The Oklahoma City Thunder is the hottest team in the NBA right now. Riding a 6-game winning streak, the Thunder looks like the next big thing in basketball, and they get a chance on Saturday afternoon to take on one of the league’s giants from the last few seasons as Joel Embiid and the Phildealphi 76ers are in town.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #16 Preview: Philadelphia 76ers
The Thunder are going to be tested in this one for sure, but playing in OKC is a slight edge.The Thunder is riding the league’s longest active winning streaking right now, and the Sixers have lost two in a row. Add to it that that OKC has played really well in these games where the spread is extremely close, and I see the Thunder pulling out a tight win.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | Sixers Barely Favored Over Thunder in OKC
OKC has been a double-digit underdog just once this season (against the Celtics in Boston on November 14th), and they covered easily, losing by just 4. Philadelphia blew out the Thunder just a couple of weeks ago, particularly because Joel Embiid is a matchup problem for OKC, who doesn’t have a true big man at the moment. In that game, Embiid didn’t dominate scoring the ball like he can, but he forced the Thunder defense to collapse on him, opening up shots for other guys, who knocked down threes at a high rate. OKC will have to play much better all-around defense if they want to avoid getting blown out by the Sixers yet again, but I think they’re up to the task.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | OKC is a Double-Digit Dog in Philly
The Sixers are 25-15 on the season and sit at 4th in the Eastern Conference standings. These two teams met just two weeks ago on New Year’s Eve, a matchup that Philadelphia controlled easily from start to finish. OKC continues to play without a true big man, and while it has been difficult at times, the Thunder has found a way to make it work. Tonight’s task of slowing down Joel Embiid will not be an easy one, though.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #42 Preview: Philadelphia 76ers
OKC has been a great cover at home so far this season. New Year’s Eve is a tradition for Thunder basketball, and as such, I expect the crowd to be excited and energetic for this one. Also, the Thunder has performed particularly well when they have been an underdog in the +3 to +6 range, going 10-2 in such games this year. Add all of that together with the fact that Philly is just 6-9 at covering on the road and 3-4 when they’re the road favorite, and I’m thinking Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might have another career night to fuel OKC to a NYE victory.
View More Thunder Against the Spread | Expect Fireworks in OKC on NYE
Happy New Year’s Eve! The Oklahoma City Thunder are all set to end 2022 on a high note as they host the Philadelphia 76ers in a tradition as old as…well…the Thunder franchise. The Thunder has played at home on New Year’s Eve every season since coming to OKC, going 12-3 in such games. Tonight’s matchup is perhaps their toughest NYE game to date.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #36 Preview: Philadelphia 76ers
Tonight, the Thunder takes on the Sixers in Philadelphia, but Harden is not slated to play due to a sore hamstring, an injury that has bothered him at different points this season. Even without him, Philly is a tough matchup, and Joel Embiid is one monster of a nightmare for OKC, who doesn’t have a big man that can even come close to competing with him.
View More OKC Thunder | Game #55: Philadelphia 76ers
Tonight the Thunder takes on the Philadelphia 76ers in the regular season home opener, and when you take a look at the schedule for the next couple of weeks (Warriors twice, Lakers twice, Clippers once), this may be OKC’s best shot at a win. The Sixers are still missing Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid isn’t entirely healthy, and miraculously, the Thunder is just a 7.5-point underdog.
View More Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #3 Preview: Philadelphia 76ers
While we don’t know for sure who is available for the 76ers yet we do know that Dort in out for the Thunder tonight. If Philly plays its typical lineup then this could get ugly. If they rest players then it should be pretty interesting. Regardless, we all know that OKC doesn’t want to even sniff a win right now.
View More Thunder Against The Spread | If Embiid Plays OKC Doesn’t Have An Answer
The Oklahoma City Thunder has lost 13 consecutive games, and while it is impossible for them to even tie the NBA record of 26 straight losses, they could get close if they don’t win another game this season. With just 12 games remaining, only 4 of them are against non-playoff teams. Tonight, the Thunder takes on the Philadelphia 76ers on the road.
View More OKC Thunder | Game #61 Preview: Sixers