Oddsmakers don’t believe the Los Angeles Lakers can seize a 2-0 lead against the Houston Rockets in their ongoing playoff series.
The Rockets open as 4.5-point favorites entering Tuesday night’s Game 2, even after JJ Redick’s team cruised to a 107-98 win in the opening game. The Rockets, playing without Kevin Durant (knee soreness), struggled to generate any quality offense on Saturday and failed to capitalize on their 44-35 rebounding advantage.
Despite attempting 27 more field goals than the Lakers, the Rockets managed only 98 points, while shooting 38% from the floor and 33% from deep.
Rockets Favored to Level Series
The horrid shooting night has not scared off the oddsmakers.
The Athletic’s Dan Santaromita detailed why the Rockets are still favored to reach the second round of the playoffs.
“No Luka Dončić, no Austin Reaves, no problem for the Lakers in Game 1. Luke Kennard stepped up with 27 points in a 107-98 win, which buys the Lakers a little more time for Luka and Reaves to return from injury.
“Granted, Houston was without Kevin Durant, so both teams are hoping to get back to full strength as soon as possible. Durant took warmups in Game 1 and is day-to-day so he could return soon.
“Despite the Lakers picking up the win in the series opener, Houston is still favored to win the series. That could flip if the Lakers go up 2-0, but Houston is favored to win on the road and even the series.”
Can Lakers Pull Off Upset?
It’s worth noting that the Lakers entered the series as massive +440 underdogs amid the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. However, they’re now a sporting +185 underdog to pull off the upset, while the Rockets are a -225 favorite.
Another factor working in the Lakers’ favor is that LeBron James-led teams are historically 13-0 when they win Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs.
With Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) sidelined indefinitely, LeBron James led the way for the Lakers on Saturday, finishing with 19 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds, including a postseason record eight assists in the first quarter.
JJ Redick praised the 41-year-old for setting the tone for the underdog Lakers.
“He displayed great leadership throughout,” Redick said of James.
“We talked all week about being connected offensively and trusting the pass. He led us there in the first half, getting 10 assists, and then was able to make some scoring plays down the stretch.”
While Luke Kennard dropped a playoff career-high 27 points, the Lakers got quality contributions from Deandre Ayton (19 points, 11 rebounds), Marcus Smart (15 points, eight assists) and Rui Hachimura (14 points, three steals). The Lakers shot an astronishing 60.6% from the floor against one of the league’s best defensive units.
Lakers vs. Rockets Game 2 tips off at 7:30 p.m. PT on Tuesday night. There’s no update on Kevin Durant’s (knee) status for the crucial game.
Lakers Get Concerning News Before Game 2 vs Rockets