He just scored his 40,000th career point against the Denver Nuggets, LeBron James now sets its sights on an arguably tougher opponent in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder. With only 20 games remaining in the regular season, there is reason to be concerned if you are a the Los Angeles Lakers fan.
The team currently sits at 33-29, 10th in the Western Conference. Even though they would earn a spot in the play-in tournament if the playoffs started today, the Lakers would face a long road to the playoffs proper, including a win-or-miss road game. return against the Warriors of the Golden State, who are less than two weeks away from beating the Lakers by 18. The schedule isn’t getting any easier for the Lakers either. Of their 20 remaining games, 14 are against teams with records above .500.
The Thunder, meanwhile, are trying to maintain the top seed in the Western Conference. They currently hold a half-game lead over the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, but a defeat tonight would mean falling back into a tie. If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants to beat Nikola Jokic for the NBA MVP, winning first place in the West against the Nuggets would probably go a long way in the eyes of voters. A lot is riding on this home stretch for the Thunder.
Here’s what you need to know and how to watch this crucial moment NBA Western Conference showdown.
Predictions for the Thunder at the Lakers:
Sports betting feed: Thunder Money Line
Kevin Erickson writes: “The Lakers have played just .500 basketball in the last 6 games, winning 3 times. At home, Los Angeles is 8-4 in the last 12 outings.” He continues: “OKC is straight play, and it’s much better value for money.”
Sports Illustrated: OVER 238.5
Mark Lammey writes: “What’s interesting is that in the three meetings between these teams this season, Los Angeles has not only covered the spread in the last two, but they have also won as underdogs with 12 .5 and 9.5 points. After going through all of that, “It’s just a tough game to deal with in that regard. Instead, we’re going to focus on a high-scoring game, because that’s also what we’ve seen in two of the three games between these teams this year.”
Action network: LeBron James OVER 31.5 points + assists
Andrew O’Connor-Watts writes: “James should have a big game tonight, and I think we see him take on a role of facilitator as well as a scorer in order to get this young OKC team to victory. My model does this OKC, but I think they play a little too uneven for my liking, and I’ll take James for a big night out instead with his Points + Assists line at 31, 5 and up to 32.5”.
Thunder odds and lines at Lakers:
The Thunder are favorites to defeat the Lakers, according to the BetMGM NBA Odds. Looking to bet? Check best mobile sports betting apps offer NBA Betting Promos in 2023.
Betting odds, Monday afternoon:
- Spread: Thunder (-1.5)
- Money line: Thunder (-125); Lakers (+105)
- More less : 238.5
NBA News:Victor Wembanyama has 31 points and 12 rebounds as Spurs dominate Pacers 117-105
How to watch Thunder at the Lakers:
- When: Monday March 4, 2024
- Or: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California
- Time: 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT
- TV: Bally Sports
- Flow: Fubo TVSling TV, YouTube TV
Stream the game:Watch NBA action with Fubo
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