Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Los Angeles Lakers are 5-1 straight up and 4-2 against the spread over their last six games after winning Game 2 of their best-of-seven series against the Houston Rockets. The Lakers will try to take the lead in the series on Tuesday night with another win.
Los Angeles is a five-point favorite on the NBA odds for Game 3 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Rockets closed as 6.5-point underdogs in Game 1 and 5.5-point underdogs in Game 2.
Lakers vs Rockets | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Lakers jumped out to a huge 36-20 lead at the end of the first quarter in Game 2, but a 41-23 third quarter by Houston had the Lakers trailing going into the fourth quarter. But Los Angeles’ big two did more down the stretch than Houston’s to secure a 117-109 victory.
Anthony Davis finished the game with 34 points and 10 rebounds while LeBron James was one assist shy of a triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Markieff Morris chipped in with four 3-pointers and 16 points off of the bench in the win.
With Sunday’s win and cover, the Lakers are now 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five games as a favorite of eight points or less per the OddsShark NBA Database.
Russell Westbrook told the media after Game 2 that he was “just running around” and needed to check the film to find ways to be effective in this series. Westbrook had a terrible Game 2, turning the ball over seven times and recording only 10 points and four assists while going 4-for-15 from the floor.
While it was a disappointing result for the Rockets, Houston has to be excited that it still managed to keep the game so competitive despite such a terrible game from Westbrook. If he plays better the rest of the way, the Rockets have to like their chances.
Tuesday night’s total is set at 223.5 points at online betting sites. The OVER is 3-1 in the Lakers’ last four games.
The huge swings in the first and third quarter of Game 2 showed just how dynamic these two offenses can be when they are clicking. Not many leads will be safe in what is shaping up to be a very competitive series between the Lakers and the Rockets.
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