LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) Under 9.5 Assists (-135)

Odds available at fanduel at time of publishing

As the Los Angeles Lakers gear up to face the Oklahoma City Thunder, all eyes will be on LeBron James and his passing prowess. However, in this matchup, I'm leaning towards the under on his assists at 9.5. Despite his legendary playmaking, LeBron has averaged just 7.6 assists at home over his last five games. Against the Thunder, his distribution dips further, with only 6.6 assists on average in their last five encounters at home.Moreover, LeBron has only surpassed this mark in 4 of his last 9 home games. With the Lakers likely looking to exploit other avenues of attack against a Thunder team that can struggle defensively, I expect LeBron to focus more on scoring than playmaking. Given the trends and the numbers, taking the under on his assists feels like a smart play as he navigates this pivotal matchup.

LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) Under 32.5 Points + Assists (-120)

Odds available at fanduel at time of publishing

As the Lakers gear up to face the Thunder, all eyes will be on LeBron James. But let's take a closer look at the numbers before we jump onto the hype train. Over his last five games, LeBron has averaged just 18.4 points and 8.6 assists, falling well short of the 32.5 combined mark we're targeting. At home, those averages dip a bit further to 16.8 points and 7.6 assists. Against Oklahoma City specifically, he's managed around 18.8 points and 5.6 assists, with home games yielding slightly better stats at 23.2 points and 6.6 assists. Given that LeBron has only gone over this prop in 2 of his last 20 outings, the trend is clearly leaning towards the under. With a hit rate of 9 out of 10 at home, it's hard to see LeBron surpassing that 32.5 threshold tonight. Keep your

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) Over 29.5 Points (-132)

Odds available at fanduel at time of publishing

When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steps onto the court against the Lakers, you can almost feel the electricity. His recent form is nothing short of spectacular, averaging an impressive 30 points over his last five outings. Even more enticing is his track record against the Lakers, where he's consistently delivered, racking up around 32.4 points the last five times they faced off. Sure, he's on the road, but that hasn't deterred him lately-his away game average sits at 31 points, and he's hit the over in 9 of his last 12 away contests. With the Lakers struggling to contain dynamic guards, Gilgeous-Alexander is primed for a standout performance. Expect him to eclipse that 29.5 mark as he continues to assert himself as one of the league's premier scorers. With an expected stat value of 34.25, this prop feels like a smart play.

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