Lakers vs Rockets Game 2 Odds and Picks
- The Houston Rockets stunned the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening contest of this series, collecting a 15-point victory
- James Harden dropped a game-high 36 points, while LeBron was limited to just 20 thanks to some tremendous defense from Houston
- Can the Lakers bounce back in Game 2 on Sunday? Get the odds, preview, and best bet below
Houston’s two superstars in Russell Westbrook and James Harden got the best of LeBron James and Anthony Davis on Friday night, leading their team to a 112-97 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Los Angeles, one of the clear favorites to win the NBA title this season, will have the opportunity to even up the series at one in Game 2 against the Rockets on Sunday, September 6. Tip-off is 8:30pm ET.
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers Game 2 Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points at Fanduel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | +5 (-110) | +180 | Ov 224.5 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Lakers | -5 (-110) | -215 | Un 224.5 (-110) |
Odds taken September 5th
The latest Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers odds are favoring Frank Vogel’s team by five points on Sunday.
Rockets Bring Vibrant Energy in Game 1
No one was expecting Houston to roll into Game 1 of this series and win by a convincing 15 points, but thanks to an impressive offensive and defensive performance, Mike D’Antoni’s squad was able to pull off the upset.
I'll say it AGAIN: The Rockets win with their small-ball DEFENSE. No. 1 in the NBA in defensive efficiency. No. 1 in turnovers forced. Often seems like they have seven or eight guys flying all over the place on D. They just held the LBJ/AD Lakers under 100!
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 5, 2020
Harden was brilliant and really set the tone for the offense, pouring in 36 points while shooting 60% from the field and 50% from downtown. He took it upon himself to drive to the hoop and use his physicality to score a lot of his buckets, which is no easy task against an imposing Lakers team in the paint.
Westbrook also did his part, dropping 24. These two alone accounted for over half of Houston’s points in Game 1. Eric Gordon also had a huge night, scoring 23. The #4 seed in the West took full advantage of LA’s careless mistakes, collecting 27 points from their 17 turnovers.
The Rockets are a smaller team, but LA’s size didn’t pose a threat to them on Friday. They did a solid job of limiting LeBron and AD’s productivity around the rim while playing very tight defense on the two Laker stars.
Houston scored 42 points in the paint compared to just 40 for their opponents, proving that size honestly didn’t play a factor in this contest. The Rockets were playing fast and energetic basketball, while LA looked dismal at times.
The lack of a big in the paint was always a topic of concern for this team, but it wasn’t an issue in Game 1. They may not be a large team, but the Rockets play with a lot of heart and that’s exactly what showed on Friday.
A Night to Forget For LA on Friday
It was an underwhelming performance for James on Friday, scoring just 20 points in 37 minutes on the floor as Houston held the Lakers to just 97 points, well below their season average of 113.4. Davis was statistically the best player on the floor for the Lakeshow, collecting 25 points.
But, without the King at his best, it’s hard to see Los Angeles winning a ring. Against a team that is fast and very efficient defensively, LeBron needs to a find a way to produce. Houston may be quick, but the Lakers still have a lot more size.
“I don’t know why people keep saying we’re small. I don’t care if you 7-feet. If you don’t have heart, it doesn’t matter.”
—Harden after winning Game 1 vs. the Lakers pic.twitter.com/gRRLDdWAwa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 5, 2020
They must use this to their advantage from this point on, especially Davis and James. Taking high percentage looks in the paint will be a key figure moving forward. This won’t be easy when the Rockets are constantly pounding them defensively, but if there is one man who knows how to lead by example, it’s LeBron.
The supporting cast didn’t necessarily help in Game 1 either. Rajon Rondo, who just returned from an injury, scored just eight points in 24 minutes. Their next highest scorer besides AD and James was Alex Caruso, who had 14. All in all, it was a night to forget for LA as Houston controlled the tempo of this game. But after losing the opener of the first round to Portland, the Lakers bounced back with four straight victories. They’ll be looking to follow that same trend in this series, but it will be a much tougher task against a better team in the Rockets.
Best Bet
I personally don’t see Houston winning two straight right off the bat. I do think this is going to be an entertaining series that could go the distance, but the Lakers will respond with a win in Game 2 to even it up. They know what adjustments that need to be made against Houston and they’ll address those issues on Sunday. The bigs will be more physical around the hoop, while James will return with a solid performance. Los Angeles are a safe bet to meet the spread.
Pick: Lakers -5 (-110)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
