NBA Basketball BETTING PREVIEW - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Basketball

2026-05-09 - Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers
United States : NBA Basketball Playoffs Second Round Game 3
Saturday 9th May 2026 - Scheduled 8:30pm EST
1:30am (British Time)

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Preview

There are some suggestions that the Los Angeles Lakers will have Luka Doncic back for Game 3 of this Second Round Series, but the team are only talking about being given a fair shake from the officials.

Frustrations boiled over on the court, after the game and then in the press conference with suggestions that the Oklahoma City Thunder are getting away with a lot of fouls on the Defensive side of the court. There has also been a long criticism of some of the 'flopping' that seems to accompany a few of the Thunder players when anyone whistles by them and the Lakers are hoping that things will change.

There will be some pressure on the officials when the Series shifts to the City of Angels for two games- the home fans are not going to want to see LeBron James 'clobbered' and only getting to the foul line five times, while they will also be extremely loud whenever a Thunder play hits the floor.

Perhaps that will create a bias in some of the calls made, but the Lakers know that it is going to be extremely challenging to get back into this Series even if Doncic is able to give them a lift.

He is not expected to be at 100% and the likes of LeBron James and Austin Reaves are trying to contribute as much as possible, but this Oklahoma City team have just found the right moments to put a run together and effectively blitz through the first two games.

They swept the Phoenix Suns in the First Round and that will have given the Thunder confidence, while they would love to earn some rest before the Western Conference Finals by ending this Series as soon as possible. There is a depth in the Thunder rotation, which showed up again in the Game 2 win, and Oklahoma City look like they are going to have a bit too much for the Lakers.

You can almost guarantee the Lakers will come out with huge energy and will be desperate to get back into the Series by taking command of Game 3 as quickly as possible, but youth and energy is on the side of the defending Champions.

Big road favourites have not been very successful in the Second Round of recent NBA Playoffs, but the Thunder have won all six meetings against the Los Angeles Lakers this season and all by at least 9 points.

Twelve months ago, teams were able to give Oklahoma City some real tests, but this Lakers team need the officials to play ball if that is going to happen in this Series.

They have not been completely outplayed, but the Lakers have struggled to slow the momentum when the Oklahoma City Thunder have been able to get on a roll and that could be the case again on Saturday as the top Seed in the Western Conference moves to the brink of reaching the Conference Finals again.

Prediction

Lay the points with the road favourite.

The Pick :

Los Angeles Lakers 98-108 Oklahoma City Thunder

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Oklahoma City Thunder - 8.5 Points at -110 with Bovada