On Monday evening, the Oklahoma City Thunder (1-5) will take on the LA Clippers (1-4) The game will be held at Staples Center with tip scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Thunder at Clippers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are not a bad team, but they just haven’t put together consistent basketball yet. Led by PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they, as I predicted on our Bet Slippin podcast, took down the short-handed LA Lakers last week.
It was their lone win while they’ve also amassed four double-figure losses. That said, rookie G Joshua Giddey is starting to find his footing with PF Darius Bazley and SG Lu Dort also contributing.
It likely won’t be enough as they take on the SF Paul George-led Clippers. The Clippers have playoff aspirations but must manage without SF Kawhi Leonard for the distant future.
Behind PG Reggie Jackson and George, they must come out on top in this one. With that in mind, the odds heavily suggest they will.
Thunder at Clippers odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Thunder +500 (bet $100 to win $500) | Clippers -750 (bet $750 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Thunder +10.5 (-102) | Clippers -10.5 (-122)
- Over/Under (O/U): 211.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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Thunder at Clippers key injuries
Thunder
- None impacting gambling odds
Clippers
- PF Serge Ibaka (low back) out
- SF Kawhi Leonard (right knee) out
-
SF Marcus Morris Sr. (left knee) out
Thunder at Clippers odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Clippers 114, Thunder 100
Money line
PASS on the money line.
There’s no value in betting -750 for a heavy home favorite, especially one that has just 1 win in 5 games. Don’t touch either side of the money line on this one.
Against the spread
“LEAN” to the CLIPPERS -10.5 (-122) as the better bet. While I don’t love the number, the Thunder have been far too inconsistent.
They’ve lost four of six games by double figures. With the Clippers needing a big-time win, George could easily go off as the Thunder really don’t have a premier defender at the three.
Generally, this game will be more about how bad the Thunder are than the Clippers’ dominance. The Thunder rank 28th in defensive rating and 32nd in net rating.
The Clippers have four losses in five games and still rank just 18th in net rating. They’ve lost to the Cavs, Grizzlies, Blazers and Warriors — all teams capable of making the playoffs.
With their lone win over the Blazers by 30, expect another statement in against Oklahoma City.
Over/Under
BET on the OVER 211.5 (-115) as the best bet in this game. The Clippers are led by George, who is nearing 28 points per game.
With talented scorers like Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard on their roster, Los Angeles should be able to score with ease. Also, C Ivica Zubac, who averaged 8.8 points per game, should be able to overpower a smaller Thunder frontcourt.
For OKC, SGA is playing terrific basketball. The 6-foot-6, 23-year-old is averaging over 25 points per game over his last four. Both teams also rank in the top half in three-point attempts per game, so the opportunity is there for points to be scored.
With the Clippers 4th and the Thunder 18th in pace with the stars playing well coming into the game, I see the Over as the better value in this one.
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