Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets
The 2024-25 NBA MVP winner could finally be settled this Sunday, as the Thunder host the Nuggets at Paycom Center for Game 7 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic will battle for a berth in the Western Conference Finals, where they’ll meet the Timberwolves.
After losing Games 4 and 5, the Nuggets dug deep to win Game 6 at their home floor last Thursday. The usual suspects came to play, but Denver received a timely bench boost from an unlikely hero in Julian Strawther, who dropped 15 points in 20 minutes after not playing much in the games prior.
The pregame SBOTOP betting odds expect the hosts to win because they’re the top seed. However, Game 7s are no longer new to Nikola Jokic and co., who won their previous one against the Clippers during the first round.
Learn more about this do-or-die contest by reading our preview below.
Talking Points
Thunder need a great game from Williams
The Thunder have adopted a strength-in-numbers approach, which has worked well for them this postseason. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been their most consistent star, but sprinkle in some timely performances from Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, or Luguentz Dort, and Oklahoma City are tougher to beat.
Jalen Williams has been the team’s No. 2 option this season, but he has been misfiring against Denver. J-Dub is only shooting 33.7-per cent from the field, and his three-point shot has abandoned him at 21.2-per cent. The one-time NBA All-Star has been criticized for his inefficiency, which reared its ugly head in Game 6, when he only had six points on 3-for-16 shooting. But, to his credit, Williams tries to compensate by contributing to other categories like rebounds (5.5 per game), assists (5.8 per game), and steals (1.5 per game).
Besides Williams, the Thunder also need better performances from fellow starters Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort. Hartenstein had his worst performance in Game 5, notching only eight points and six rebounds in 25 minutes, and Dort only had 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting in 21 minutes.
Gordon doubtful for the Nuggets
The Nuggets received a huge injury blow ahead of Sunday, as the team listed Aaron Gordon as doubtful for Game 7. The high-flying forward was diagnosed with a strained left hamstring after exiting Game 6 late in the fourth period.
Gordon is an essential cog for the Nuggets, especially this postseason. The Arizona product has been the team’s x-factor since he already has two playoff game-winners this year alone. He scored the buzzer-beating putback in Game 4 against the Clippers to make it 2-2, and he converted the go-ahead three-pointer in Game 1 on the road against the Thunder not too long ago. The 29-year-old forward averages 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game (career playoff highs).
Denver are 5-0 when Gordon scores at least 20 points, so if he is out, it’ll be difficult to envision them beating the Thunder on the road this Sunday.
History
Before meeting in the playoffs, the Thunder and Nuggets split their four regular season encounters. However, these two teams couldn’t be further apart in the standings, as Oklahoma City took the top seed with a 68-14 record – 18 more wins than Denver.
Nikola Jokic has more experience than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 7s. The Serbian international has a 4-2 record in such games, averaging 24.3 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. In stark contrast, SGA lost his only Game 7 thus far during their first-round matchup against the Rockets in the 2020 playoffs.
The Thunder aim to make the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, when they still had Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook battling the dynastic Warriors. On the other hand, the Nuggets last made it during their championship-winning year in 2023.
What are the odds?
As mentioned, the NBA 2025 odds favour the Thunder to win this Sunday. They are the 1.28 favourites in the money line, whereas the Nuggets are 3.50 underdogs. Oklahoma City are also backed in the Asian Handicap market, with -9.00 at 2.03 being the highest offer.
Basketball fans can expect new NBA 2025 highlights from these two sides. Save for Game 4, where the Thunder and Nuggets only combined for 179 points, Games 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 have seen these two teams score at least 217 points per game. With that said, bettors can also go for options like Over 212.50 at 1.85, Over 213.00 at 1.93, Over 213.50 at 1.99, and Over 214.00 at 2.06.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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