There’s nothing better than a budding NBA rivalry getting the national spotlight, so we’re in for a treat on Christmas Day. The San Antonio Spurs head to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder just two days after defeating the reigning champions 130-110 in Alamo City.
The Spurs (22-7) have handed the Thunder (26-4) half of their losses this season between Tuesday’s victory and the NBA Cup semifinals, moving into second place in the Western Conference standings.
These results, as impressive as they are, haven’t swayed the sportsbooks much ahead of Thursday’s Christmas Day showdown. The Thunder are a whopping 9.5-point favorite against Spurs at home despite leading 0-2 in their first two meetings.
Spurs vs Thunder odds, prediction
It’s baffling to see the Thunder listed as near double-digit favorites given what we know.
It makes sense for oddsmakers to expect a motivated Thunder team to avenge the past two losses to the Spurs, especially in a nationally televised game, but the spread seems off. The Thunder were 10.5-point favorites on a neutral court in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup, 6.5-point favorites on the road Tuesday night and are 9.5-point favorites at home.
I understand being skeptical about a two-point win on a neutral ground, but Tuesday’s win should send a clear message about how good Spurs are as a team. It should also be noted that Victor Wembanyama has played a combined 43 minutes off the bench in both games and is a plus-33 in those minutes.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson has shrewdly managed his superstar’s minutes since returning from injury, maximizing every second Wemby spends on the floor.
I have great confidence in the Thunder’s defensive intensity and the offensive prowess of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
Still, the Spurs gain more confidence with each win, and as long as Wembanyama can play 20 minutes, his impact puts the Spurs on equal footing with the reigning NBA champions.
I’m happy to take Spurs to cover the spread at 9.5 and expect another competitive matchup between these two West contenders.
The pick: Spurs +9.5 (-110, bet365)
Why trust New York Post betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He is a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and martial arts. He spends his winter weeknights looking for NBA player prop benefits with more money.
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