Nuggets vs Thunder NBA Pick: Denver Looks To Bounce Back From Embarrassing Game 2 Defeat (May 9)

• After stealing the opener, the Denver Nuggets were thoroughly outplayed across the board in Game 2.
• Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder look to reclaim home-court advantage.
• These squads last played on May 7, with the Thunder cruising to a 43-point victory.

One of the games on Friday’s NBA slate features the Denver Nuggets hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of a second-round Western Conference playoff series. Will Denver put up a better fight in our Nuggets vs Thunder pick?

Nuggets-Thunder Game 2 Recap

The Nuggets stole Game 1 against OKC thanks to a game-winning basket by Aaron Gordon. However, the Thunder bounced back with a resounding 143-106 victory in Game 2.

Nikola Jokic, who had 42 points and 22 rebounds in the opener, finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

Jamal Murray added 14 points on just nine shot attempts. Russell Westbrook led the second unit with 19 points and five assists.

On the other side of the matchup, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced an offense in which all five starters registered double-digit scoring totals. He led the way with 34 points and eight assists on an efficient 11-for-13 effort from the field.

Jalen Williams was a factor, finishing with 17 points and seven assists. OKC big man, Chet Holmgren, chimed in with 15 points and 11 boards. The Thunder also got 57 points from their bench.

Unlike the first game that went down to the wire, the Thunder jumped out to a 24-point advantage after the first 12 minutes and led by a sizeable 87-56 margin at the break, essentially putting the game out of reach.

Nuggets vs Thunder Pick: Who Has The Edge In Game 3?

Following a blowout loss, the Nuggets enter this matchup as a five-point underdog, according to BetOnline. Here are a few notable trends for both sides looking ahead to Game 3.

• The Nuggets are 8-4 straight-up (SU) in their last 12 outings.
• Denver has covered the spread four times in its previous six contests, going 4-1-1 during that stretch.
• The Thunder are 9-2 in their last 11 matchups against Western Conference opponents..
• Oklahoma City is 15-5 against the spread in its previous 20 games.

The teams have split the six matchups between them this season, including the playoffs. Given that both teams have won on the other’s home floor, look for OKC to return the favor when these teams clash on Friday night.