Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets Game 3 Prediction, NBA Playoff Odds
A record-breaking 149-106 Thunder victory in Game 2 evened the series up at one and it now shifts up to Colorado for Games 3 and 4. OKC’s 87 first-half points set an NBA playoff record, and delivered a crucial statement that the Thunder are ready to make a run. Denver’s Game 1 comeback win had raised some doubt that the top-seed Thunder are still lacking experience on the big stage but any concern is all but gone now.
OKC became the first home team to win a game in the second round as top seeds overall in the NBA have been struggling this round. The Thunder won 68 games for a reason though, and Denver now needs an answer to stopping this young, high-flying OKC squad.
Tip-off at Ball Arena for Game 3 goes at 10 p.m. EDT on Friday, with the Thunder a -210 moneyline favourite on the road, and -4.5 on the point spread. The over-under is listed at 233.5 on the NBA odds.
Thunder vs. Nuggets NBA Betting Odds
OKC’s 149-point Game 2 has boosted their playoff scoring average 124.6 points per game in the playoffs. Five straight Nuggets games have now finished over the total too, and the over is 3-0 in OKC’s last three outings. The total in all of the Thunder’s post-season games this season has hovered around 230, but this recent run has Game 3’s over-under up to 233.5. The Thunder enter Game 3 having won five straight road games. OKC has covered in eight of their last nine visits to Denver too.
Oklahoma City’s Game 2 victory and split at home has made them a -600 favourite to win this series. Denver is +425 to pull off the series upset. Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is now the favourite to win the NBA Finals MVP at +135 odds.
Oklahoma City Thunder
A disappointing Game 1 called for a bounce back for the Thunder and did they ever deliver in Game 2. The 43-point victory matched and broke NBA playoff scoring records, and more importantly evened this series up. Eight Thunder players finished with double-digit points and it was Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way with 34 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field.
As a team, OKC shot 56.2 per cent from the field, drained 16-of-36 three-point attempts, and made good on 33-of-36 free throws. And while this pace may be unsustainable, if OKC can just split the game between their offensive performances in Game 1 and Game 2 they should be just fine. Chet Holmgren improved in a much-needed way too, recording 15 points to with 11 rebounds in Game 2 while also knocking down all seven of his free throws.
Denver Nuggets
First things first, Denver has to defend better if they want any chance of winning this series. Game 2 was essentially over after the Nuggets dug a 45-21 hole after one quarter as another double-digit comeback win was not in the cards. The early, large deficit forced the Nuggets to give a ton of extra minutes to their bench so if there’s any positives from Game 2 it’s that the Denver starters should be fresh as they host the series’ next two meetings.
Nikola Jokic fouled out of Game 2 with just 17 points and eight rebounds, which is less than half of his production from Game 1. Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets in Game 2 with 19 points and continues to be a solid source of offence this post-season; although both players need to take it to another level in Game 3.
OKC
DEN