Sportsbook.ag Tuesday NBA Betting Preview
A pair of slumping teams desperate for a win will square off Tuesday night when the Thunder visit the Wizards.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (4-3) at WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-3)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Oklahoma City -5.5, Total: 217
Oklahoma City (3-4 ATS) lost three straight games before pounding the Suns 124-103 at home on Sunday. The club shot 52% FG in that victory and forced a season-high 23 turnovers. Washington (2-4 ATS) dropped both games on its two-game road trip to Boston and Atlanta, but is hoping a return home will lead to a victory just like its most recent game in D.C., which was a 102-99 win over San Antonio.
The Thunder have dominated this series recently with a 9-3 SU mark (but 5-6-1 ATS) since the 2009 calendar year, including a series sweep last season. But both of those games were close (109-102 and 105-103 in OT) and the Wizards have not been kind hosts dating back to 2004 with a 9-3 (SU and ATS) home record in this series.
There are plenty of favorable betting trends for both sides, as Oklahoma City is 64-38 ATS after a 1-3 ATS stretch since 1996 and Washington is 104-77 ATS in the underdog role under head coach Randy Wittman. Although good passing teams (23+ APG) like the Thunder are 49-20 ATS as road favorites in the past five seasons, terrible defensive teams (103+ PPG allowed) like OKC are 11-34 ATS when facing an opponent that has allowed 110+ points in two straight games.
While the Thunder have no significant injuries, the Wizards could be without leading scorer SG Bradley Beal (shoulder) and reserve PF Drew Gooden (back), who are both listed as questionable.
Oklahoma City's offense has been potent this season with 113.3 PPG on 48.4% FG, 36.7% threes and 80.5% FT. The team has been very unselfish with 23.1 APG, but has turned the ball over too much at 17.9 times per game.
SF Kevin Durant is burning the nets with 30.1 PPG on 50% FG and 42% threes. He's also adding 6.9 RPG and 1.4 BPG in the paint. Durant always loves playing in his hometown of Washington D.C. and he lit up the Wizards last season for 34.0 PPG on 53% FG (47% threes) and 7.5 RPG.
The other big scorer for the Thunder is PG Russell Westbrook, who is averaging a double-double of 26.3 PPG and 10.9 APG, and is also pulling down 7.0 RPG with 2.1 SPG. Although Westbrook averaged 27.0 PPG and 7.0 APG in last season's series with Washington, including a game-winning layup in the overtime affair, he shot a subpar 39% FG in the two victories.
Oklahoma City's inside scoring has been provided by C Enes Kanter (12.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG), who is making 59% FG, and PF Serge Ibaka (12.1 PPG, 8.4 RPG), who has added 2.6 BPG on the defensive end.
Speaking of defense, the Thunder are allowing a hefty 107.9 PPG this season, including 116.7 PPG on the road. But they are still limiting teams to 44.1% FG and 35.8% threes, and are doing a great job getting their hands on the basketball with 8.3 blocks per game and 7.9 steals per contest.
Washington's offense hasn't been great with 102.5 PPG on 44.8% FG, but it has been better over the past five contests with 105.4 PPG on 46.0% FG. While the three-point shooting has been a respectable 34.3% overall, the long-range accuracy at home is only 31.1%.
The team's top scorer is SG Bradley Beal (22.7 PPG, 47% threes) who opened the season with five straight games of 24+ PPG, but was held to 11 points in Saturday's loss at Atlanta and also suffered a bruised shoulder. He did add six rebounds and six assists against the Hawks, but he also committed eight turnovers.
PG John Wall is having a strong fifth season with 19.2 PPG, 8.8 APG, 2.5 SPG and a whopping 2.2 BPG despite standing just 6-foot-4. In the overtime loss to Oklahoma City last season, Wall had a monster game with 28 points and 13 assists.
SF Otto Porter Jr. (13.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and C Marcin Gortat (9.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.3 BPG) provide the muscle down low and will have their hands full with Ibaka and Kanter. Porter has scored at least 16 points in two of the past three games, while Gortat has exactly 10 points in three straight contests.
The Wizards must shore up a defense that is allowing 108.0 PPG on 45.4% FG and 34.4% threes. In the past five games, these numbers have spiked to 112.2 PPG on 47.3% FG, and that doesn't bode well facing an explosive Thunder team.
