Subscribe
Follow Us
The Oklahoma City Thunder will battle the Sacramento Kings on Monday. It's a Western Conference showdown as we share our NBA odds series and make a Thunder-Kings prediction and pick.
Last Wednesday, the Thunder defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 109-99 to improve to 12-4. Meanwhile, the Kings defeated the Brooklyn Nets to improve to 9-8.
The Thunder lead the head-to-head series 151-101. Significantly, the Thunder and Kings split the series last season, with the home team winning each game. The Kings are 8-2 over the past 10 games against the Thunder. Additionally, they are 5-0 in the past five games against the Thunder at Golden 1 Center.
Here are the Thunder-Kings NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Thunder-Kings Odds
Oklahoma Thunder: -4 (-114)
Moneyline: -186
Sacramento Kings: +4 (-106)
Moneyline: +156
Over: 225.5 (-110)
Under: 225.5 (-110)
How To Watch Thunder vs. Kings
Time: 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
TV: NBA TV, NBC Sports Bay Area, and FDSO
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Thunder Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Thunder are one of the best teams in the Western Conference, and they continue to dominate games. Although there are some issues to work through, they have generally played well.
While the Thunder shot poorly at the charity stripe on Wednesday, they remain second in the association in free-throw shooting percentage. They are only 21st in field-goal shooting percentage, including 20th from the triples. The Thunder are also 22nd in rebounds. Yet, they have been careful with the basketball, as they are the best in turnovers. The Thunder are also efficient on defense, ranking second in blocked shots.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has remained one of the better players in the league. He averages 28.7 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Jalen Williams continues to play well, averaging 21.8 points per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor. Chet Holmgren is hurt right now and will not play in this game. However, Isaiah Hartenstein is back after missing most of the season. Luguentz Dort will look to be a contributor in this game.
The Thunder will cover the spread if they can shoot the ball efficiently, and Gilgeous-Alexander can lead the team in scoring. Then, they must defend the rim well and not allow the Kings to shoot the basketball.
Why the Kings Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Kings have had issues this season, and Mike Brown expressed frustration with their shooting against the Los Angeles Clippers. Despite the struggles, they have put up decent numbers this season.
The Kings are third in free-throw shooting percentage and 10th in points overall. Shooting has not been an issue for the Kings, as they are fourth in field-goal shooting percentage. However, their work from beyond the arc has been bad, as they rank just 26th in three-point shooting percentage. Winning the board battle has been a hassle, as the Kings are 16th in rebounds. Additionally, they are 12th in turnovers. The Kings must do better on the defensive side, as they are 18th in blocked shots.
De'Aaron Fox is still the best player in Sacramento. So far, he is averaging 28.8 points per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the field. DeMar DeRozan has dealt with injuries. Still, he averages 22.4 points per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the hardwood. Domantas Sabonis just had another double-double. Ultimately, he is averaging 20.4 points and 12.7 rebounds per game while shooting 63 percent from the floor, including 40 percent from the triples. Keegan Murray remains a vital part of this offense. He averages 12.6 points and 8.1 assists per game.
The Kings will cover the spread if they can continue shooting the basketball well and finding their shots. Then, they must defend the rim better and not allow Gilgeous-Alexander to dominate this game and hurt them.
Final Thunder-Kings Prediction & Pick
The Thunder are 9-7 against the spread, while the Kings are 6-9-1 against the odds. Also, the Thunder are 4-2 against the spread on the road, while the Kings are 2-5-1 against the odds at home. The Thunder are 6-7 against the spread against the Western Conference, while the Kings are 3-7-1 against the odds when facing the West. Furthermore, the Kings are 1-3 against the spread when playing on no rest and 0-2 against the spread with a rest disadvantage. The Thunder are 2-2 against the spread when playing with a rest advantage.
The Thunder have had a lot of time to prepare for this game, as they have not played since Wednesday. However, it is hard to ignore their struggles in Sacramento. I expect this game to go down to the wire. However, I can also see the Thunder finding a way to win on the road. I see the Kings covering the spread though.
Final Thunder-Kings Prediction & Pick: Sacramento Kings: +4 (-106)
