Game 2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets Western Conference Quarterfinals tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET Thursday in the Orlando bubble. Houston holds a 1-0 series lead. We analyze the Thunder-Rockets NBA betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Thunder vs. Rockets: Key injuries
Thunder
- SF Luguentz Dort (knee) questionable
Rockets
- PG Russell Westbrook (quadriceps) out
- PF Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) out
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Thunder vs. Rockets: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:40 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Thunder 121, Rockets 114
Moneyline (ML)
Series prices:
- Houston (-358)
- Oklahoma City (+275)
Game 1 went about as bad as it could have for the THUNDER (+110). It was a lot of one on ones and standing around the arc waiting for someone to create something on offense.
The Rockets (-139) hit 20 of 52 3-pointers and G James Harden had his way with OKC. Harden scored a seemingly easy 37 points on 12-22 shooting (6-13 from deep) and consistently opened up looks for teammates.
Also, Houston seemed to win every head-to-head in this game. Houston’s bench destroyed the Thunder which included Jeff Green and Ben McLemore combining for 36 points on 7-14 from three and finishing plus-55 in the game.
Thunder PG Dennis Schroder had an awful game, scoring only six points. It was Schroder’s first game in the bubble so he was expected to be a little rusty, but the possible Sixth Man of the Year had the worst plus-minus on the Thunder at minus-19.
Rockets SG Eric Gordon played well in his first game back from injury, scoring 21 points, while Thunder G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just 9 points (he averaged 19 points per game in the regular season).
But let’s not overreact to one result, especially in a Rockets game. Since Houston plays a randomized style, the Rockets could easily miss a bunch of threes and catch a beating.
I am BETTING THE THUNDER (+110) to work out their kinks and for the Rockets to have a little regression in 3-point shooting as OKC evens the series.
New to sports betting? A $100 bet on the Thunder (+110) returns a profit of $110 if OKC upsets Houston.
Also see:
- ‘Stay with it’: Chris Paul encourages teammates after Game 1 letdown (Thunder Wire)
- Eric Gordon takes on larger role in Russell Westbrook’s absence (Rockets Wire)
- HoopsHype – The latest NBA coverage
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Ideally, you’d like some insurance on an underdog moneyline wager but in Thunder-Rockets I am PASSING on the spread. There’s an argument to be made for buying the Thunder +2 (-110), as Mike D’Antoni teams and opponents go on crazy offensive runs.
Over/Under (O/U)
We should see surgical Thunder PG Chris Paul in Game 2. OKC needs to establish what it does well on offense. The Thunder didn’t move the ball as well as they could have and they didn’t use their size to create more easy looks. Paul and company will have their best offensive performance of the bubble and the Rockets will keep up most of the game.
“LEAN” OVER 225.5 (-110), not “like” or “love”, the total in Thunder-Rockets.
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