Simply put, the Thunder is going to have to protect the paint if they want to succeed against the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is not easily contained, and Chet Holmgren is clearly undersized in that matchup. I would expect OKC head coach Mark Daigneault to play plenty of Olivier Sarr tonight to help slow down the New Orleans bigs. In the backcourt, however, OKC has the advantage, especially if Brandon Ingram is unable to go for the Pelicans. Either way, this has the makings of a fun night with plenty of scoring.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #5 Preview: New Orleans PelicansTag: Denver Nuggets
Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Favored at Home Over Defensive-Minded Pistons
Oklahoma City played perhaps one of their worst games in recent history yesterday as they were absolutely destroyed by the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets. The Thunder shot 18.8% from 3, which would have been their second-worst three-point outing all of last season. On top of that, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander managed just 7 points on an abysmal 2-of-16 shooting effort. The game against Denver should be considered an anomaly, and as a result, I think Shai and the Thunder will bounce back with a big win against Detroit at home.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC Favored at Home Over Defensive-Minded PistonsOklahoma City Thunder | Game #3 Preview: Denver Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder ripped off their second road win in a row to kickoff the season, starting 2-0 for the first time since the…
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #3 Preview: Denver NuggetsThunder Against the Spread | Can the Thunder Cover (and Win) at Home Against the Nuggets?
Oklahoma City is 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 2016-17 when the Thunder won 4 straight to begin the season and 6 of their first 7. OKC has their hands full in hosting the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, but I’m okay with being a bit of a homer in this one and saying the fans show up for the home opener, and the Thunder show up for the fans by getting a win, thus covering the spread.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | Can the Thunder Cover (and Win) at Home Against the Nuggets?Thunder Against the Spread | OKC has Tough Cover in Denver
Denver and OKC have been killing it lately. The Nuggets are clearly the better team, but the Thunder keeps it close, regardless of who they’re playing. I can see this one coming down to some free throws at the end, so I’m taking OKC to cover, even if I’m not convinced they can pull off the win.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC has Tough Cover in DenverOKC Thunder | Game #47 Preview: Denver Nuggets
The competition continues to stiffen Sunday night as the Thunder takes on the Denver Nuggets on the road. The Nuggets are on a 9-game win streak, 8 of which have taken place at home. Nikola Jokic has been as efficient as ever, and Jamal Murray is playing some of the best basketball of his career. Despite the Thunder playing Denver close in all 3 matchups so far this season, the Nuggets sit atop the Western Conference with good reason, so OKC has their work cut out for them in this divisional matchup.
View More OKC Thunder | Game #47 Preview: Denver NuggetsThunder Against the Spread | Cautiously Take OKC to Cover Against Denver
I’ll be honest: I’m not a big fan of a 3-point spread against a potential Western Conference juggernaut. While the Nuggets should be considered one of the favorites to come out of the West on top, they certainly haven’t been playing like it, and perhaps that’s why this spread is so close. Denver hasn’t done a great job at covering the spread all season, particularly on the road, and with OKC coming off a rough game on Monday, I think they are going to come out much more focused against the Nuggets.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | Cautiously Take OKC to Cover Against DenverOklahoma City Thunder | Game #18 Preview: Denver Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder struggled to shoot the ball on Monday night against the New York Knicks, and Jalen Brunson scored a season-high 34 points, leading his team to a 129-119 victory over OKC. The Thunder gets another chance to play in front of the home crowd on Wednesday night as they host Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #18 Preview: Denver NuggetsThunder Against the Spread | Can OKC’s Streak Continue?
Oklahoma City has been almost perfect at covering the spread so far this season with a 6-1 record. Tonight’s matchup, however, is a little trickier to pick. On paper, the Nuggets are clearly a better team. Nikola Jokic is the reigning back-to-back MVP, Jamal Murray is back after a year off due to injury, and Michael Porter Jr. is an exciting young up-and-comer. Still, Denver is just a 6-point favorite, and that’s likely due to their lack of consistency so far. Meanwhile, OKC has been rolling with 4 straight wins. I feel like it’s a trap to expect the Thunder to keep winning, at least against a legitimate contender like Denver, so I’m going to have to take the Nuggets to cover the slim spread.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | Can OKC’s Streak Continue?Oklahoma City Thunder | Game 8 Preview: Denver Nuggets
Winners of four straight, the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-3) is one of the hottest teams in the league right now. For the first time since January 10, 2021, OKC is over .500, but that is in jeopardy tonight as the Thunder hosts the Denver Nuggets (4-3). The two teams met just 12 days ago in Denver, a 5-point decision in favor of the Nuggets.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game 8 Preview: Denver Nuggets