The Pick: +320 with bet365 to make the playoffs (bet365)
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to play well in the NBA. Last week we looked at the team when they had a win total of 34.5 and recommended the OVER.
Over the last several days, that win total has increased. As of Jan. 24/23, the OKC Thunder’s win total is now 37.5 (bet365) and you still have to be thinking about taking the OVER. This is a team that seems to be heading to a .500 season or slightly better.
The odds are a little unattractive at this point for the OVER bet, with bet365 offering -135. Perhaps at this point, bettors should be considering the Thunder to make the playoffs at +320 (16/5).
OKC Thunder: Recent Form Alert
- Formerly: 11 – 18 on December 17th, 2022
- Currently: 23 – 24 (overall)
- Recent form: 12 – 6 since December 17th, 2022
- Recent winning rate: 66.67%
The chart above shows that the Thunder have been playing well for several weeks. Over the last five to six weeks, OKC has almost erased a large deficit between their wins and losses. If they stay sharp for another week, then they can expect to have a winning record in the NBA. Few would have thought that possible during the preseason.
OKC has defeated good teams in recent weeks. They own a big win over the Boston Celtics from a few weeks back. More recently, Oklahoma City beat Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Denver.
The Thunder entered Tuesday as the 11th-place team in the Western Conference. That means that they are on the bubble, however, teams still have over 30 games remaining in their seasons. Who can OKC expect to overtake? There are a few candidates.
OKC heading to a top-eight finish
New Orleans has started to slump and it’s not clear when Zion Williamson will come back. Furthermore, who knows how long he will stay healthy? The Thunder could overtake the Pelicans and Oklahoma City could also hope to overtake the Utah Jazz, the Phoenix Suns, and maybe the LA Clippers. Lastly, the Golden State Warriors are not invincible.
If OKC makes the playoffs then it might be by virtue of the play-in tournament. However, they could be looking at hosting as we project them to a top-8 finish. Our recommendation is to take the Thunder at +320 (16/5) to make the playoffs behind Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, their top star players.
OKC Thunder betting recommendation
- Thunder to make the playoffs at +320 (16/5)
- Our recent NBA Power Rankings