The Lakers will look to silence the doubters when they meet the Trail Blazers for Game Two of their playoff series.
Damian Lillard took control in the opener, while the Lakers shot abysmally from deep. It means things will have to change for Los Angeles if they are to level things up.
Here are our best plays:
Dimers’ Suggested Plays
🔥 BEST: Trail Blazers +6.5 @-110
💵 Moneyline: Trail Blazers @+225
👇 Over/Under: Under 229 @-110
Best Bet: Trail Blazers +6.5 (-110*) has a 52% probability
Portland had answers to just about everything the Lakers threw at them in Game One, delivering on both ends of the floor. Lillard was once again unstoppable and remains a tough matchup for Los Angeles, and let’s be honest, just about every other team in the league. The Lakers just don’t seem to have the offense to blow the Trail Blazers away, which means the eight seed is a great pick at the spread. Our model has projected Portland as a 52 percent chance of covering.
Moneyline: Trail Blazers (+225*) has a 0.2% edge
Despite their Game One win, Portland are +225 underdogs in this one. They are still the top bet at the Moneyline, as our data has shown they have a 0.2 percent edge in the market. We all know what they are capable of, having already gone 1-0 in the series. The star power of LeBron James and Anthony Davis means they remain plus money, however, it’s value well worth taking.
Over/Under: Under 229 (-110*) has a 51% probability
We witnessed only 193 points in the series opener, therefore it is no surprise that our model has highlighted the under as the top pick in this market. The Lakers are unlikely to be able to sort out all of their offensive troubles with just one day break, and with Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee protecting the rim, Portland will have to work hard for their buckets. Thus it’s difficult to picture Game Two recording 37 more points than the series opener.
Dimers’ take-out
The NBA bubble has been the great equalizer and there is no better example than this matchup, which definitely does not feel like a top seed playing the eighth seed. The Lakers will have to improve drastically to win Game Two but our projections suggest that the smart money is with the Trail Blazers in a tough defensive battle.
*Odds are correct at time of publishing