Published May 25, 1:25am ET by
James Tillman - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated May 25, 1:25am ET
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Updated May 25, 1:25am ET
Tuesday’s NBA Playoff action features the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of this conference finals series. Who has the edge in our Thunder vs Spurs pick?
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| Oklahoma City Thunder | -5.5 (-105) |
| San Antonio Spurs | +5.5 (-115) |
OKC won back-to-back games after dropping the opener. And they had an opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Spurs heading into Game 4. Instead, they produced their worst performance of the series in a 103-82 loss.
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The Thunder trailed 50-38 at the break. Unlike Game 3, there would be no methodical comeback this time, as San Antonio dictated the pace from start to finish.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a team-high 19 points on 6 of 15 shooting from the field. He also tallied seven assists and four rebounds. While OKC did place five players in double figures, it was not enough to overcome the team's worst shooting performance of the series — 33 percent overall and 18 percent from beyond the arc.
The Spurs had lost back-to-back games for the first time this postseason. On top of that, this group faced a scenario of going back to the Paycom Center trailing 3-1. With their backs against the wall, the home team responded with a dominant performance, pulling even at 2-2.
After coughing up a 15-point lead two nights ago, the Spurs got off to another fast start, racing out to a 28-19 advantage after the opening frame. But unlike Game 3, San Antonio played with urgency for 48 minutes, outscoring OKC in every quarter en route to a dominant 21-point victory.
Victor Wembanyma was eager to assert himself at both ends of the floor. And he did exactly that, finishing with 33 points, on 11-of-22 shooting overall and 3-for-7 from long range. He also had eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocked shots. Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle contributed 13 points apiece and combined for nine rebounds and nine assists.
Will the Thunder hold serve on their home court, or will the Spurs push them to the brink?
Oklahoma City enters this contest as a 5.5-point favorite. Here's a look at what you need to know for both teams ahead of Game 5.
Not only are these teams even through four games, but both ball clubs have also won on the opponent's home floor. Given that each squad has responded after a loss, look for this trend to repeat itself, with the defending champs winning a close one.
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Pick
San Antonio Spurs (+5.5)
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