Basketball playoffs bet games begin this weekend with the eight series including top seeded Los Angeles against eighth seed Oklahoma City. The Lakers won the season series 3-1 but this could be a competitive series in basketball betting. Basketball playoffs bet odds will favor the Lakers to win this series but the Thunder have some talent including the NBA’s leading scorer in Kevin Durant. The Lakers have the experience and that will probably carry them through this series but it may not be easy against a young and talented Thunder team. Last month the Thunder beat the Lakers 91-75, proving they can win against Los Angeles. That win broke a 12-game losing streak to the Lakers.
As you look to make a basketball playoffs bet, this matchup is all about the experience of the Lakers against the youth of Oklahoma City. Three of the Thunder’s top four players are younger than 24. Kevin Durant and guard Russell Westbrook are 21, while power forward Jeff Green is 23. “There’s a lot of youth and enthusiasm and talent in Oklahoma City,” Minnesota Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis said. “There’s excitement about them making the playoffs this year. It’s such a brand-new experience for all the players and coaching staff and the town. It’ll be crazy there. But the Lakers have so much playoff experience. They know how intense and physical the game is going to become. The Lakers have seen all of that and Oklahoma City hasn’t been in that environment yet. They have youth, athleticism and freshness on their side, but inexperience is going to be a factor out there.”
The Lakers and Thunder split the two games in Oklahoma City this season. The Lakers won 101-98 in overtime as Kobe Bryant score 31 points while the Thunder won 91-75 as Russell Westbrook had 23 points. The Lakers swept the Thunder in Los Angeles, winning 101-85 and 111-108. Before this season the Thunder had little success against the Lakers in basketball betting but this is a different Oklahoma City team. The Thunder have Durant who can score and their defense is decent, ranking just outside the top 10 in the league. The Lakers have the better offense and the better defense but the difference is not as great as you might think. Los Angeles has fallen to 12th in the league on offense and 9th on defense.