The Los Angeles Lakers (47-30) and Oklahoma City Thunder (64-13) will meet in the NBA this afternoon. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Thunder are 9-point favorites over the Lakers on the spread (Thunder -9), with the over/under set at 230.5 total points. Oklahoma City is a -360 favorite to win outright, while Los Angeles is +280 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Lakers vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, April 6.
Lakers vs. Thunder Picks, Prediction
Spread
Laying nine points feels like a lot for a Thunder team no longer chasing 70 victories following their 125-111 loss to the Rockets. As a result, this situational spot should benefit the visiting Lakers.
Moneyline
Although the Thunder have only lost back-to-back games once this season, I wouldn't rule out the Lakers winning outright. With Los Angeles 7-3 in the last 10 meetings, it should have plenty of confidence heading into this matchup.
Over/Under
As for the total, I'd look to the under, as my model has a projection of 229.4 points for the game.
My Picks: Lakers +9 | Lakers Moneyline +290
Lakers vs. Thunder Odds
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -110 | 230.5 -110 / -110 | +280 |
| Thunder Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -110 | 230.5 -110 / -110 | -360 |
- Lakers vs. Thunder spread: Thunder -9
- Lakers vs. Thunder over/under: 230.5 total points
- Lakers vs. Thunder moneyline: Lakers +280, Thunder -360
- Lakers vs. Thunder best bet: Lakers +9 | Lakers ML +290
Lakers vs. Thunder Preview
After rattling off 11 straight victories, OKC's winning streak ended in Houston in a game they practically trailed wire to wire. As good as the Thunder have been, they never quite managed to display that same level of dominance when facing a Rockets team they went 2-2 against during the regular season.
There's almost a quiet feeling around the league that opposing teams aren't entirely sold on the Thunder, which looks a year ahead of schedule. The Thunder have the fourth-youngest team with an average age of 24.2 years, and one can't help but think that they could do with a bit of experience to go along with their youthful exuberance.
OKC can make the game look so easy when things are going right. But winning an NBA title is often about having enough grit to grind out games.
Los Angeles has players like LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who know what it's like to make an NBA Finals run. It's also desperate to finish in the top six after having to advance from the play-in tournament in each of its last three playoff appearances.
The Lakers sit just 1.5 games above the seventh-seeded Clippers in the Western Conference standings. We've seen stretches this season when the Lakers have been at their best—at one point winning 14 of 16 games. Their biggest issue is on the defensive side of the court, where they have, at times, lacked consistency.
However, I think we'll start to see some improvement as the team heads into the postseason, with Sunday's matchup against a quality opponent being the ultimate test.
The total is 6-4 to the under in the last 10 meetings of this series, and those lower-scoring games might have something to do with the Lakers' success. When motivated, the Lakers hang with the best of them, and I like their chances of rising to the occasion against this Thunder side.
Lakers vs. Thunder Betting Predictions
To have any chance against the Thunder, the Lakers must rebound effectively. Los Angeles ranks 26th on the glass, while OKC sits at No. 12. Jarred Vanderbilt might not be the first Laker player that comes to mind when you think about rebounding, but he's been very efficient despite only averaging 16.1 minutes per game.
Vanderbilt has a rebounds prop of 3.5, a number he has cleared in five straight road games. Moreover, Vanderbilt has exceeded this line in 21 of 32 games (66%) this season. He also finished with over 3.5 rebounds in each of his last two meetings against the Thunder.
Vanderbilt isn't asked to do too much; he averages only 3.9 points. He's one of those players who knows his role and sticks to his task when he comes off the bench. As a result, his rebounding prop offers a ton of value despite somewhat flying under the radar.
The combination of the Lakers at +9 and Vanderbilt exceeding his rebounding prop would net us a +260 return on a same game parlay.
Best Bets: Lakers +9 | Lakers ML +290
Same Game Parlay Picks
- Lakers +9
- Jarred Vanderbilt Over 3.5 Rebounds
Parlay Payout: +260
Thunder vs. Lakers Betting Trends
