The Los Angeles Lakers have tied the series up against the Portland Trail Blazers with a decisive win in Game 2. A crucial Game 3 is on tap this Saturday, as both teams aspire to take the upper hand in the series. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 3 on August 22, 2020
Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando
When: Saturday, August 22, 2020, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Lakers (odds) vs Portland Trail Blazers (odds) – view all 2020 NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the Los Angeles Lakers (odds)
Regular Season Record: 52-19
LA Lakers Betting Guide: View here (it’s free!)
Everything is back to normal for the LakeShow. After a series-opener upset loss to Portland, the Lakers went down to work and demolished the Blazers in a 111-88 win on Thursday. The game was essentially open before the final quarter without the Lakers even needing a gaudy stat line from LeBron James. The MVP award finalist put up just 10 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. It was Anthony Davis, who spearheaded LA’s attack, finishing the game with 31 points and 11 rebounds. After making only five 3-pointers on 15.6 percent shooting in Game 1, the Lakers were much sharper from deep in Game 2, draining 14 threes on 36.8 percent accuracy. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope snapped out of his slump and drilled four 3-pointers of his own. The biggest takeaway from this game for the Lakers is that they seem to have found their groove, and for most the season, they play like the best team in the NBA when they get it together. The same can’t be said of Danny Green, though, who continues to get the ire of Lakers fans after 1 for 4 in Game 2.
The Lakers are 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 games versus Portland.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (odds)
Regular Season Record: 35-39
Dame Time hardly struck for Portland in Game 2. Apparently hurting, Lillard scored just 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field in the loss to the Lakers. Lillard admitted after the game that he felt uncomfortable because of a dislocated finger. Lillard’s status for Game 3 remains up in the air, but X-rays on his hand were negative, so that’s good news for the Blazers, who are averaging 124.0 points over their last 10 games — the most among all teams in the NBA during that stretch. CJ McCollum didn’t report any injury but shot just 6 for 16 from the field for 13 points. The Blazers can’t afford for McCollum to go cold in the same game that Lillard is. Stopping Davis is a tall order, but Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside have to make the Lakers big man work to gas him up. Nurkic only had nine points in Game 2 after scoring 16 in the series opener.
The over is 7-3 in the Blazers’ last 10 games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
The Lakers win, 116-110.
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