Los Angeles Lakers Enter Western Conference Semifinals as +945 Underdogs

com. This represents the largest underdog status for the Lakers in a conference semifinal in the modern NBA era, per Sports Odds History. m. on May 3, 2026, with the host team favored by 16 points. In their previous first-round series, the Lakers opened as +475 underdogs against their opponent, who were listed at -650.

The Lakers won that series in six games. During the series, the Lakers limited their opponent's offensive rebounds and extra possessions, holding them to the lowest scoring total of any team in the postseason up to that point.

com. This margin is the largest between any teams in an NBA playoff matchup historically. Specific losses included a 29-point defeat in November, a loss in February despite the opposing team missing a key player, a 43-point loss on April 2, and a 36-point loss shortly after.

com. That player has begun shooting and moving on the court but has not progressed to 1-on-1 drills and is not expected for Game 1, though a return later in the series is possible. Another player missed five of the six first-round games due to injury.

The semifinal opponent is noted for being younger, deeper, faster, and more cohesive, with strong defensive capabilities and effective spacing, three-point shooting, and transition play. The Lakers' strategy in the first round involved strong execution despite absences.

The current odds exceed those from previous instances, such as when a Lakers player's team opened as +12.5 underdogs in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals and covered the spread despite losing in overtime. The semifinals odds for the Lakers are listed at +945 to +1000 across books, with the opposing team at -1700.