On Tuesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way. The Thunder traveled to Oakland to take on Golden State and put on a show, dominating the Warriors on their way to a 20-point victory. It was exactly the performance we’ve come to expect out of Russell Westbrook, who dominated all night long. Westbrook and the Thunder will look to keep that intensity up when they travel south to take on the Los Angeles Lakers in another TNT game on Thursday night.
This war on the floor will go down Thursday, February 8, 2018, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The game will be televised live on TNT. We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Opening NBA Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Oklahoma City was a double-digit underdog on the road against Golden State, meaning its outright win paid off very nicely for moneyline bettors. The Thunder had lost outright, despite being a favorite, in their previous three games and needed the win to help claw back towards respectability against the spread. OKC is just 23-32 ATS overall this season.
Under has been a solid bet to make as of late in Thunder games. The under has cashed in four out of the last five as OKC is finally starting to play some decent defense.
The Lakers are going to be rebuilding for a little bit longer. However, there are signs that this team is starting to turn the corner. LA has won seven of its last nine games, and the Lakers were an underdog in all but one of those wins. That’s pretty impressive and was very profitable for bettors.
Players to Watch
Carmelo Anthony hurt his ankle early in the Thunder win over the Warriors on Tuesday night, meaning that Russell Westbrook and Paul George had to carry the load. The duo did just that with aplomb, combining to score 72 of Oklahoma City’s 125 points on the evening.
Both George and Westbrook were simply unstoppable against the Warriors. George created numerous fast break opportunities thanks to his defense. He had six steals against Golden State’s great offense, and he was an effective shooter from the floor too. George sunk six of his 11 three-pointers, giving this team an edge it did not relinquish.
Westbrook gave us what we’ve come to expect out of him. All game long, he played with his motor shifted into another gear, and that helped OKC win in a blowout. He nearly picked up a triple-double, finishing with 34 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. The Lakers know they must shut him down, especially without Anthony in the lineup.
Last Meeting
Interestingly enough, these teams just met a few days ago in Oklahoma City. In that game, the Thunder were heavy favorites, but lost outright to the Lakers. LA’s frontcourt carried the day in that one, with solid performances out of Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, and Brook Lopez helping the Lakers to a narrow victory.
Both George and Westbrook were great in the last game between these teams too. The problem was that no one else was able to step up. Anthony had an off night from the floor and that was that for the Thunder’s chances.
Free NBA Betting ATS Picks
It doesn’t look like the Lakers will have Lonzo Ball in this one. Ball is still rehabbing a sprained MCL, and it’s unlikely he will come back for this game. He has not been placed on IR yet, so this team is eventually expecting to use him soon.
Everyone is riding high on the Thunder after their upset win. However, that performance will lead to an inflated line here. Go ahead and back the Lakers to pull off the outright win.
NBA Betting Odds: Lakers 103, Thunder 101
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