Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is traveling to his home country for a road matchup with the Raptors on Thursday night. The two-time All-Star is producing MVP numbers for another consecutive year while keeping the Thunder atop the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City is 16-5 and enters tonight’s matchup having won five of its last six games. The one loss came against the second-place Rockets. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 29.8 points, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds on 50.7 percent from the field.
The Raptors don’t pose a significant threat to the Thunder, but they are on a two-game winning streak. Any team can steal a regular season game, especially at home. Oklahoma City is a 9.5-point favorite and -470 on the moneyline with a game total of 226.5.
Here are some of the best Gilgeous-Alexander prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Thursday’s matchup.
Best Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Prop Bets
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 1.5 steals (-125)
There’s a lot of options when considering prop bets for Gilgeous-Alexander since he can stuff the stat sheet each night. That said, his o/u 1.5 steals line is appealing against a weak Raptors squad. Toronto won the last two games but is still just 7-15 on the season. There’s talent there, but the team hasn’t quite rebuilt itself yet.
Gilgeous-Alexander, while known for his offensive numbers, is averaging 1.8 steals per game this year. He’s surpassed the 1.5 mark in three straight games and in 11 of 21 games this season. He’ll clear this line easily against a turnover-prone Raptors team.
Toronto averages 16.5 turnovers per game, which ranks sixth most in the NBA. Even during the team’s two-game win streak, the Raptors had 16 and 21 turnovers. Tonight, they’re matched with the Thunder, who elicit the most turnovers per game from their opponents.
Part of the Raptors’ turnover problems stems from their lack of a traditional point guard. Scottie Barnes is the starting point and RJ Barrett gets regular ball handling opportunities as well. Both are effective scorers but are averaging career highs in turnovers this year.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 29.5 points (-120)
With this game expected to be so lopsided, Gilgeous-Alexander’s offensive props are a bit scary. The star guard could sit the majority of the fourth quarter if the game gets out of hand quickly. Still, his points prop is always a line to consider.
He’s averaging 29.8 points per game this season and hit the 30-point mark in nine of 21 games. The Raptors are a bottom-third team in terms of defensive efficiency and opponent’s points per game. Gilgeous-Alexander shouldn’t have an issue scoring in this matchup.
The problem is likely whether he plays enough minutes. If the Raptors keep this game close, this line has a better chance to hit. Gilgeous-Alexander has scored over 29.5 points in seven of the 10 games he’s played at least 36 minutes. All three unders were 28 points with two coming against Denver. He’s also scored over 29.5 points in six of his last eight games.
The steals prop is more favorable than the points, but both are excellent choices in this West vs. East matchup.
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