Thursday will bring yet another one-game slate. The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors for the second time this week in a Game 2 matchup after securing an upset road victory in their first second-round matchup. The NBA's daily pick 'em contest is offering up prizes once again and we've evaluated three plays for Thursday worth considering alongside a strong DFS option. You can view the rest of the options here and use the information for DFS purposes.
Which team will make more free throws: LAL
The Lakers' success getting to the line has carried over from the regular season to the playoffs. They attempted a league-high 26.6 free throws per game ahead of the postseason and overwhelmed the Dubs at the charity stripe in Game 1. The Lakers were an impressive 25 for 29 from the line while the Warriors made five of their six attempts. Golden State is clearly better when it comes to perimeter shooting, but their lack of offensive talent in the frontcourt seems likely to limit their chances at drawing fouls in the painted area. Look for the Lakers to win the free throw battle again.
Will Dennis Schroder dish more than three assists: No
Schroder's role has been tinkered with quite a bit this season. The reserve point guard was surprisingly effective earlier this week with 19 points in 31 minutes and he dished out three assists as well. D'Angelo Russell and LeBron James seem poised to do most of the playmaking, though. Schroder's tallied more than three assists twice in the eight games he's appeared in since the regular season ended. He was also short of four assists in eight of the 14 regular-season games he played alongside Russell.
Who will score more points between Austin Reeves and Jordan Poole: Poole
Poole came back to life in Game 1 and rattled off 21 points on 15 shots. The Warriors' sometimes streaky sixth man missed a big shot down the stretch, but was crucial to keeping his team in the game with outside shooting. Reeves is almost certain to get more minutes as a starter and did attempt at least 10 shots in seven straight games before Game 1, but Poole's central focus will be to provide scoring support. Poole's momentum makes him the better option ahead of Game 2.
Also: Reeves averaged 11.0 points per game through four meetings with the Warriors during the regular season.
Thursday DFS play
Looney has become a rebounding machine during this postseason. The Warriors center has snared at least 20 rebounds in four of his previous six games. He's also averaged 5.3 assists per game during that span, which is more than twice as much as his regular-season mark. Looney's back-to-back double-doubles are promising, especially with his last one coming against a premier defender like Anthony Davis. The Warriors don't have enough center depth to not play Looney consistently, and he's producing at a high level with his current workload.
