Brooklyn Ends Road Trip in Oklahoma City
On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets will end a five-game road trip against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams have postseason hopes, with every game affecting their NBA odds from here on out.
On Sunday, the Nets upset the Denver Nuggets, with the NBA lines set at nine points. They won 122-120, with big games from pivotal players. Meanwhile, the Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 102-90, with their key All-Star out.
Nets Finding New Stars
After a rough start at the end of the All-Star break, losing the first four games, the Nets seem to be figuring things out. They have won five of the last six games, and the only loss came against the No.1 team in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks. Even in the loss to the Bucks, Brooklyn rested many of its starters in preparation for this long road trip.
Mikal Bridges is shooting 47.4% on pull-up threes as a Brooklyn Net.
That’s an absolutely ELITE number. pic.twitter.com/YatLeELbLD
— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) March 13, 2023
Mikal Bridges and Spencer Dinwiddie, two players acquired in the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving deals, have become the team’s backbone. Bridges are averaging 28.3 points per game during this stretch. His stats would probably be even better if he didn’t play in the Bucks game, being on the court for 12 minutes and scoring 10 points. In four of the five games he had actual minutes in, Bridges scored 30 or more points.
Dinwiddie has also found success with his second stint in Brooklyn. He sat out the Bucks game, so his stats represent more accurately what he is doing on the court. While his scoring has been great, averaging 21.6 points per game during this stretch, what Dinwiddie offers with playmaking has been a significant factor. He is averaging 9.4 assists, putting up 15 against the Nuggets.
Thunder Have to Keep Winning
The Western Conference play-in is exciting at the moment and the height of NBA news, changing every day. The difference between the eighth seed and the 12th is just one game. That puts the Thunder in a position where they control their own destiny, in 11th place right now, but have to win every game from here on out.
Jalen Williams over the last 8 Games:
21 PTS, 7 REB, 10 AST
17 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 70% FG
32 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 80% FG
20 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 61% FG
24 PTS, 4 REB, 7 AST, 52% FG
27 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 56% FG
15 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST, 58% FG
22 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 57% FG🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Cila09SJqe
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 13, 2023
It is becoming more realistic that the Thunder could pull it off. They are playing great basketball at the moment. Especially Jalen Williams, who may be too far behind to win Rookie of the Year but is undoubtedly making a case for himself. He went off in a must-win game, with All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sitting out due to injury rehab. Williams scored 21 points, with 10 assists and seven rebounds, to beat the Spurs.
On top of this surprise run to the playoffs, the Thunder have also been one of the best teams to bet on. On NBA scores and odds, Oklahoma City has been a smart bet. Against the spread (ATS), they have the best cover rate at 61.5%, hitting over 58.8% time, also the highest percentage.
Nets vs Thunder Game Injuries
Nets vs Thunder Head-to-Head
Last season the road team won each of their two games. This season they have already met once. The Thunder won 112-102 on Jan. 15, with Josh Giddey falling a rebound and an assist short of a 28-point triple-double.
Nets vs Thunder Game Information
- Game: Nets (39-29) vs Thunder (33-35)
- Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
- Day/Time: Tuesday, March 14, 8:00 p.m. EST
- Thunder vs Nets Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Nets vs Thunder Betting Lines
Nets vs Thunder Picks and Prediction
At the end of a road trip, it is too hard for the Nets to face a Thunder team treating every game like a must-win. On top of that, Gilgeous-Alexander will be back in the starting lineup. Furthermore, the Thunder are still one of the more reliable NBA picks.
This game seems to be lining in the Thunders’ favor. The only issue is the Nets have been playing very well. However, with the spread being less than two points, the Thunder should be able to cover.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are listed at -125 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Thunder, you have a chance to win $80. The Brooklyn Nets are +105, offering a chance to win $105 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Oklahoma City Thunder a 55.56% chance to win, with the Brooklyn Nets at 48.78%.
Nets vs Thunder Trends
Nets vs Thunder Edge
Nets vs Thunder Results
Nets vs Thunder Game Summary
Thunder vs Nets Previous (Jan 15, 2023)
As underdogs on the road, the Thunder have a phenomenal 13-5 record, covering 72.2% of the time. They are on a 5-0 ATS winning streak, and the Nets are still transitioning to playing without their leader.
Our best bet for this game is on the Thunder to win a sixth straight game on the spread and, perhaps, hand the Nets an upset loss.
