him to help draw defenders and find open men.
Portland was on fire in the bubble averaging 126 points per game and .414% 3-point shooting before the playoffs. They’ve scored only 188 points in the first two games of the series and, with Lillard banged up, I am less confident in the Trail Blazers’ offense; that’s why I’d avoid the combined total.
However, like in the “regular” regular season, Portland’s defense has been unreliable in the Orlando bubble. They ranked 28th in defensive efficiency in the regular season, giving up 116.1 points per game but allowed 123 points per game in those final 9 bubble games.
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Game 3 should be a “get right” game for the Lakers offense. Their offense in the bubble has been heavily criticized and LeBron James has scored 30-plus points in just one game since the restart.
Los Angeles’s role players got it going a little in Game 2: Lakers went 14-38 on 3-pointers compared to 5-32 from deep in Game 1. But LeBron only pitched in 10 points on 11 field-goal attempts and made zero.
Anthony Davis can be expected to fill it up against the Trail Blazers (he averages 32 PPG in three meetings with the Blazers this season) and “King James” will awaken from his playoff coma to get his against Portland’s weak defense.
BET THE LAKERS TO SCORE MORE THAN 116.5 POINTS (-110). New to sports betting? A $110 wager on the Lakers to go Over 116.5 (-110) points will earn a $100 profit if Los Angeles scores 117 or more points versus Portland.
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