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Thunder vs. Lakers Game 2: NBA Lines / Free Pick

Our experts weigh in with this week’s best Round 1 NBA Playoff picks for gambling on all the action…Tuesday on the hardwood we get the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers for game 2 of their 7 game series…

TUESDAY APRIL 20, 2010 – Oklahoma Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers

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NBA Betting – Thunder And Lakers Looking For Better Efforts
Team records:
OKC: 50-32 SU, 48-34 ATS
L.A.: 57-25 SU, 34-46-2 ATS

The Oklahoma City Thunder still have the same goal in mind: steal one game from the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the value of home court advantage in the NBA and if the Thunder can overtake it in this series, then they have accomplished what they set out to do when they traveled to Los Angeles a few days ago.

The problem is that they had a rude wakeup call in Game 1. The young Thunder got a taste of playoff basketball and it was a very sour one. Kevin Durant was smothered and held to seven-of-24 shooting from the field.

But he wasn’t the only one who struggled with his shooting, which really gives the feeling that Game 2 will be similar to Game 1, just with more points on the board. Expect both teams to shoot better but the Thunder won’t win. An encouraging boost for them would be if they could at least hang around or get in position to win.

Game 2 Preview: Thunder @ Lakers
Betting Odds: – Thunder: +7-115
Lakers: -7-105
Total: Over/Under 189 -110

Durant and Jeff Green combined for just 11-of-35 shooting in Game 1 and that has to change if the Thunder want any shot of winning. It will.

Both players will find a way to be more efficient but the Thunder’s concern should be what happens if the Lakers find a solution to shoot better as well?

The main story in the media was the Thunder’s misfires but the Lakers weren’t exactly accurate themselves. Of the two, their misshooting was more of an aberration than the Thunder since they were at home.

Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest and Derek Fisher combined for 13-of-42 shooting, which should also improve.

While both teams will definitely shoot better, the story of this series will be the frontcourts. The Lakers now have a healthy Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, and the Thunder don’t seem to have any answers for that.

The tandem combined for 32 points, 25 rebounds and seven blocks in Game 1, which played a huge role in the victory. On offense, Bynum and Gasol are cleaning up the glass, giving their team second opportunities and scoring on the inside when necessary. On defense, their seven blocks made the Thunder think twice about driving the basket.

Not much has changed from Game 1 to Game 2. The Thunder weren’t particularly nervous in Game 1 given their young roster and they won’t be in Game 2 either.

Expect this contest to be closer down the stretch but not just the Thunder will shoot better –  the Lakers will as well.

Thunder vs Lakers Free Game 2 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.