Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NBA match.
The Thunder have had an excellent start to the new season, winning all three of their games. During the offseason, they made precise roster enhancements and are once again on the road for their first title. Their opponents are the Spurs, who are still in the midst of a rebuild.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The key to the hosts' success is their defence. Early in the season, the Thunder rank first in points allowed, conceding just 95.3, and they are impressive on the boards, averaging 49.3 rebounds, while leading the league in blocks per game (10). Offensively, things are going well too, with players averaging 114.7 points per game (10th in the league).
San Antonio Spurs
This season, the Spurs are expected to linger near the bottom of the standings as management continues to assess the progress of their main stars, whose primary issue is scoring. They average only 106.3 points per game. However, the Spurs rank in the upper half of the league for points allowed — 110.7 (11th in the league).
Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction
The hosts are, of course, the favourites for this matchup, but with their young offence not always performing consistently, we advise against betting on the total points scored or the handicap. It's better to focus on the visitors' scoring capability. With one of the league's weakest offences visiting the best defence, it's highly unlikely they will pose much of a surprise to the Thunder.
