Lakers vs Rockets Same-Game Parlay for Friday's NBA Playoffs Game 3
Jason Logan • Senior Betting Analyst21+ years betting experience
Updated:
Apr 23, 2026 , 06:40 PM ET
• 4 min read
The Lakers hold a 2-0 lead but aren't getting love from oddsmakers on the road in Game 3. Jason Logan's same-game parlay takes the points with L.A. but gives Kevin Durant the respect he deserves.
Photo By - Reuters Connect. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate (8) in the first half of game two.
The Los Angeles Lakers were left for dead when Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were ruled out for this Round 1 matchup with the Houston Rockets.
But after two games in L.A., it would seem everyone and their cat is writing off Kevin Durant and the Rockets. Well, everyone but oddsmakers.
Houston is a near double-digit home chalk for Game 3 and while my same-game parlay doesn’t think the Rockets can cover that spread, it does see Durant bouncing back from a bad series debut.
The extra days off and a move to Texas helps the Houston Rockets get right, but this spread is a beefy ask for a team that’s looked lost in the opening two games – with or without KD. The Los Angeles Lakers can keep it closer than 10 points on Friday.
Kevin Durant scored 20 points in the opening half of Game 2, then finished with only three more to stay short of his scoring prop of 23.5 O/U.
Durant told reporters he plans to be more aggressive against the Lakers’ double teams, opting to shoot more than his 12 FGAs in Game 2. Projections sit as high as 28 points from Durant, who’s had extra time to rest his ailing knee before Friday night.
Rui Hachimura has been quietly consistent for L.A. in the opening two games of the series, knocking down 50% of his looks for tallies of 13 and 14 points.
I do suspect some of the Lakers role players to take a step back on the road, but Rui doesn’t shrink in enemy territory and is projected for 15 points in Game 3.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
In his 20 years with Covers, lead NFL betting analyst Jason Logan has seen it all and bet it all. Through the wild west of early Internet gambling to lobbying for legalized sports betting to our brave new wagering world, Jason has been a consistent source of actionable info and entertainment for squares and sharps alike.
Since joining the Covers team back in 2005, he honed his handicapping skills to provide audiences with the most thorough insights, blending traditional capping methods with advanced modelling and predictive analysis. Jason has studied the ins and outs of the sports betting business, learning from some of the most successful gamblers in the industry and the biggest sportsbook operators on the planet.
He is under center for Covers during NFL season as our top NFL expert, taking the points in his infamous NFL Underdogs column and representing the Covers Community at the Super Bowl. While he lives for football season, Jason's first love is basketball and that shows in his in-depth NBA, NCAA, and WNBA betting breakdowns.
On top of being a mainstay in media from coast to coast at stations like WPIX, PHL17, Fox 5 San Diego, WGNO, TSN, SportsNet, ESPN Radio, Jason's analysis has also been featured in USA Today, MSNBC, ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, CBS, Bloomberg, the L.A. Times, the New York Times and other major publications. You can also find JLo stuffing all the top picks and predictions he can into 10 minutes as the host of Covers' flagship podcast, The Sharp 600.
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