The Los Angeles Lakers (5-3 SU, 2-6 ATS) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (1-6, 3-4) on Thursday as they look to extend their win streak to four games. The Thunder will try to stop a two-game skid by beating the Lakers for the second time this season.
- Date/Time: November 4, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Staples Center
- TV Coverage: Spectrum SportsNet, Bally Sports Oklahoma
- Sportsbook Odds: Lakers -13 | O/U 217.5 (Line History)
- Thunder vs Lakers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Lakers opened as 13-point favorites at home over the struggling Thunder with the total set at 217.5 points. The UNDER is 4-0 in Oklahoma City’s last four road games while the OVER is 2-0 in the Lakers’ two home games this season.
See Odds Shark’s Best NBA Betting Sites
Oklahoma City News & Notes
The Thunder dropped their second straight game on Monday, losing 99-94 to the Los Angeles Clippers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the scoring again with 28 points plus seven boards. Oklahoma City held the Clips to just 38 percent shooting but Paul George dropped 32 points as Los Angeles staged a fourth-quarter comeback.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been a one-man show on offense this season, averaging 22.9 points. The next-highest scorer, Luguentz Dort, is at just 11.7 points.
Dort is questionable Thursday with a shoulder injury while Gabriel Deck (heel) is also day to day.
Los Angeles News & Notes
After dropping the first two games of the season, the Lakers have bounced back with a 5-1 run, including their current three-game win streak. They trailed the Houston Rockets for nearly the whole game Tuesday until a fourth-quarter run sealed a 119-117 win. LeBron James led the way with 30 points and 10 assists while Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis added 27 points each.
Davis is Los Angeles’ top scorer so far at 25 points per game while James is right behind at 24.8.
Trevor Ariza (ankle) is out indefinitely following surgery in early October while Dwight Howard (neck) could miss his third straight contest.
How Oklahoma City Will Cover
The Thunder have had an abysmal start to the season, though that shouldn’t come as a surprise given the early stages of their rebuild. Their only win has come against these Lakers, so there is a chance they could pull off another upset – or at least cover the spread. Oklahoma City got 15-plus points from five different players that night and will need another big team effort to get the job done Thursday.
How Los Angeles Will Cover
The Lakers are a big favorite and for good reason. The three-pronged attack of James, Westbrook and Davis has been stellar and they should feast on a mediocre Thunder defense. Los Angeles was actually up by 26 points in the first quarter in its last matchup against Oklahoma City before blowing the lead – a bit more focus on Thursday will allow the Lakers to cover the spread.
Computer Pick: Lakers -13
For more NBA predictions, visit our NBA Computer Picks page.
Want more Expert Betting Picks?
Check out the best sports handicapping services on the market today!
Buy Sports Picks Now- LA is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games.
- OKC is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games vs LA.
- The UNDER is 7-0 in OKC’s last 7 games.
