Lakers vs. Thunder Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, April 8

The Thunder are favored by 15 points on Tuesday against the Lakers.

The Thunder are favored by 15 points on Tuesday against the Lakers. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers shocked the NBA world on Sunday, blowing out the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder behind a scintillating display of 3-point shooting.

Now, these two teams will match up for the second time in as many games on Tuesday night.

OKC has already locked up the No. 1 seed in the West, but it has dropped two games in a row – not exactly the momentum the team wanted with the playoffs approaching.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are two games up on the No. 8 seed in the West and currently hold the No. 3 seed. If they can beat the Thunder again, it’ll go a long way for them in terms of securing home court in the first round of the playoffs.

Oddsmakers have the Thunder favored in this matchup, so how should we bet on it? 

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market, and my prediction for this battle between Western Conference contenders. 

Lakers vs. Thunder Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Lakers +15 (-112)
• Thunder -15 (-108)

Moneyline

• Lakers: +600
• Thunder: -900

Total

• 226.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Lakers vs. Thunder How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, April 8
• Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Paycom Center
• How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma, Spectrum Sportsnet
• Lakers record: 48-30
• Thunder record: 64-14

Lakers vs. Thunder Injury Reports

Lakers Injury Report

• Luka Doncic – questionable
• Dorian Finney-Smith – questionable
• Austin Reaves – questionable
• LeBron James – questionable
• Gabe Vincent – questionable
• Rui Hachimura – out
• Maxi Kleber – out
• Bronny James – questionable 

Thunder Injury Report

• Ousmane Dieng – out
• Alex Ducas – out
• Jaylin Williams – questionable
• Ajay Mitchell – out
• Nikola Topic – out

Lakers vs. Thunder Best NBA Prop Bets

Los Angeles Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Austin Reaves OVER 22.5 Points (-120)

There’s a chance that Reaves will sit in this game (he’s listed as questionable), but he’s the player that I’d give the best chance of playing if the Lakers do rest their stars between him, James, and Doncic.

Los Angeles likely wants to gear up for Luka’s return to Dallas on Wednesday, and it’s a lot easier to beat Dallas and Portland (two teams left on the Lakers’ schedule) than the Thunder in back-to-back contests.

Still, if Reaves plays, he could be a great target since he’s cleared 22.5 points in 10 of his last 14 games, averaging 26.1 points per game over that stretch. 

He also finished with 20 points in less than 34 minutes with both Luka and LeBron in action on Sunday against OKC. 

Oklahoma City Thunder Best NBA Prop Bet

• Jalen Williams OVER 4.5 Rebounds (-145)

I think this prop line has moved down a little too far for Jalen Williams on Tuesday night. The All-Star forward is averaging 5.3 boards per game, and he’s cleared 4.5 rebounds in 10 of his 16 games since the All-Star break.

With the Lakers potentially shorthanded in this one, there may be a few more misses to clean up on the glass for Williams and OKC tonight. 

Lakers vs. Thunder Prediction and Pick

There’s a chance that the Lakers sit all three of Doncic, James, and Reaves in this matchup as they prepare for Wednesday’s showdown in Dallas with the Dallas Mavericks.

With the Lakers holding a lead for the No. 3 seed, they need to just beat Dallas and Portland to secure a top-four (and potentially top-three) spot in the West. Los Angeles has the tiebreaker over several teams in the conference, which will be huge for how the rest of this playoff picture shakes out.

While the Thunder are favored by 15 points, I’m not sold on them going all out in this game either, as they don’t have anything to play for in the standings.

Instead, I’m looking to the UNDER, as a shorthanded Lakers team may struggle to score against the No. 1 defense in the NBA. Plus, Los Angeles is due for some shooting regression after an insane game on Sunday from beyond the arc.

The Lakers have also been one of the 10-best UNDER teams in the league this season (39-39). With so much up in the air injury-wise, the total is the way to go on Tuesday. 

Pick: UNDER 226 (-110 at DraftKings)

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

---

Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn a guaranteed $150 in bonus bets. Win or lose, DraftKings will issue six $25 bonus bets instantly.