*These NBA Playoff picks and research are done the previous game day evening, adjust your selections accordingly should spreads and lineups change.
DP’S PLAYER PROP
SEASON RECORD: 66-41
Expert NBA Player Props Analyst, Daniel Parisi, gives his best daily prop.
HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS
As promised, Kyle Lowry delivered one of the great playoff performances to gift us a Game 7 and a cash splash.
If you’ve been following me in this bubble campaign, you would have noticed that I have continuously been in favor of Gordon on the points.
In Game 3, Gordon returned 10 points as his shot count plummeted to a bubble low of “9” and how did that work out for the Rockets? Well. It resulted in predictability with Westbrook and Harden combining for 47 shots.
House Jr is certain to miss again which means the Rockets will activate an extremely slim second unit rotation with minutes being awarded to Green and potentially McLemore but for the most part, the Rockets better be charged up because that starting 5 are going the full count.
Gordon is the key to this game, not Harden, not Westbrook. It’s Gordon. With the series pretty much on the line, I expect LA to double and trap Harden in the half-court where possible. EG will get his looks and minutes.
DP’S PICK – ERIC GORDON OVER 17.5 POINTS – WIN
PARLAYS
We’ve got 2x Same Game Multis for the punters today…
SAME GAME MULTI 1
- HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS – ERIC GORDON OVER 17.5 POINTS
- HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS – LA LAKERS WIN
ODDS – $2.78 – WIN
SAME GAME MULTI 2
- HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS – ERIC GORDON OVER 15.0 POINTS (Alternate Line)
- HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS – OVER 206.5 TOTAL POINTS (Alternate Line)
- HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS – ANTHONY DAVIS OVER 20.5 POINTS (Alternate Line)
- HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS – LA LAKERS WIN
ODDS – $2.56 – WIN
HOUSTON VS LA LAKERS
LA LAKERS LEAD 2-1
PLAYER BETTING TRENDS
- Anthony Davis has a double-double in his last 8 games against the Rockets.
- Anthony Davis has 4+ assists in 5 of the Lakers’ last 6 games. (3.5)
- Russell Westbrook has 9+ rebounds in 18 of his last 22 playoff games. (8.5)
- Eric Gordon has 19+ points in 5 of the Rockets’ last 6 playoff games as underdogs. (17.5)
- Kyle Kuzma has 13+ points in 7 of the Lakers’ last 9 games against the Rockets. (12.5)
- James Harden has 33+ points in 3 of the Rockets’ last 4 games against the Lakers. (31.5)
- LeBron James has 30+ points in 4 of the Lakers’ last 6 games. (29.5)
- Robert Covington has 14+ points in 5 of the Rockets’ last 7 games. (10.5)
() = BOOKIE LINE
MATCHUP TRENDS
- Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
SEASON SERIES
| GAME 3 | HOU | LAL | 102 : 112 |
| GAME 2 | LAL | HOU | 117 : 109 |
| GAME 1 | LAL | HOU | 97 : 112 |
| 07.08.20 | HOU | LAL | 113 : 97 |
| 07.02.20 | LAL | HOU | 111 : 121 |
| 19.01.20 | HOU | LAL | 115 : 124 |
WIN/LOSS
| TEAM | W | L | HOME | ROAD |
| LAL | 52 | 19 | 25-10 | 27-9 |
| HOU | 44 | 28 | 24-12 | 20-16 |
SEASON POINTS +/-
| TEAM | PPG | OPPG | DIFF | AV. TOT |
| LAL | 113.4 | 107.6 | +5.8 | 221.0 |
| HOU | 117.8 | 114.8 | +3.0 | 232.6 |
PICKS ATS
| Spread | Points | Result |
| LAL | UNDER | LAL |
| -5.5 | 220.5 | 110-100 |
The Lakers flexed in Game 3, and their efficiency was off the charts, with every player in a positive +/-.
The Rockets were at the other end of the efficiency scale, with all players bar one with a negative +/-, that player being Austin Rivers.
Westbrook continued to frustrate, constantly player out of tempo with his mindset of “must run fast even if I have no idea what I’m doing next”. Somebody on Twitter made a comment of “Westbrook plays basketball like DMX raps.” We found it quiet amusing.
With the score tied at 82 at the close of the 3rd quarter in Game 3, Houston missed 4 of 6 shot while committing 3 turnovers during a stretch that fueled a 17-5 Lakers rally and eventual 112-102 victory.
We aren’t counting out the Rockets tonight, but we also aren’t counting out another Russell Westbrook meltdown.
PICK – LA LAKERS -5.5
