The Oklahoma City Thunder currently sits in the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, a spot it does not want to end up in when the playoffs come around. That would guarantee a first-round date against either the defending champion Golden State Warriors or the Houston Rockets.
Oklahoma City has a chance to move up by knocking off a team ahead of it in the standings. The San Antonio Spurs are coming to town in the rare position of battling for a playoff spot down the stretch. Every game is getting bigger and bigger and these two teams are pretty evenly matched, so it should be an interesting showdown.
The Thunder should be favored because of the home court advantage.
Don't miss the hardwood action from Chesapeake Energy Arena at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 10, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on ABC.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Saturday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Spurs have a record of 37-27 straight up and 30-30-4 against the spread. San Antonio is 14-17-2 against the spread on the road this year. The Spurs are 9-9-1 against the spread as the underdog.
The Thunder is 38-29 straight up and 27-40 against the spread. Oklahoma City has only covered in 14 of its 33 home games this season. The Thunder is 22-35 against the NBA betting spreads as the favorite.
Player to Watch
Russell Westbrook -- Oklahoma City’s star point guard has followed up his MVP campaign with another dominant season. His numbers are down slightly because Westbrook has more talented players next to him this season in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, but he is still one of the best players in the NBA.
Westbrook is averaging 25.4 points, 10.2 assists and 9.6 rebounds per contest. He averaged a triple-double a year ago and while it would take a big uptick in his rebound numbers down the stretch, it isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility this year.
The Spurs are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA but will definitely have their hands full stopping Westbrook, who may be the most athletic player in the entire league. The goal is to force him into outside shots because Westbrook is devastating when he gets to the rim.
Injury Report
San Antonio power forward Pau Gasol missed the team’s most recent game against the Golden State Warriors due to a shoulder injury. While he isn’t the team’s biggest star, Gasol is a key veteran piece and would be a big absence if he cannot go in this one.
Gasol is averaging 10.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season. Small forward Kawhi Leonard is making his way back from a severe quadriceps injury which has kept him sidelined for much of the season.
Leonard is getting close to a return but it seems unlikely he is back for this contest. If Leonard does get back on the court, it would probably be in a limited role, but could still have an impact on the NBA betting lines.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Spurs have long been one of the best teams in the NBA but injuries have taken a big toll this season. They are now simply battling to make the playoffs, and like Oklahoma City desperately wants to avoid finishing in the No. 7 or 8 seed in the West.
Each team could really use this win. Oklahoma City has the home court advantage and will be the team to beat, but the Spurs have looked a little bit better of late. Take San Antonio to pull off the much-needed upset. It would pay off nicely in NBA basketball odds.
NBA Odds: Spurs 109, Thunder 107
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!
