With the ouster of the Milwaukee Bucks, we officially have our first one-game playoff day of the 2020 season. How will that affect best bets? It opens the door for the most inconsistent and exciting bets on the board: individual prop bets. Today, as we lean into the second-round matchup between the Lakers and Rockets, we not only have teams to consider, but players as well. Rajon Rondo gets the first individual prop bet of the postseason among Thursday's Best Bets.
All lines via William Hill Sportsbook
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets: Lakers -5
Houston's shooting can make any pick look foolish, but right now, the Lakers are firmly in control of this series. They've found a series of defensive strategies that they can use against James Harden that are varied enough to keep him off his game. LeBron James has dominated the past two games, and Anthony Davis is figuring out how to score on P.J. Tucker. The momentum is firmly on their side in this one.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets: Under 220.5
Danuel House Jr.missing Game 4 bodes well for defense on both sides in this game, and with one fewer shooter, the Lakers will have an easier time trapping James Harden. Until Harden starts moving more off of the ball, those traps are going to limit his shot attempts. The Rockets were held to only 30 3-point attempts in Game 3, their second-lowest total of the season. The Lakers have offensive issues of their own. Both teams have the potential for more scoring, but Game 3 suggested that, for now, defense will rule the day.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets: Rajon Rondo under 8.5 points
The emergence of "Playoff Rondo" has been a delight, and while some of what he has done is sustainable, the shooting, probably, is not. Rondo, a 31.6 percent 3-point shooter on 1.4 attempts per game for his career, has made 40 percent on five attempts per game in this series. Yes, the Rockets have left him wide open so far, but even on wide-open attempts this season, he has been a below-average shooter. He'll have good games and bad games, but expect some missed shots in this one.
