Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder are now just one win away from moving onto the second round after outlasting the Nuggets in a pivotal 112-105 home win in Game 5 on Tuesday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 31 points, six rebounds and seven assists, Jalen Williams added 18 points with nine rebounds and four assists, Isaiah Hartenstein scored 15 points while Chet Holmgren chipped in with 14 points.
As a team, the Thunder shot 50 percent from the field and 12 of 29 from the 3-point line as they battled with the Nuggets early on. They looked to be in trouble when they trailed by 12 points in the third quarter, before they clamped down defensively and dominated the fourth quarter by 34-19 to earn the crucial win in front of their home fans.
Denver Nuggets Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are now battling to stave off elimination after getting stopped in their tracks by the Thunder in a tough loss in Game 5. Nikola Jokic led the team with a game-high 44 points with 15 rebounds and five assists on 17 of 25 shooting, Jamal Murray added 28 points while Aaron Gordon chipped in with 13 points, but no other player finished in double figures in scoring.
As a team, the Nuggets shot just 41 percent from the field and 13 of 46 from the 3-point line as they leaned heavily on the hot hand of Jokic to carry them throughout three quarters. Before they got blown out in the fourth quarter to fall just short in the end. Christian Braun had a rough game as he shot just three of 12 for his eight points, Russell Westbrook scored just four points on one of seven shooting while Michael Porter Jr scored just two points on one of seven shooting.
Why the Denver Nuggets will win
- The Nuggets have won each of their last five games as home underdogs against Western Conference opponents following a loss.
- The Thunder have lost 16 of their last 17 playoff road games against Northwest Division opponents following a win.
- The underdogs have covered the spread in each of the Thunder’s last 11 games at Ball Arena.
- The Thunder have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine Western Conference Semifinals games as favorites following a win.
Why the Oklahoma City Thunder will win
- The Thunder have won 17 of their last 19 road games.
- The Nuggets have lost three of their last four games.
- The Thunder have covered the spread in eight of their last 10 night games at Ball Arena.
Denver Nuggets Player Facts
- Nikola Jokic is the only qualified player in the league averaging at least 25.0 points, 10.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds this season.
- Christian Braun ranks 1st in the league for fast break points (403) this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder Player Facts
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranks 1st amongst qualified players for points per game (32.7) this season.
- Cason Wallace ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.8) this season.
Nuggets vs Thunder Prediction
The Thunder needed to respond after dropping Game 4, and they are now in the driver seat after taking care of business in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead. The Nuggets weren’t able to pull off the upset on Tuesday despite a big game from Jokic, but you would expect a better performance from the role players now that the series has shifted back to the Ball Arena.
The Thunder hold the momentum in the series, and I’m not surprised that they’ve opened as favorites on the road, but the Nuggets were good enough to outlast the Clippers in seven games in the first round. Something tells me that we’re about to see them in another series decider. The Thunder are more than capable of finishing the job with a big win here, but the Nuggets have their backs against the wall. I think they get a crucial win here if Jokic can get more support in this one.