NBA Betting – Lakers Face Tough Test, but Will Hold off Young Thunder

If you’re betting NBA Finals, you should already know that the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the co-favorites as the defending NBA champions, along with Cleveland in the East. The Lakers took the No.1 seed in the ultra-competitive West, but they’ll have a very interesting matchup on their hands with Oklahoma City, a young team that has little experience, which will either help or hurt them.

Thunder vs Lakers odds 

The Thunder had lost four of their last five games before Wednesday’s home game against Memphis to end the season, and they had lost their last three road games, which isn’t a good sign for a team that doesn’t have the homecourt advantage. Kevin Durant will finish the season as the season’s leading scorer, and he averaged 25.8 points and 5.3 boards in four games against the Lakers this season, but the key to the Thunder’s success may be Russell Westbrook, the lightning-quick point guard who put up 17.5 points, 8.3 assists and 1.75 steals against the Lakers. Westbrook is from Long Beach, and he’ll probably have some support in the stands at the Staples Center.

The Lakers have been all over the place down the stretch, but sports book players should still have faith in the defending champions. They sat Kobe Bryant for four of the last five games, and it was a smart move by the Lakers’ staff as Bryant has been battling injuries all season long. The Lakers should also have Andrew Bynum back after the big center missed the last three weeks with an Achilles injury. Bynum was second to Bryant’s 27-point average against the Thunder with 19.3 points, and he added 8.3 boards, 2.00 blocks and 1.67 steals. The Lakers are a different team with him in the lineup, and he becomes even more important as Derek Fisher has problems staying in front of quick guards like Westbrook. Bynum can alter shots in the post.

The Lakers should be the NBA betting favorites in this series, and they’ve won three of four against the Thunder this season, although the Thunder rolled to a 91-75 win at home on March 26^th to end a 12-game skid against the Lakers. The Thunder haven’t won in Los Angeles since March 12^th, 2006, back when they were called the Seattle Supersonics, and that’s going to be the biggest problem for the Thunder as the Lakers have homecourt wrapped up throughout the playoffs due to being the No.1 seed. The Thunder have all the talent in the world, and their inexperience may cause them to play relaxed, but it will catch up to them in the end. Take the Los Angeles Lakers as your sportsbetting pick.