For the first time since the Thunder handed the Spurs one of their 10 losses way back in October, these two teams get set to square off in a battle of Western Conference playoff powers.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Spurs have played 30-games at home, winning all 30 SU and going 20-10 ATS. With that San Antonio once again has the upper hand for those looking to wager on this game.
While the Thunder are a very strong team, they haven’t been a good one to back this season, going just 26-37-1 ATS and 10-20 ATS on the road.
While the Spurs did just drop three straight ATS, they’re coming off a pointspread win over Minnesota.
WHEN THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARE ON OFFENSE
The Thunder just dropped 120 points on the Clippers Wednesday night. The offense is back on track after being held under 100 by the same Clippers team a week earlier.
Overall, Oklahoma City ranks second in the NBA in offense, scoring 110.1 PPG while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor. It’s also first in the NBA in rebounding, averaging 8.1 more boards per game then its opposition.
Guard Dion Waiters missed Wednesday’s game due to the death of his brother, keep tabs on whether he’s expected back with the team for this one. If he is back, watch how he looks early and how he and the team handle the emotional turmoil.
Obviously, regardless of anything else, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant remain the keys to this offense. This season, Durant is averaging 28.1 PPG while Westbrook is putting up 24.1 along with 10.5 APG.
Durant delivered a double-double on Wednesday night against Los Angeles with a team-high 30-points and 12-rebounds. Westbrook, meanwhile, notched a triple-double with 25-points, 20-assists and 11-rebounds. The triple-double was his second straight and third in his last five games.
The fact those two combined to go 20-for-35 from the floor and 5-for-10 behind the arc is big, but additional production with 14-points from Enes Kanter off the bench along with solid games from the rest of the starting five including Andre Roberson, Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams was huge as well.
Watch for the production around Durant and Westbrook. If the Spurs top-ranked defense is able to slow down the rest of the bunch early, it may be worthwhile to fade the Thunder on the road.
WHEN THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS ARE ON OFFENSE
Defense is the name of the game for the Spurs who are the NBA’s best defensive team, but their ability to put points on the board offensively is what helps set them apart from all other teams outside of Golden State.
San Antonio is outshooting every other team in the sport, sinking 48.9 percent of its field goals. While the big men inside are a huge part of that, they’re also second in the NBA in shooting from behind the arc at 38.5 percent.
It’ll be up to Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge to win the battle inside against Durant and Ibaka. Statistically, neither have had the production of Durant, but combined, they’re averaging 38.2 PPG. That’s hard to beat from a frontcourt unit and that doesn’t even factor in Tim Duncan’s performances.
Both Leonard and Aldridge are shooting over 50 percent from the floor. The same can be said for guard Tony Parker who is third on the team in scoring with 12.3 PPG. He’s not in Westbrook’s class statistically, but the veteran guard knows how to win and does everything necessary to help facilitate that. The same can be said for Manu Ginobili.
No team in the NBA is as comfortable at home as the Spurs who’ve been able to cover the spread two-thirds of the time when at home, but have failed to top 97-points in four of their last seven games. Keep a close eye on how well the team is able to set up chances for itself early before backing the Spurs against a top-end Thunder offense.
BETTING TRENDS AND MATCHUPS
Keep close tabs on Westbrook to see if he’s able to notch yet another triple-double. For those looking to play on the total, he’ll be a big factor.
Another key to the total comes from the battles inside. Aldridge is an elite defender and will be asked to slow Durant. If he’s successful, the Thunder’s chances and the chances of the over paying out take a massive hit.
Overall, the over is just 1-7 in the Spurs last eight games thanks to their league leading defense.
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Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will take place Saturday, March 12, 2016, at 8:30 p.m. ET at the AT&T Center. Watch the game live on ABC.
