The Los Angeles Lakers hope that returning to the West Coast will change their fortunes against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder have dominated the first two games of the series by 18 points each, continuing a trend in which OKC dominated the four regular-season games, winning by an average of 29.3 points.
Here are my best Thunder at Lakers props and NBA picks for Saturday, May 9.
Best Thunder vs Lakers props for Game 3
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Chet Holmgren |
Over 16.5 points | -110 |
| Jared McCain |
Over 1.5 made threes | +130 |
 Jaxson Hayes Over 4.5 points |
Over 4.5 points | -112 |
Game 3 Prop #1: Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 points
The series has been a mismatch in the paint as Chet Holmgren has dominated Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton. Holmgren has increased his scoring by two points per game—to 19.2—in the postseason and is averaging 23 in the OKC series, shooting 16-of-28, .571.
Ayton, meanwhile, has shot 6-of-19 for 13 points in the two games combined. That continued a trend for the seven-footer. He shot just .524 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the regular season—one of his five worst shooting percentages against any team—and averaged just 5.8 ppg.
Playoff basketball is a game of adjustments. It's on Ayton to step up his game. He may be able to hold Holmgren below 20 at home, but it's tough to envision him holding the big man below his season average.
Game 3 Prop #2: Jared McCain Over 1.5 made threes
It's always fascinating to see how one mismatch can impact everyone on the floor. As the Lakers have struggled to contain Holmgren inside, it's also opened things up at the perimeter. L.A. has had to help Ayton in the paint, which has created more space for OKC's shooters.
Ajay Mitchell has averaged 19 points in the first two games, a half dozen more than his season scoring average. The biggest beneficiary, however, has been rookie Jared McCain. He's come off the bench to knock down four of five from outside in both games.
McCain is hitting 60% of his three-point attempts in the postseason. For the year, he shot .391 from outside and averaged 1.8 three-pointers per game.
He's certainly gotten L.A.'s attention and likely won't find himself as open going forward, but getting +130 odds of him topping his season average seems too generous to pass up, especially considering the heater he's on.
Game 3 Prop #3: Jaxson Hayes Over 4.5 points
Jaxson Hayes may be the best adjustment L.A. can make to try to slow Holmgren. He's taken three shots in both of the first two games, making four.
The other scenario where Hayes steps up would be if Ayton continues to struggle with foul trouble against Holmgren. Hayes is a high-energy player off the bench who can show flashes of brilliance. He shot 24-for-27 over a four-game stretch in March, averaging more than 15 points and seven boards.
Hayes played in three of the four regular-season games against the Thunder, making 9 of 12 shots and averaging 8.7 points. He won't emerge as an interior force in the game, but two made shots and a free throw seem like a reasonable expectation.
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