Nets vs. Thunder Odds & Picks: Brooklyn Letdown
It's been a strong opening week for New York state gambling, and we celebrated by hitting a Knicks +3 cover and game total under last night.
Thursday night brings us to Brooklyn, where the Nets look to build off last night's impressive 138-113 thrashing of Chicago and avoid a letdown against the NBA's fourth-worst team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Can the Nets earn a second consecutive win, despite playing without Kyrie Irving in home games? Or will Oklahoma City play spoiler against a Brooklyn team coming off their biggest win of the season? Let's take a close look at where bettors should place their money tonight in a battle between two teams with the largest point spread on a light five-game slate.
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Nets vs. Thunder Betting Odds
| Nets | Thunder | |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | -7.5 | +7.5 |
| Moneyline | -330 | +270 |
| Over/Under | 216.5 (-110) |
*Lines accurate at time of publication.
Nets vs. Thunder Best Bets
Thunder +7.5 vs. Nets (-110, DK)
The Nets are coming off a huge win at Chicago, making a statement they are still a legitimate title contender. The Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving totaled 61 points, 13 rebounds and 28 assists, while shooting 9-of-15 from three-point range. They will not have Irving tonight, as the superstar guard is still unavailable in games played in Brooklyn. This leads to an interesting betting trend, as the Nets are only 4-16-1 against the spread at home, and have failed to cover their last six straight games at the Barclays Center. Brooklyn's last home cover was against Philadelphia on December 16th. Overall, the Nets are just 15-24-1, the third-worst team in the NBA against the spread.
The Nets have struggled on the defensive end the past two weeks, ranking seventh-worst among all NBA teams. They do have the eighth-best offensive rating during that time, but that is certainly skewed by the presence of Irving for three of those games.
Oklahoma City continues to battle despite their 13-27 record. The Thunder have lost five straight games and seven of their past eight contests, but are still the NBA's third-best team ATS. The Thunder are 26-14 against the number, with an impressive 12-7 record on the road. They continue to be unvalued by the public as a result of their poor record.
Oklahoma City point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have a big night, attacking a Brooklyn defense that allows the sixth-most points per game and most rebounds per game to opposing point guards. The development of rookie Josh Giddey (11.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 6.4 APG) has also provided the Thunder with another versatile weapon.
On the second night of a back-to-back for Brooklyn, and a huge win over Chicago, this projects as a flat effort spot for the Nets. With Brooklyn's struggles this year ATS at home, I'm grabbing the Thunder +7.5. This line opened at Thunder +10 and has been bet down overnight to the current level.
Risk: 1.10 units on DraftKings to win 1 unit. (Bet up to -120)
Nets vs. Thunder Game Total Under 216.5 Points (-110, DK)
The Thunder usually controls the pace, illustrated by their 24-15 record to the under on the season. This is also true in road games, where they are 11-8 to the under as well. Despite all of Brooklyn's offensive talent, they have also been an under team this season. The Nets are 21-19 to the under, including a 13-8 record in home games.
The absence of Irving actually makes the Nets a better defensive team, but a worse offensive team. I'm projecting a surprisingly close game between these two teams, despite the record difference. Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey have kept this Thunder team close against superior talent all season, and they need this game to stay as low as possible. I'll pair the under with the Thunder +7.5.
Risk: 1.10 units on DraftKings to win 1 unit. (Bet up to -120)
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