.jpg "Warriors-at-Thunder-(ESPN)")
It was a bold move to acquire All-Stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, but a month into the season the Oklahoma City Thunder have yet to reap the benefits. The moves were made so the Thunder could be seen as more of a threat to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. Teaming them with MVP Russell Westbrook was supposed to give OKC the threat it lost when Kevin Durant bailed for the Bay Area and won his ring last season. The Thunder may still be a threat in the West, but the Dubs are the supreme team.
Don’t miss the hardwood action from Chesapeake Energy Arena at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 22, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Thunder were going to be an offensive juggernaut with the additions of George and Melo, two proven scorers in the league. But things haven’t meshed well for OKC as they continue to search for rotations that will get the most out of their players. As a result, the offense has been slow to come around and the results don’t lie. The under is 10-5 through the first 15 games. The Warriors finish up their four-game road trip and while they’ve won the last two after opening the excursion with a SU loss in Boston, they have yet to cover and are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.
Key Stat
The Warriors have been so good at scoring the basketball over the past several years that their offensive production is expected on a nightly basis. And not to be overshadowed by their exploits of previous seasons, the Dubs have delivered. It’s hard to imagine them being any better, but this year’s club is again doing things not many expected. They have the occasional game where things don’t always go according to plan. That occurred last week in a loss to the Celtics when the Warriors scored a season-low 88 points.
But two straight games with the offense slowed just don’t happen. The Warriors followed up that loss in Boston with a resounding comeback to knock off the Sixers. Down by as many as 24 points, the Warriors used a 47-point third quarter to turn the tables on Philly. Golden State has scored at least 40 points in a quarter five times already this season and their scoring average of nearly 118 points per game is over five points higher than second-place Houston.
Injury Update
Durant sat out the Warriors win in Brooklyn on Sunday and is questionable to play in his second visit to Oklahoma City as an opposing player due to an ankle sprain. The Dubs didn’t need him against the Nets, though the game was closer than many expected. The Nets were without D’Angelo Russell, a loss that severely impacted their chances at claiming an upset. But without Durant, the Warriors lacked focus at times throughout the contest and they allowed the Nets to climb back into the game in the second half.
Curry made up for KD’s absence by pouring in 39 points, but with stiffer competition against the Thunder, and a little motivation with facing their former teammate, Durant’s absence could prove to be a game-changer. The Dubs have a few days off before tangling with OKC and that could be enough to get Durant ready to go. But in a big picture approach, we’ve seen Steve Kerr give additional time to his players when recuperating from injuries.
Free NBA ATS Picks
We expected the Thunder to have a top-5 offense after adding George and Melo, but that hasn’t been the case as of yet and the Thunder are off to a disappointing start. At least their defense has been solid, allowing them to hover around the .500 mark through the first month of the season. A recent three-game winning streak had many thinking they turned the corner, but the Thunder blew a big lead in losing to the shorthanded Spurs, dampening the joy of that successful run.
And outside of Westbrook, George and Anthony, the Thunder have received little in terms of production. The way the Warriors have played defense, they could be the elixir that gets OKC’s offense in gear. The Dubs like to run and push the pace, but the Celtics slowed them down and got a win and the Nets did the same to nearly pull off the upset. Look for a similar game plan from the Thunder to keep the score below the closing total.
NBA Odds: Warriors 111, Thunder 106
BookMaker offers play-by- play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
