Three wagers for Lakers-Warriors Game 2

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The NBA Playoffs continue to roll on with another highly anticipated Western Conference semifinal bout between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Anthony Davis made history with a scintillating performance in Game 1, etching his name into Lakers history by becoming the only player to drop at least 30 points, 20 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a playoff game. But the Lakers didn’t win because of him alone; LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder also stepped up to help L.A. edge out Golden State in a close but decisive series opener.

So what can we expect in Game 2? Here are three bets I’m making ahead of Thursday night’s clash.

Warriors -6.5 (-110)

The Warriors had no answer for AD in Game 1, and I expect Steve Kerr and Co. to adjust ahead of Game 2. Kerr acknowledged that getting into early foul trouble “set a bad tone” at the onset of Game 1, along with lapses in execution throughout. The Lakers averaged the most free-throw attempts per game in the regular season, but when Dennis Schroder scores 9 of his 19 points from the charity stripe, you know it’s a problem.

The Lakers converted on 25 of their 29 free-throw attempts in the series opener — their highest mark of their postseason thus far.

Now, the Warriors can only do so much to throw Davis off his game — I’m expecting we’ll see more zone looks and double-teams. Still, the key for the Warriors will be staggering Kevon Looney and Draymond Green’s minutes at center, limiting their fouls and playing at a faster pace.

It’s worth noting that Davis and James played at least 40 minutes each in Game 1, and the Warriors found success going to their small-ball lineup with Green at center and Andrew Wiggins at PF late in Game 1. Game 2 has the feel of a must-win game for the Dubs since they already crawled out of a 2-0 deficit in their first-round battle with the Kings. And as much as it felt like the Warriors were outmatched in the series opener, they managed to keep the game within reach. Despite all of their fouling and poor shooting — 41.5% on two-point FGs (they’re shooting over 50% on 2-pt FGs in the…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2023-05-04 19:55:24

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