The Oklahoma City Thunder will shoot for a 3-0 series lead tonight when they face the struggling Lakers at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. This evening’s contest is scheduled for a 10:30pm ET start time on ESPN. The spread in tonight’s Game 3 showdown has the hosting Lakers listed as a -2.5 point favorite. NBA Playoffs Picks have Los Angeles as a -140 moneyline play while the Thunder is drawing +120 odds. The game total is set at 191.5 points.

While the Lakers Game 1 loss at Oklahoma City (119-90) was embarrassing, it was the kind of setback a team can usually shake off. Wednesday’s Game 2 loss may be another matter.

Los Angeles bounced back from its horrendous series opener, out-pacing the Thunder in quarters one and three, but a late collapse saw Kobe Bryant and company blow a seven point lead with two minutes left in the game. The Lakers went on to lose 77-75 after scoring just 12 points in the final frame.

Los Angeles’ big three, Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum, combined for a modest 54 points but its thin bench tallied 11 points. As a team the Lakers shot 38.5 percent from the field and 13.3 percent (2-for-15) from long range.

Aside from Kevin Durant (9-of-15 for 22 points), Oklahoma City (a -1500 moneyline favorite to win its series with the Lakers) also struggled to find the basket, shooting 42 percent for the game. However, there were enough sparks from Durant, Russell Westbrook (15), and James Harden (13) to extinguish the weary Lakers.

If the Lakers are going to make this a series, they must win tonight. They are coming off a day of rest and will see a friendly crowd for the first time in almost a week. Those eyeing Los Angeles should consider them this evening rather than tomorrow night, regardless of any potential psychological effects from Wednesday’s gut-wrenching loss. The schedule makers did the aging, depthless club few favors by scheduling back-to-back games against the younger, more energetic Thunder, which makes the prospects of a Saturday win seem even more improbable.

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