Game 2 will be a big game of adjustments as Mark Daigneault tries to get the Thunder ready to tie up the series. Attack the rim more—even if Wemby is in the paint—rebound the ball at a much more efficient rate, and keep the crowd in the game by way of momentum.
Same spread, different game. As good as Game 1 was for basketball fans in general, the Thunder didn’t play all that well outside of Alex Caruso popping off for a career playoff-high of 31 points, just 1 point shy of tying his career-high. Jalen Williams was solid in his return to action after missing nearly a month, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a pretty rough game, and Chet was generally bad after having a great run in the playoffs so far. Victory Wembanyama was an animal in Game 1, and the Spurs are definitely the Thunder’s best competition in the league, but OKC has lost back-to-back games just 4 times this season, never back-to-back at home. I anticipate a bounce back for OKC, resulting in a solid cover.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Looks to Bounce Back in Game 2 of WCF Favored Over Spurs
The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are crossing paths once again, and this time, it’s in the Western Conference Finals. The seemingly forced rivalry between the Thunder and the Spurs is becoming more and more real as time goes on, and this series should take it to another level.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Western Conference Finals Game 1 Preview: San Antonio Spurs
The Oklahoma City Thunder are not just reasonably favored in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs but also the series. OKC is coming off a week of rest, while San Antonio just finished out their second round series with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. The Thunder enters this round at full strength, while the Spurs have a couple of question marks on the injury report. Everybody wants to talk about the regular-season series, but those games are not a true indicator of this matchup for a lot of reasons. What truly matters is that the Thunder has played at another level of focus and energy over the last month, and I don’t see that dipping against the Spurs. Give me OKC to cover tonight.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Opens WCF as 6.5-Point Favorite Over Spurs for Game 1
While another blowout win should not surprise anyone, the Thunder’s primary goal for Game 4 should be to take care of business without too much drama or incident. As physical as the series has been, it’s a wonder that OKC hasn’t experienced any injuries, and it would be nice to keep it that way. LeBron James is unlikely to go quietly into the night, so the Thunder defense needs to be active early, and the offense needs to be patient, yet decidedly focused. Hopefully, at the end of the night, OKC will be ready to relax for at least a few days as they await their opponent in the Western Conference Finals.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Western Conference Semifinals Game 4 Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
OKC has covered the spread against the Lakers easily in each game in this series (and all season), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has yet to have a truly great game. With the opportunity to sweep and clinch the series, I like the Thunder’s chances of winning by way of a massive blowout. Los Angeles has done a great job at making life difficult for SGA, which makes it harder on OKC as a whole. However, the younger, fresher legs are turning tight games into runaway wins, and LeBron James—as spectacular as he has been—is wearing down. Don’t be surprised if the Thunder covers and finally sends the Lakers to their summer vacation destinations.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Favored by Double-Digits Over Lakers in Game 4 for Potential Series Clincher
Playing on the road can be a different animal, and this is the first road playoff game of the 2026 Playoffs for OKC. Still, the Thunder has championship experience, and the maturity and poise with which they play will be key to steadying the ship through difficult waters tonight. OKC is no longer an underdog, and with what now feels like the world against the Thunder, being the favorite to win doesn’t matter. OKC must maintain a ‘0-0’ mindset and take care of business. Let the other team take care of chatting with the officials.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Western Conference Semifinals Game 3 Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
Despite being favored by 15.5 points in Games 1 and 2, the spread on this one is cut nearly in half, and I think it has more than just homecourt advantage to do with it. Immediately following their Game 2 loss, the entire Lakers roster surrounded NBA official John Goble to complain about the perceived unfair whistle. That, followed by a social media push that “OKC gets officiated differently,” leads me to believe that the Thunder will receive no favors from the officiating crew in Game 3. It won’t matter, though. OKC is the better team by a lot, and if the Thunder can handle the pressure of playing on the road, this should be another double-digit victory.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Favored by Significantly Less on the Road Against Lakers for Game 3
The game plan doesn’t change too much for OKC in Game 2. Take care of the ball, play with energy and physicality on defense, and be patient under all circumstances. Los Angeles is older in years, but OKC is rich in experience, and the Thunder’s philosophy of steady consistency leads to constant winning. Taking a 2-0 lead is not just the hope or wish for Thunder fans, it’s the expectation.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Western Conference Semifinals Game 2 Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
OKC isn’t just the better team in this matchup; they are clearly, unequivocally, without argument superior to the Lakers in basically every facet of the game. The Thunder SHOULD dominate again, and SHOULD cover this giant spread again. With that being said, it’s the Playoffs, AND it’s the Lakers we’re talking about, so it wouldn’t be crazy to see something abnormal take place. Following the outcome of Game 1, I don’t see many adjustments that can be made to bring about a different ending, so I like OKC to cover once again.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Once Again Heavily Favored Over Lakers for Game 2