Lakers vs. Thunder odds, prediction, time: 2026 NBA playoff picks, Game 1 best bets from proven model

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The fourth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers battle the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal matchup on Tuesday as the 2026 NBA playoffs roll on. Los Angeles is coming off a 98-78 win over Houston on Friday to defeat the Rockets in six games, while Oklahoma City completed a four-game sweep of Phoenix, winning 131-122 on April 27. The Lakers (53-29), who won the Pacific Division title, are looking to reach the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2022-23. The Thunder (64-18), who won the Northwest Division, are looking to win back-to-back NBA championships. Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) remains out. Jalen Williams (hamstring) is out for OKC.

Tipoff from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Lakers lead the all-time postseason series 26-15, but the Thunder have won four of the past five postseason meetings. The Thunder are 15.5-point favorites in the latest Lakers vs. Thunder odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 213.5. Before making any Thunder vs. Lakers picks, check out the Lakers vs. Thunder predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-9 roll (74%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at  and on  could have seen huge returns.