Germantas Kneita
The Denver Nuggets were able to pull off a major upset in Game 1 of their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder thanks to an Aaron Gordon 3-pointer in the dying second of the game. They will now look to build on that and potentially take a 2-game lead back to Denver with them. That will be no easy task however, considering the Thunder have the best home record in the NBA this season.
You can find our NBA Playoff previews here. But for now check out my Nuggets vs Thunder Same Game Parlay below.
Michael Porter Jr. over 9.5 points (-115)
Nikola Jokic over 13.5 rebounds (-105)
Jalen Williams over 10.5 assists & rebounds (-115)
Nuggets vs Thunder Same Game Parlay odds: +550
Michael Porter Jr. over 9.5 points (-115)
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. really struggled to get going in Game 1, knocking down just 1 of his 8 field goal attempts. However, with Nikola Jokic dominating like he did, likely commanding even more attention in Game 2, the opportunities should be there for Porter Jr. to bounce back, especially if Jokic creates him open looks. With the Nuggets having issues with depth and not using more than 8 players in a game, playing time should not be a major concern.
The forward has had success against the Thunder in the regular season, averaging 20 points per game against them in 4 outings. He hit double-digit points in each. He is also a 39.5% shooter from beyond the arc this season and is unlikely to draw a blank from 3-point range again. In the opening series of the postseason he had not failed to score at least 10 points in 2 straight games and it is hard to see that becoming the case on Thursday night.
Nikola Jokic over 13.5 rebounds (-105)
Nikola Jokic dominated the glass in Game 1, securing 22 rebounds. He is likely to continue seeing success in that category here. Being matched up against Isaiah Hartenstein helps. The Thunder center offers little floor spacing and does not pull the Serbian away from the rim. Even when involved in a pick and roll with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadian is not a huge 3-point threat, making just 26.5% of his 3-point attempts this postseason. He looks to get to the mid-range instead, allowing Jokic to comfortably drop back in the paint.
The Serbian also spent time matched up against Chet Holmgren in the last game. And while the young forward does have great length, he does give up a lot of bulk to the Nuggets star. It allowed Jokic to push him about in the paint, time and time again getting into more advantageous rebounding positioning. That is unlikely to change for Game 2, so look for him to be a huge factor on the boards once more.
Jalen Williams over 10.5 assists & rebounds (-115)
Jalen Williams has been quietly stuffing the stat sheet for the Thunder this postseason. Through 5 games he has managed to hit the over on this line on 4 different occasions, including Game 1 of this series. He had success in these categories against the Nuggets in the regular season too, averaging 6 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
The Thunder will not oppose guys like Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun from attacking from deep. Considering these are players Williams is likely to be matched up again, it should leave him with more freedom to drop back and help out rebounding the ball. He also sees minutes as the lead playmaker when Gilgeous-Alexander takes a rest which should help him build on a 4-assist performance in Game 1. Back the over as a result.
