Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns Tips, Betting Predictions & Odds
The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of their first-round NBA playoff series tonight at the Paycom Center.
The defending champions arrive having obliterated the Suns by 35 points in Game 1, limiting Phoenix to just 84 points on 34.9% shooting in one of the most dominant playoff openings in recent memory.
The Suns come in battered, with starting centre Mark Williams ruled out (spotted in a walking boot post-Game 1), Grayson Allen managing a hamstring issue, and Jordan Goodwin nursing a calf problem.
Our Game 2 tips and predictions are exclusively available here on Free Bets.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns Tips
Game 2 has all the makings of another comprehensive Thunder victory, and our betting tips focus on the handicap market and total points line, two angles that look particularly compelling given the state of this series.
Thunder to Cover the Handicap
The Thunder are installed as massive favourites with a spread in the region of 17.5 points, and there's a strong case they cover it again.
Oklahoma City won Game 1 by 35, the biggest margin in this playoff round, and did so without SGA even shooting efficiently, going 5-for-18 from the field before dominating at the free throw line (15-for-17).
The Suns' injury situation has only worsened since then, with Mark Williams now out of the series entirely, leaving Phoenix without their starting centre and with no answer for Chet Holmgren inside.
A team that managed just 84 points at full strength is going to struggle even more shorthanded on the road against the best defence in the league.
Back the Under 216 on Total Points
With a total line expected to sit higher, the Under is the standout play in this game.
Game 1 produced just 203 combined points, and the conditions that drove that low-scoring output haven't changed, if anything they've got worse for Phoenix.
The Thunder's defence suffocated the Suns into 34.9% shooting, and a depleted Suns roster missing their rim-running centre will find it even harder to generate clean looks or get out in transition.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, have shown a willingness to play a methodical, half-court game when they have a series well in hand, which keeps the pace low and the scoring down on both ends.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 29.5 Points
SGA had 25 points in Game 1 on a genuinely poor shooting night, getting to the line 17 times to bail out his field goal struggles and he'll be even more aggressive now that he's settled into playoff mode.
The reigning league MVP is the best player in this series by a significant distance and, with Devin Booker unable to keep pace offensively against OKC's defensive pressure, Shai should have no trouble outscoring everyone on the court.
He's the first name on the teamsheet and the focal point of the Thunder's offence; backing him to get into the 30s tonight.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns Odds
We've pulled together the latest odds from leading betting sites for Game 2, covering the moneyline, handicap, and total points markets so you can find the best value for each of the tips above.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns Recent Form
We've put together a recent form guide for both the Thunder and the Suns heading into Game 2, check the widget below for each team's last five results.
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