The Oklahoma City Thunder continue the defense of their title tonight as their first-round series continues against the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center.
The questions for Phoenix is…how can they win even tonight’s game?
Lets start with a review of Game 1. The MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 25 and the Thunder’s defense limited Phoenix to 35% shooting in a dominant 119-84 victory over the weekend. Chet Holmgren added 16 points and seven boards as everyone played and everyone except Nikola Topic scored for OKC. No starter for the Thunder played more than 29 minutes. Just something to note as Oklahoma City moves on in the postseason and faces teams undoubtedly battling fatigue due to long and intense series in earlier rounds.
More than likely still reeling from being blown out in the series opener, the Suns have to find a way to steal a win on the road. Phoenix will need a massive turnaround from their offense, which struggled immensely to find rhythm. Devin Booker scored 23 points including 2-5 from deep in the loss but even an outsized monster-scoring night from the All-Star alone will not cut it. The Suns must improve their execution on offense which MUST lead to Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green getting more involved in the scoring column. The two combined for 35 points in Game 1 but took 38 shots to get there. Gotta be better there and also on the glass. OKC outrebounded Phoenix 17-8 on the offensive end. With Mark Williams (foot) not expected back for the Suns, gotta find a way. Gotta be better.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder (-2100), Phoenix Suns (+1100)
This game opened Thunder -19.5 with the Game Total set at 212.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Mark Williams (foot) is questionable for tonight’s game
Grayson Allen (hamstring) is questionable for tonight’s game
Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable for tonight’s game
The OVER has cashed in 44 of the Thunder’s 83 games this season (44-39)
The OVER has cashed in 38 of the Suns’ 85 games this season (38-47)
OKC is 7-3 ATS in their last ten games against Phoenix
Devin Booker is averaging 27.9 points in the playoffs in his career
Over the course of the Suns’ two Play-In games and Game 1 vs. OKC, Dillon Brooks is averaging 17 points per game