Germantas Kneita
There are now 3 different series that are currently standing at 3-1, with teams on the verge of elimination. One series where that is not the case is the one between the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The top seed in the west will be returning home for this one, hoping to edge ahead in a series currently tied at 2-2. They certainly do not want to find themselves in a position of needing to win on the road just to force a Game 7.
You can find our NBA Playoff previews here. But for now check out my Nuggets/Thunder Same Game Parlay below.
Aaron Gordon over 1.5 made threes (-115)
Isaiah Hartenstein over 3.5 assists (+125)
Nikola Jokic over 1.5 made threes (-135)
Nuggets vs Thunder Same Game Parlay odds: +575
Aaron Gordon over 1.5 made threes (-115)
Through the first 4 games of the series Aaron Gordon has been one of the most consistent 3-point threats on the Nuggets roster. He is averaging 3 makes from beyond the arc per game on incredible 54.5% shooting. While that efficiency might be hard to maintain, he was a 43.6% shooter this season so do not expect a huge drop of from him tonight.
Gordon has been growing in confidence when it comes to shooting the 3-ball, not limiting himself to catch and shoot opportunities. In Game 4, there were instances of him taking on ball handling responsibilities and pulling up from deep off the dribble. That confidence should take him far tonight. He has not yet failed to knock down at least 2 3-pointers in any game this series. With Chet Holmgren proving to be an effective rim protector, look for Gordon to remain a floor spacer here.
Isaiah Hartenstein over 3.5 assists (+125)
Starting with Game 2 of the series, Isaiah Hartenstein has contributed more in assists for the Thunder. Over the past 3 games, he has managed a combined 12 assists. It is not something that has come out of the blue, considering he has averaged 3.8 assists per game in the regular season. It would not be a surprise to see him carry on his passing streak tonight. With players like Russell Westbrook crowding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hartenstein offers a good and reliable relief option to work the offence through.
Hartenstein has had success getting the ball near the high post this series. Considering he has a soft touch from that range, the Nuggets have needed to close out to him, encouraging him to use his passing. In Game 3 he consistently picked out Chet Holmgren for lobs and the 2 bigs should continue having success connecting in Game 5. He also could rack up assists on give and go screen action, so 4 on the night should be realistic for him here.
Nikola Jokic over 1.5 made threes (-135)
Nikola Jokic has been able to hit the over on the over on this line in 3 of the 4 games so far this series. However, over the last 2 games he has struggled for efficiency, knocking down just 2 of 18 attempts. The Thunder as a result will not have an issue testing out if he MVP candidate can rediscover his shooting touch from out there, so expect his attempt numbers to remain high here.
Jokic has been an efficient shooter from beyond the arc this season, knocking down 41.7% of his 3-point attempts in the regular season. He is more than capable of a bounce-back performance here. The Thunder have given him 6 or more attempts in 3 of the games here and something similar should be enough for Jokic to hit at least 2 3-pointers once more.
