by Rod Pearson
Monday, Apr 06, 2026
Game Time: 10:30 pm ET, Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: FDSOK, SPECSN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Thunder -14.5, Lakers +14.5; Over/Under: 225.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Thunder -14.5, Lakers +14.5; Over/Under: 225.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Thunder -14.5, Lakers +14.5; Over/Under: 225.5 points
Season Record
Oklahoma City Thunder: 62-16 (1st place, Northwest Division)
Los Angeles Lakers: 50-28 (1st place, Pacific Division)
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Recent Form
Oklahoma City Thunder: 9-1 last 10
Los Angeles Lakers: 7-3 last 10
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Analysis
The Thunder are entering this game with a 62-16 record overall this season and they are 28-9 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 5 game winning streak with wins coming against the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks, the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Utah Jazz. Chet Holmgren led the team in points in that game with 21 while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was next on the team with 20 points. Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Ajay Mitchell each led the team in assists in that game with 7 while Isaiah Hartenstein led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 58.7% from the field, 53.3% from 3-point range, and 87.5% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 119.2 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 107.5 PPG against them. The Thunder have an ATS record of 37-41 this season and their O/U record is 40-38.
The Lakers are entering this game with a 50-28 record overall this season and they are 26-12 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak with losses coming against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks. LeBron James led the team in points in that game with 30 while Jaxson Hayes was next on the team with 23 points. LeBron James led the team in assists in that game with 15 while Luke Kennard led the team in rebounds with 16. They were 51.6% from the field, 29.6% from 3-point range, and 78.8% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116.7 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 115.2 PPG against them. The Lakers have an ATS record of 43-35 this season and their O/U record is 41-37.
Thunder vs Lakers Prediction
The current betting odds have the Thunder listed as a 14.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Thunder have looked great in their games this season with their 62-16 record overall which has them right at the top of the West with the best record in the entire NBA. They have been a great road team too with their 28-9 road record this year. Meanwhile, the Lakers have looked really good in their games this season with their 50-28 record overall which has them right near the top of the West. They have looked great on their home court too with their 26-12 home record this season. The Lakers are 7-3 in their last 10 games and they have been rolling lately, looking like one of the best teams in the NBA over the last 2 weeks, but they hit a snag with an injury to Luka Doncic and the team hasn't looked nearly as good without him. They have lost 2 games in a row now and he got injured in a road game against the Thunder less than a week ago, getting blown out by around 40 points too. The Thunder have not only looked like the best team in the NBA this season after winning the NBA Championship last season, but they have also been rolling in their games lately. They are 9-1 in their last 10 games and they have a ton of momentum on their side with 5 wins in a row now. They are the only team in the NBA to hit 60 wins this season, but they still can't rest with the Spurs right on their tail for the number 1 seed. The Thunder are going to continue rolling on their home court here and take advantage of the Lakers without their best player. The best way to place a bet here is on the Thunder to cover the spread in this game.
Thunder Lakers Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Tuesday, April 7, 2026 (10:30 pm ET start time) is Thunder 128 Lakers 102.
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NBA Betting Trends
Oklahoma City Thunder: 1-6 ATS off a home win against a division rival. 23-32 ATS versus good shooting teams - making 46% of their shots or more. 6-10 ATS on the road off a home win. 24-15 OVER versus good offensive teams - scoring 116+ points/game. 24-18 OVER when playing against a team with a winning record.
Los Angeles Lakers: 22-15 ATS in home games. 10-5 ATS off a road loss. 20-12 ATS versus good 3 point shooting teams - making 36% of their attempts or more. 10-5 OVER against Northwest division opponents. 8-1 OVER off an upset loss as a favorite.
Key Injuries
Oklahoma City Thunder: A. Caruso (SG) Day To Day - Illness. L. Dort (SF) Day To Day - Undisclosed. T. Sorber (C) Out For Season - Knee.
Los Angeles Lakers: M. Smart (PG) Day To Day - Ankle. A. Reaves (SG) Out - Rib. L. Doncic (PG) Out - Hamstring.
Notable Quotes
“Our focus never wavered on the offensive end. We moved the ball ahead of them really well. I thought for the most part we played really well.” - Mark Daigneault after his team’s win against the Jazz in their game on Sunday.
“As a coach, you go on the information you have. He was medically cleared. When Austin came back, I asked directly. I thought he was hurt. (I was told), ‘No, he’s medically cleared.’ The group wanted to go for it in the second half. Talked about it at halftime. And I think, for both those guys, the nature of playing heavy minutes, that’s certainly a part of, like any equation when you’re trying to manage workloads. We also rely on the tracking data, and we’re looking at that after every game. There was nothing leading into that game that would suggest either those guys were ‘running hot,’ as we call it.” - J.J. Redick on the injuries to Doncic and Reaves after his team’s loss against the Mavericks in their game on Sunday.
Starting Lineups
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Luguentz Dort
SF Jalen Williams
PF Chet Holmgren
C Isaiah Hartenstein
Los Angeles Lakers
PG Luke Kennard
SG Jake LaRavia
SF Rui Hachimura
PF LeBron James
C Deandre Ayton
Statistical Leaders
Oklahoma City Thunder
PPG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.4)
APG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6.5)
Reb/G: Isaiah Hartenstein (9.6)
Los Angeles Lakers
PPG: Luka Doncic (33.5)
APG: Luka Doncic (8.3)
Reb/G: Deandre Ayton (8.1)
Coaches:
Oklahoma City Thunder: Mark Daigneault (6th season)
Los Angeles Lakers: JJ Redick (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
