Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Denver Nuggets (-5)
Game Total Line: (205)
(wagering lines available at Sportsbook.com)

Oklahoma City covered Game 2, evening the series at 1-1 against the spread. The Thunder are 4-2 in their past six games against the spread. Denver is 4-1 in its past five games against the spread.

The Nuggets went 18-7 during the regular season after trading Carmelo Anthony. Despite losing one of the league’s elite scorers, Denver still lead the NBA in scoring at 107.5 points per game. But after Wednesday’s 106-89 loss, some observers are wondering if the team just doesn’t have the scoring punch to take care of business when it counts.

Denver has gotten by with a deep rotation, and a different player stepping up nightly. Ty Lawson led the team with 20 points in Game 2, but nobody was truly explosive, and most Nuggets were average at best. As a team, Denver shot just 39.1 percent, with stinkbombs from Wilson Chandler (0-for-6, four points), J.R. Smith (1-for-6, two points) and Kenyon Martin (2-for-6, seven points).

Nene also struggled after a big Game 1, going 2-for-8 for 16 points. The big man has struggled from the foul line over the past few months, hitting just 60.6 percent of his shots from the charity stripe in his last 22 games. Oklahoma City is using it to its advantage; Nene had 18 free throws in Wednesday’s loss, but he made just 12.

Somebody needs to step up in Game 3, and they need to do it early. At one point in the second quarter, Denver trailed 43-17. The Nuggets had done a nice job containing Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who had just 12 points at the time, but it doesn’t really work when you’re not guarding anyone else (or spending any energy in the offense zone).

Speaking of Durant and Westbrook, they continue to be the stars of the show. Durant is averaging 32 points (on 54.1 percent shooting), 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists through two games; Westbrook is putting up 26.0 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 boards per game.

But they aren’t the only players capable up putting up points for Oklahoma City. James Harden was very quiet in Game 1, going 1-for-5 for just five points. But with Denver concentrating on the big two on Wednesday, Harden took care of business, racking up 18 points and five rebounds. Oklahoma City also got double-digit scoring efforts from Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison, proving this team can hurt you in a variety of ways.

The total went under in Game 2. Oklahoma City and Denver have gone under the total in four of the past five games they’ve played against each other. Bodog has set Saturday’s total at 205 points.

Point Spread Pick

The Nuggets are going to have to shoot much better than they did in game 2(39%), as they really don't look like they have the scoring power to keep up with the Thunder. Oklahoma City are 11-4 in their last 15 against the Nuggets. The Thunder are also a solid road dog going 19-7 in their last 26. We'll take the points here in a game that we wouldn't be surprised to see the visitor get the SU win.
Take the Thunder +5 at 5Dimes.com and get reduced juice every day!