Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA
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by Devesh Jaganath | in NBA Predictions
We head to the Paycom Center for Game 1 of the NBA Playoff West semi-final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the LA Lakers on Tuesday. The winner of this series will meet either the Timberwolves or the Spurs in the Conference finals. Let’s get into the match prediction.
The Thunder reaffirmed their tag as title favourites by sweeping the Suns 4-0 in the first round of the Playoffs. They are now set to play for the first time in eight days.
OKC were the best defence in the league in the regular season, but they led all Playoff teams in offensive rating in the first round, proving just how dangerous they can be on both ends.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the undisputed leader of the team, but Ajay Mitchell has stepped up impressively this season. Thomas Sober is out for this one, while Jalen Williams is a doubt.
Meanwhile, after dropping Games 4 and 5 in the first round, the Los Angeles Lakers came good by winning Game 6 against the Rockets to book their spot in the East semis (4-2).
However, this is a massive step up in class of opposition, and the regular-season series suggests the Lakers will struggle, having lost all four games against OKC with a 29-point average deficit.
The absence of Luka Doncic is another major blow for the Lakers. They will need the likes of Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart to step up big time to assist LeBron James in this series.
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Oklahoma City Thunder v Los Angeles Lakers Best Betting Odds
| Bookmaker | 1 | 2 | Bonus up to |
|---|---|---|---|
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1.11 | 7 |
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1.12 | 6.4 |
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1.12 | 6.4 |
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1.13 | 6.5 |
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|
1.12 | 6.8 |
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Who will win the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Basketball game?
Our prediction for the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers match is: Oklahoma City Thunder -11.5.
The best winner predictions and betting odds for the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers game on 05/05/2026 of the current NBA season:
- Oklahoma City Thunder has a 70.8% chance to pick up the win against Los Angeles Lakers according to Betway ⭐ with the odds of 1.13.
- There is a probability of 29.2% ⭐ for Los Angeles Lakers to win vs Oklahoma City Thunder with odds of 7.5 at Shangrila.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Form
Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers Last Matches
4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
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5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
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4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
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4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
1 May 2026 - NBA
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4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
29 Apr 2026 - NBA
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3/6 (50%)
3/6 (50%)
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Stats: Head to Head (H2H)
83 %
17 %
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Players list
A. Mitchell
L. Dort
M. Smart
A. Reaves
L. James
R. Hachimura
Substitutes
N. Topic
C. Wallace
J. McCain
I. Joe
A. Caruso
A. Wiggins
J. Williams
D. Knecht
N. Smith Jr.
L. Kennard
B. James
J. Laravia
A. Thiero
M. Kleber
J. Vanderbilt
Oklahoma City Thunder - Los Angeles Lakers Key Points
- The Thunder have won their last 10 games when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Thunder have covered the spread in their last five games against the Lakers.
- The Thunder won all four regular-season games by an average of 29 points.
- The Thunder had the best offensive rating in the first round of the Playoffs.
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Our Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction
Making light work of the Suns is both a blessing and a curse for the Thunder, as they will enter this match well-rested but possibly out of competitive rhythm, having last played over a week ago.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are in full flow, but it’s hard to overlook how heavily they were dominated by OKC in the regular season, and the absence of Luka Doncic will likely be felt more in this series than the last. Our Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers prediction is Oklahoma City Thunder -11.5.
If your team in the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers game takes a 20-point lead, you win!
If you want to place a bet on the moneyline in the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers game, then bet365 is the place to do it. If the team that you have bet on takes a 20-point lead in the game, then bet365 will pay your bet out as a winner. If your team goes on to lose, you are still a winner.
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
