A shocking loss on Monday to the Nuggets has left the Thunder in a tough spot. Oklahoma City will attempt to defend home court tonight in a crucial Game 2 showdown with Denver. If the Western Conference’s top seed hopes to get a win, Jalen Williams needs to step up. OKC’s second-best player struggled throughout most of Game 1.
The Thunder enter tonight’s contest as 10.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 229.5 points. Here’s the best Jalen Williams prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Wednesday’s game tips off.
Jalen Williams O 10.5 assists + rebounds (-110)
As previously mentioned, it was a rough day for J-Dub. The wing shot an atrocious 5-of-20 (25%) from the field, scoring 16 points. The poor performance was a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from the 24-year-old. This season, the first-time All-Star averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. It’s surprising that Williams couldn’t take advantage of a mediocre Denver defense in Game 1. Opponents have scored 116.2 points per game against the Nuggets, the ninth-highest total in basketball.
Williams, despite his inefficiency, still managed to make an impact on Monday’s contest. The guard notched seven rebounds and four assists over the course of 38 minutes. He’s reached 11 assists + rebounds in four of his five appearances this postseason. That level of playmaking is needed for a Thunder squad that lacks distributors not named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
A brutal shooting performance often carries over into the next game of a series. Still, that doesn’t mean bettors should fade Williams. OKC’s budding star has had his share of success in this matchup before. Over J-Dub’s last ten meetings with the Nuggets, he’s posted 19.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists. A well-rounded play style lends itself to plenty of counting stats, even if shots aren’t falling. Look for Williams to take over on the glass and as a passer on Wednesday.
