Lakers are historic underdogs against Thunder. Here’s why
The Lakers enter the Western Conference semifinals as historic underdogs against the defending champion Thunder, with series odds reaching +945 and a 16-point spread in Game 1. Despite being heavily favored, the Thunder swept the Lakers in four lopsided regular-season matchups, averaging a 29.3-point margin of victory. The Lakers previously overcame long odds against the Rockets in the first round, but face an even steeper challenge against a deeper, faster, and more cohesive Thunder team.
- ▪The Lakers are +945 underdogs against the Thunder, the largest such odds in franchise history for a conference semifinal.
- ▪The Thunder swept the Lakers in four regular-season games, winning by an average of 29.3 points—the largest such margin in NBA playoff history.
- ▪The Lakers advanced past the Rockets in six games despite missing key players, including Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
- ▪Game 1 of the semifinals features the Thunder as 16-point favorites, a spread reflecting extreme disparity in expectations.
- ▪The Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rank among the league's best in defense, pace, and team cohesion.
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NBA Lakers are historic underdogs against Thunder. Here’s why By Michael Duarte Published May 3, 2026, 7:00 a.m. ET There are underdogs, and then there are the kind of underdogs that look like they just wandered into the wrong NBA arena. The Lakers aren’t just staring up at the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, they’re squinting at them through a telescope. Thankfully for the Lakers, this is not uncharted territory. 3 The Lakers’ Drew Timme (17) and the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren will face off again beginning Tuesday night. NBAE via Getty Images Ahead of their first-round playoff series against the much younger, faster and deeper Rockets, the Lakers opened as +475 underdogs. Without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Rockets were sitting comfortably at -650.
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