The Oklahoma City Thunder has competed very well against the elite teams in the NBA this season, which bodes well for its competitiveness come postseason time. The Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors on the road recently and will aim to pull the trick again this weekend.
Despite that victory, the Thunder will be a sizable underdog. The Warriors have fallen a half-game behind the Rockets for the top seed in the Western Conference and wants to finish the year strong and finish with the best record in the NBA.
The recent result between these teams won’t sway the oddsmakers much, who will consider Golden State’s dominant track record and institute them as the clear team to beat.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Oracle Arena at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 24, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on ABC.
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Odds Analysis
Oklahoma City is 33-26 straight up and 25-34 against the spread. The Thunder has only covered in 12 of 29 attempts on the road this season. Oklahoma City has done a nice job as the underdog, covering in five of its seven attempts.
The Warriors are 44-14 straight up and 26-31-1 against the spread. Golden State is 13-15-1 against the spread at home on the season. The Warriors have been favored in every game and certainly won’t be an underdog at home this year.
Previous Meeting
Oklahoma City jumped out to a quick lead early in a game between these teams earlier this month and eventually cruised to the 125-105 victory. Carmelo Anthony was injured in the first quarter and didn’t return, but the team didn’t miss a beat.
Paul George led the way with 38 points, five rebounds and six steals in the game. Russell Westbrook also had a nice showing, adding 34 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Oklahoma City shot 47.3 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range.
The Warriors were led by Kevin Durant’s 33 points, but Golden State shot just 28 percent from three-point range, a rarity. The Thunder did a really nice job defensively and hope for much of the same in this one.
Player To Watch
Klay Thompson —The Warriors are really, really good when Durant and Stephen Curry are playing well, but they are virtually unbeatable when Thompson is on his game as well. It didn’t happen in the loss to Oklahoma City, as he mustered only 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
It was a rare off game for the star shooting guard, who is averaging 20.0 points per game and hitting 45.4 percent of his three-point shots, which is the best mark in the NBA. The Thunder have a lot to worry about on defense, and keeping Thompson in check is among the main goals.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Anthony is back in the fold after missing a few games following his injury against the Warriors, and everyone should be rested up after the All-Star Break. The Thunder isn’t a pushover, especially if Westbrook and George can repeat their performances from the first matchup.
However, the Warriors rarely lose at home and it’s hard seeing them lay another egg. Look for Golden State to shoot well from the field, which should be the catalyst for a victory. However, consider Oklahoma City against the spread if the line is too favorable toward Golden State.
The scoring total is going to be really high since both of these teams can fill it up in a hurry. The “over” should be a consideration still as this one could stay close, which would result in plenty of free throws late.
NBA Odds: Warriors 123, Thunder 117
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