LeBron James is 35 points away from etching his name into the NBA record books as the league’s career scoring leader, NBA player stats show. On a light NBA schedule, the Oklahoma City Thunder visiting the Los Angeles Lakers will take center stage as James chases history.
Beyond chasing down Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record is a pivotal game for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. Neither the Thunder nor the Lakers are in the play-in tournament, but each is separated by a game or a game and a half, so this is a key game in determining who may make a run at it.
Here is what fans need to know before making a Thunder vs Lakers prediction.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers Information
Oklahoma City Thunder (25-28) vs Los Angeles Lakers (25-29)
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA.
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 7, 10:00 PM ET
How to Watch: ESPN1
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers Recent Scores
There have been 260 regular season NBA matchups between the Thunder and Lakers, including tracing the franchises’ origins back to previous homes. The Lakers have 151 wins, and the Thunder have 109 wins.
More recently, the Lakers have won two straight and five of the last seven meetings, though the Thunder are 4-3 against the spread in that span. The over is also 4-3 in that stretch, though the under has hit three straight times.
It is the first meeting this season, so it is difficult to make a Thunder vs. Lakers prediction from earlier meetings. Recent trends show that the Thunder are 6-1 against the spread in the last seven meetings in Los Angeles.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Analysis
Oklahoma City Thunder Facts to Know
The Thunder have lost three of their last four games – two losses to the Golden State Warriors and a split with the Houston Rockets – which have impacted the Oklahoma City Thunder standings.
The Thunder have one of the better-scoring offenses in the league, NBA team stats show. They rank fifth at 117.3 points per game.
However, they are 19th in making 46.9% of field goal attempts and 13th in making 36.3% of 3-point shots. They are eighth in making 79.5% of free throw attempts and 13th in grabbing 44.1 rebounds per game.
Defensively, the efficiency numbers are better. They are 20th in, allowing 116.4 points per game. But the Thunder are 10th in holding teams to 46.8% on field goal attempts and 13th at holding them to 35.9% on 3-point shots. They are last in the league in allowing 47.1 rebounds per game.
Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has developed into one of the best-kept secrets in the NBA. He is averaging 30.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. There is a full complement of younger players around him, including guard Josh Giddey, who is averaging 16.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.
This guard-laden roster is playing without No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren after the rookie suffered a season-ending injury.
The Thunder are 32-20-1 against the spread this season and 31-22 on over/under. They are 9-17 straight up on the road.
Los Angeles Lakers Facts to Know
The Lakers return home after a 2-3 road trip out east. However, both wins have come in their last three games. Los Angeles Lakers stats show they are solid offensively and have improved on the perimeter but remain one of the worst defensive teams.
The Lakers are sixth in scoring 117.1 points per game and rank ninth with a 48.1% field goal conversion rate. However, they are fifth worst in making 33.6% of 3-point shots and are 18th in making 78.0% of free throw attempts. They are fifth in rebounding at 45.1 per contest.
But defensively, the Lakers allow 118.4 points per game, the fourth-worst rate in the league. The efficiency is better as they are 15th in holding teams to 47.3% on field goal attempts and are third in forcing teams into 34.6% on 3-point shots. They are third last in allowing 45.8 rebounds per game.
The Lakers are 25-28-1 against the spread and 29-25 on over/under this season. They are 13-12 straight up at home.
Updates
While Holmgren is out for the Thunder, they are also missing two key players in Lugentz Dort (hamstring), who is out indefinitely, and forward Aleksej Pokusevski, who is out until the middle of February with a knee injury.
The Lakers list James as questionable with an ankle injury, star forward Anthony Davis probable with a foot injury, and sharpshooter Austin Reaves probable with a hamstring injury.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
NBA odds today show the Lakers are favored by 6.5 points. They are also -275 on the moneyline, while the Thunder are +230. The over/under is set at 237 points, which is larger than at least 10 of their previous meetings, with the next closest being their latest tilt at 225.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Prediction
Public betting data shows the NBA picks today are 51% on the Thunder to cover the spread, and 65% are on the over. Whether that holds true remains to be seen.
The reality is that James has a great opportunity to score 36 points and stand alone as the league’s greatest scorer of all time. Both NBA teams are horrific defensively, which means both teams will have to score a lot of points to win, which James will want to do in whichever game he breaks the record.
A closer look at betting data shows the Lakers are 7-7 against the spread as favorites this season, including a 6-0 record when favored by five or more points. The Thunder are 24-13-1 against the spread as underdogs, including an 8-5-1 record between five and seven points.
Our Thunder vs Lakers prediction is that James does not break the scoring record in this game, instead doing it Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar’s former team. However, the Lakers will come out victorious and cover the 6.5 points against the Thunder with the under 237 also hitting.
