Free NBA Picks Today: Los Angeles Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder 3/24/23

The Oklahoma City Thunder (36-37, 14-22 Away) travel to face the Los Angeles Lakers (36-37, 20-17 Home) Friday in what figures to be an up-tempo game. Oklahoma City is playing on back-to-back days after getting dominated by the Los Angeles Clippers 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena yesterday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the key player in the losing effort with 30 points and three blocks. The Thunder are seventh in the Western Conference. Los Angeles found victory on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena, beating the Phoenix Suns 122-111.

Anthony Davis scored 27 points to lead the team in scoring. With 25 points and 11 assists, Austin Reaves also had an impressive game. The Lakers are 10th in the Western Conference. The teams are meeting for the last time this season.

Oklahoma City and Los Angeles have split their two matchups this season. The Lakers triumphed in the most recent meeting, beating the Thunder 123-117 at Paycom Center on March 1. Dennis Schroder led the Lakers with 26 points, while Reaves contributed 19 points. Jalen Williams had 24 points and seven assists in defeat.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points per game, fourth-highest in the league, to lead the Thunder in scoring this season. Meanwhile, Josh Giddey is contributing 7.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. Russell Westbrook has powered the Lakers on offense, averaging 15.9 points per game.

Westbrook has also filled the stat sheet with 7.5 assists, eighth-most in the league, and 6.2 rebounds per game. Look for plenty of transition offense in this matchup that showcases two of the NBA’s most up-tempo teams, as the Lakers are third in possessions per game while the Thunder are fourth.

The Thunder have come up short in recent games at Crypto.com Arena, losing six of the last 10. Meanwhile, the Thunder are 4-7 this season when playing the second of a back-to-back and 4-5 with a rest disadvantage. The Lakers are 6-5 with a rest advantage.

Oklahoma City is 7-3 in the last 10 games with an average margin of -0.6 (114.1-114.7). Los Angeles has gone 6-4 over the last 10, scoring 113.3 points per game on average while holding opponents to 109.1 (+4.2 margin). The Lakers are averaging 116.5 ppg for the full season while allowing 116.7.

THUNDER HOT/COLD

(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Jalen Williams: 28.8 | 21.4 | +7.4
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl: 5.7 | 12.4 | -6.7
Points per game:
Jalen Williams: 18.5 | 13.7 | +4.8
Assists per game:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 3.6 | 5.4 | -1.8

LAKERS HOT/COLD

(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Austin Reaves: 33.6 | 18.3 | +15.3
Lonnie Walker IV: 2.0 | 15.5 | -13.5
Points per game:
Austin Reaves: 22.8 | 12.3 | +10.5
Rebounds per game:
Rui Hachimura: 2.0 | 4.3 | -2.3
Assists per game:
Dennis Schroder: 3.0 | 4.6 | -1.6