The Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors will be competing for the third time this season when they meet again at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California on Friday night. Oklahoma City comes in with the best record in the NBA at 29-5, while Golden State is a slow 18-16.
Let’s get into my Thunder vs. Warriors.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors odds
Money line: Thunder -360 / Warriors +285
Spread: Popularity -7 (-106) / Heroes +7 (-114)
Total: Over 228.5 (-110) / Under 228.5 (-110)
Best bets for Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors #1: Thunder -7 (-106)
As one would expect, Oklahoma City has done a routine job of the first two games between these two teams. The defending NBA champs went 126-102 at home on Nov. 11 and went into Golden State and pulled away for a 124-112 win on Dec. 2. OKC will be without rookies Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) and Jaylin Williams (heel) on Friday. However, backup center Branden Carlson appears to be a capable replacement in the short term. Carlson had 12 points, seven rebounds and one block in 20 minutes of work during Wednesday’s 124-95 upset of Portland. Chet Holmgren, who is 7’1″, can also fill the floor as a power forward and center. In addition, the Warriors are not a team that will take advantage of the lack of an opponent on the floor. They are led, in fact, in the circle by Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Center Quinte Post averages a low 7.7 points and 4 rebounds.
Golden State may have home court advantage, but OKC is 12-3 on the road. In comparison, only two teams in the entire NBA (Pistons and Cavs) are better at home than Oklahoma City in the road. The Dubs are also coming off a three-game Eastern Conference road trip where they played three games in a five-day span. Even if there is no dark night on Thursday, fatigue can still be something.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors betting prop player: Chet Holmgren 18.5 points (-114)
Holmgren scored 23 and 21 points in the first two games with Golden State – despite logging 25 minutes against Oklahoma City. The Warriors also had no chance to stop him. Holmgren shot a combined 17-for-21 from the floor in those two games, including 4-for-5 from three-point range.
The Gonzaga product is playing well now, too. He has scored at least 24 points in two of the past three games, shooting 26 of 41 from the field and 5 of 11 from deep in the stretch. Homgren may get a bigger workload than usual, too, with Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams on the shelf.
