3 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Lakers at Thunder

Even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Los Angeles Lakers face the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds and NBA player props, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Lakers at Thunder Betting Picks

Thunder -7.0 (-108)

Thunder Over 118.5 Total Points (-115)

The Lakers' 8-3 record is a little misleading, and I think they'll be overmatched tonight. That pushes me toward these two markets.

While LA's record paints a pretty picture, they're a middling 16th in net rating (+1.0) and are 22nd in defensive rating. And it's not even Luka Doncic to blame for the defense as Luka has the second-best defensive rating (113) among the Lakers' regulars; it more falls at the feet of Deandre Ayton (118), Rui Hachimura (121) and Austin Reaves (118). If Luka is one of the best defenders in your rotation, that's not ideal.

OKC hasn't had Jalen Williams yet this year, and they're still sixth in offensive rating. Ajay Mitchell, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are all scoring between 17.2 and 14.8 points per game to help pick up the slack. OKC has poured in at least 119 points in six of their last seven games, including 127, 137 and 126 points over their past three home games -- all three of which they've won by at least 19 points.

I'm expecting another huge offensive showing from the Thunder, and the Lakers will likely need otherworldly offensive outputs from Luka and Reaves to stay close.

Marcus Smart Over 1.5 Made Threes (+116)

The Thunder don't have any real holes. They're a machine. But they can be susceptible to three-point shooting, which puts me on Marcus Smart to hit multiple treys tonight.

OKC is allowing the sixth-highest three-point attempt rate (45.2%) so far this season. A year ago, the Thunder gave up the league's highest three-point attempt rate (also 45.2%, amazingly), and they permitted the fourth-highest three-point attempt rate (41.7%) in 2023-24. So, clearly, this is by design as OKC prioritizes defending the paint and relies on their quickness and athleticism to close out to shooters. It works, too, as the Thunder led the NBA in defensive rating last year.

But while it works over the long haul, it leaves the Thunder susceptible to hot shooting nights from opponents because said opponents are going to get looks.

Enter Smart, who has been letting it rip from beyond the arc. For the year, he's averaging 4.2 three-point attempts per night, and he's taken at least seven triples in three of the last five games, hitting three versus the Charlotte Hornets last time out.

Smart should continue to get chances from deep against OKC, and our NBA projections have him making 2.0 trifectas today.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.