The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. The Thunder enter this game sitting at a sterling 11‑1, and the Lakers are not far behind at 8‑3. This matchup holds major implications for both teams as they look to make a statement in the Western Conference. Here, I break down this massive matchup and give you my Lakers vs Thunder prediction.
Our Lakers vs Thunder Pick
- Pick: Thunder -7.5
- Confidence: ★★☆☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City Thunder
- Date & Time: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 9:30 PM ET
- Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Broadcast: ESPN
Key Storylines
The Thunder begin the night with an elite 11‑1 record and have not faltered at home (5‑0) thus far. They’ve been dominating on both ends, boasting the league’s best defensive rating and the sixth-best offensive rating. The Lakers are 8‑3 and are performing very well on the road (5‑1). They are shooting an efficient 51.2% from the field this season and are averaging 118.1 points per game.
Both teams are heading into this contest with some key contributors on their injury reports. LeBron James and Gabe Vincent remain out for the Lakers. That kind of disruption matters when facing a top‑tier opponent like OKC. OKC has key players such as Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams questionable and their status could be huge in determining this game’s outcome.
It is worth noting that Oklahoma City is playing on a back‑to‑back here. They got a blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night and will have to come back and play on a quick turnaround here. The Lakers have a rest advantage, but even that might not be enough to derail the Thunder with how they are playing early in the season.
Head‑to‑Head & Betting Trends
- This is the first regular-season meeting between the Thunder and Lakers this season.
- These teams will play four times during the regular season this year.
- The Lakers are 8-3 against the spread so far this season.
- The Thunder are 7-5 against the spread despite their 11-1 overall record.
- Los Angeles has gone over the total in 9 of their first 11 games.
- The Thunder are 7-5 to the over entering this matchup.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander | Over 31.5 points |
| Luka Doncic | Over 31.5 points |
| Austin Reaves | Under 22.5 points |
| Chet Holmgren | Over 16.5 points |
Lakers vs Thunder Model Projection
Score Projection: Lakers 113 – Thunder 122
Win Probability: Lakers 29%, Thunder 71%
Final Thoughts
The only loss of the season for the Thunder came on the second night of a back-to-back. But that was a back-to-back on the road. I expect the Thunder to look a lot better in this back-to-back on their home floor against a Lakers team that lacks the secondary scoring options beyond Doncic and Reaves to truly trouble the Thunder defense.
