Written by Rohit Ghosh
Follow @Rohitghosh

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs: Game 1


The Oklahoma City Thunder may have swept their season series with the San Antonio Spurs in the regular season, but most fans and members of media know the playoffs are a whole different situation. Most notably, the Thunder have lost Serge Ibaka to a a Grade 2 strain of the plantaris (left calf). Thus far in the playoffs, Ibaka has averaged 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. As the Thunder prepare to take on the defending Western Conference champs without their main defensive presence, the Spurs know not to take anything, even the injury of a star player, granted. There’s no doubt San Antonio will stick to their game plan, regardless of who’s on the floor. Can the Thunder get enough offense from their Durant-Westbrook duo to keep the games competitive?

AccuScore has the San Antonio Spurs as overwhelming 74 percent favorites to win game one of their best-of-seven series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The average score after 10,000 simulations is 106-98, with the Spurs having nearly a 60 percent chance of covering the -5.5 spread. There is a 59.3 percent chance the total combined score stays UNDER 208.5.

Thunder Betting Trends: Click Here For Odds/Picks


• The Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games.
• The Thunder are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games.
• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the Thunder’s last 5 games.
• The Thunder are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games on the road.

Spurs Betting Trends: Click Here For Odds/Picks


• The Spurs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.
• The Spurs are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games.
• The total has gone OVER in 6 of the Spurs’ last 8 games.
• The Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games at home.

Projected Leaders

Kevin Durant: 31 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 TOs

Russell Westbrook: 24 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 TOs

Tony Parker: 19 points, 7 assists, 1 steal, 3 TOs

Tim Duncan: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks

What to Watch For

The OKC Thunder are one of the worst in the league (No. 24) in terms of holding on to the ball. They’re in the bottom third of the league in turnovers per game. They do get benefitted, however, by the Spurs being more patient on defense and not gambling for steals. San Antonio is No. 25 in the league in forcing turnovers. Even with the Spurs more cautious defense as a factor, the Thunder commit – on average – four more turnovers than the Spurs in AccuScore simulations. The winner of the turnover battle more often than not won the game in simulations.

The Spurs lead the league in assists per game, averaging about 25 per game. They average a couple more at home than on the road, a stat that makes sense given how much San Antonio relies on role players who tend to play slightly better at home. While the total number of assists may not indicate who wins the game, but it will shed light on how efficient the Spurs’ offense is. If OKC can hold San Antonio to 20 or below, expect the Thunder to win that game. The Spurs average 26.8 assists in each of the simulated game 1’s.

Sign up for AccuScore and get 40% off an annual membership! We’re covering the 2014 World Cup, so we have a presale special coupon code: WorldCup1. Membership includes our computer’s goal scorer probabilities for every match, highest value picks and top most likely outcomes all calculated by AccuScore’s award winning simulation machine…a machine that has been on contract with ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Sportline, and countless industry leaders.

Use WorldCup1 and get 40% off annual membership today!

NBA PREDICTIONS

More Articles

Indiana Pacers vs Houston Rockets   The Pacers are coming off a loss against the Heat on Monday, but they remain very much alive in the race for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with both...

We haven’t seen a full weekend slate of NBA games like this is a long time and we are very excited. It feels great to have basketball back and we have seen a ton of amazing games so far. We are so...
NBA
Totals Pick

  Over 228.5

60.3%
Spread Pick

 CLE -4

54.1%
64.9%
64.9%
35.0%
35.0%
Side Value
CLE  2.78%

Money Line
CLE  64.9%


Locked Content!
Please login for additional information

Locked Content!
Please login for additional information

Locked Content!
Please login for additional information
NBA

NBA2 Season Futures

Eastern SEASON-TO-DATE FORECAST POSTSEASON
WIN LOSS WIN LOSS WIN DIV PLAYOFF
ATL
Boston Celtics 61 21 61.7 21.3 100% 100%
New York Knicks 51 31 51.3 31.7 0% 100%
Toronto Raptors 30 52 30.0 52.0 0% 0%
Brooklyn Nets 26 56 26.0 56.0 0% 0%
Philadelphia 76ers 24 58 24.0 58.0 0% 0%
CEN
Cleveland Cavaliers 64 18 64.6 18.4 100% 100%
Indiana Pacers 50 32 50.4 32.6 0% 100%
Milwaukee Bucks 48 34 48.0 34.0 0% 100%
Detroit Pistons 44 38 44.0 38.0 0% 100%
Chicago Bulls 39 43 39.0 43.0 0% 100%
SE
Orlando Magic 41 41 41.0 41.0 100% 100%
Atlanta Hawks 40 42 40.0 42.0 0% 100%
Miami Heat 37 45 37.0 45.0 0% 100%
Charlotte Hornets 19 63 19.0 63.0 0% 0%
Washington Wizards 18 64 18.0 64.0 0% 0%

Western SEASON-TO-DATE FORECAST POSTSEASON
WIN LOSS WIN LOSS WIN DIV PLAYOFF
NW
Oklahoma City Thunder 68 14 68.7 14.3 100% 100%
Denver Nuggets 50 32 50.3 32.7 0% 100%
Minnesota Timberwolves 49 33 49.5 33.5 0% 100%
Portland Trail Blazers 36 46 36.0 46.0 0% 0%
Utah Jazz 17 65 17.0 65.0 0% 0%
PAC
Los Angeles Clippers 50 32 50.0 32.0 0% 100%
Los Angeles Lakers 50 32 50.0 32.0 0% 100%
Golden State Warriors 48 34 48.5 34.5 100% 100%
Sacramento Kings 40 42 40.0 42.0 0% 100%
Phoenix Suns 36 46 36.0 46.0 0% 0%
SW
Houston Rockets 52 30 52.0 30.0 100% 100%
Memphis Grizzlies 48 34 48.0 34.0 0% 100%
Dallas Mavericks 39 43 39.0 43.0 0% 100%
San Antonio Spurs 34 48 34.0 48.0 0% 0%
New Orleans Pelicans 21 61 21.0 61.0 0% 0%

Eastern, ATL

SEASON-TO-DATE    WIN     LOSS   |   FORECAST    WIN     LOSS   

Eastern, ATL

POSTSEASON    WIN DIV     PLAYOFF

Eastern, CEN

SEASON-TO-DATE    WIN     LOSS   |   FORECAST    WIN     LOSS   

Eastern, CEN

POSTSEASON    WIN DIV     PLAYOFF

Eastern, SE

SEASON-TO-DATE    WIN     LOSS   |   FORECAST    WIN     LOSS   

Eastern, SE

POSTSEASON    WIN DIV     PLAYOFF

Western, NW

SEASON-TO-DATE    WIN     LOSS   |   FORECAST    WIN     LOSS   

Western, NW

POSTSEASON    WIN DIV     PLAYOFF

Western, PAC

SEASON-TO-DATE    WIN     LOSS   |   FORECAST    WIN     LOSS   

Western, PAC

POSTSEASON    WIN DIV     PLAYOFF

Western, SW

SEASON-TO-DATE    WIN     LOSS   |   FORECAST    WIN     LOSS   

Western, SW

POSTSEASON    WIN DIV     PLAYOFF