SUNDAY APRIL 18, 2010 – Oklahoma Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers
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NBA Betting – Can Thunder Surprise Lakers?
Team records:
OKC: 50-32 SU, 48-34 ATS
L.A.: 57-25 SU, 34-46-2 ATS
The Oklahoma City Thunder may be young, but there is no denying the fact that they have grown up very quickly. They finished the regular season with 26 wins in their last 37 games and face the reigning NBA Champion Lakers, who were just 3-4 in the month of April.
The Thunder do entail the NBA’s leading scorer in Kevin Durant, but they will need a lot more than him to knock off the champs. The Thunder just aren’t quite there yet to threaten the Lakers but this series will be a learning experience.
Game 1 Preview: Thunder @ Lakers
Betting Odds: – Thunder: +7½-110 o197-110 +290
Lakers: -7½-110 u197-110 -350
There was a little bit of turmoil between these two teams recently as Lakers head coach, Phil Jackson, ripped into the NBA officials for the fact that Durant gets to the free throw line with frequency. Durant averaged more than 10 free throw attempts per game this year and obviously Jackson is conscious of that heading into the series.
That came on the heels of the teams last meeting where the Thunder thumped the Lakers 91-75, holding the Lakers to a season low for points and leading by as many as 33 at one point.
But when you do the math overall, the Lakers won the season series 3-1 and you can chalk up that one bad out as exactly that: a one-off.
This Lakers team has another gear in the postseason and they will win this series. The question is will the Thunder be able to steal game one?
Jackson’s Jedi mind tricks probably will make the refs be a little more conscious of Durant heading to the foul line and don’t be surprised if a few calls don’t go his way. Jackson is an experienced coached and although the comments cost him $35,000, it also helps ensure his team an easier time in round one.
After such an embarrassing outing their last time against the Thunder, expect the Lakers to be really geared up for this game.
It won’t be an easy one as Durant can score regardless of whether he gets calls or not and the Thunder have other weapons anyways.
But as the game moves into crunch time, expect the difference in this game – and series – to be experience. The Lakers may be sluggish at first but in the second half, they will pull away and the Thunder, most of whom are getting their first taste of playoff action, will be a little nervous as the close game enters the fourth quarter.
Thunder vs Lakers Free Game 1 NBA Pick: Lakers
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Dave Golokhov has written for BETUS Sportsbook, Sportsfanmagazine.com, FOX, Askmen.com, Sports-central.org, and the FOXSports.com Funhouse.
