Tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET as part of tonight’s 10-game NBA slate, the Oklahoma City Thunder will be facing off with the Philadelphia 76ers.
This is the second and final matchup between these two teams this season. Oklahoma City produced a 129-104 win in the first game, which took place on December 28th. There are a few other storylines tied to this matchup, as Jalen Williams is set to make his return from over a five-week absence due to hamstring issues. In addition, Jared McCain will be making his return to Philadelphia for the first time since being sent away at the trade deadline.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Thunder enter as 16.5-point favorites and hold -700 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The 76ers hold +750 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 225.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for this Monday night matchup.
Thunder vs. 76ers preview, prediction
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain at the top of the Western Conference with a 56-15 record on the year. They enter this matchup on an 11-game winning streak and have won 14 of their last 15. On the season, the Thunder are 33-38 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 36 of their 71 games played.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headlines the production for the Thunder. The reigning MVP is averaging 31.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game, while leading the league in made field goals. Chet Holmgren earned an All-Star appearance of his own this season, posting averages of 17.2 points and 9.0 rebounds while setting the tone defensively. Jalen Williams will make his return to the floor and play his 27th game of the season tonight after hamstring issues have largely derailed his season. Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jared McCain, and Isaiah Joe also play major roles. Ajay Mitchell is suspended for tonight’s game, and Thomas Sorber remains sidelined. It is also worth keeping an eye on the injury report as the day progresses, as this is the second half of a back-to-back.
As a team, the Thunder are averaging 118.7 points per game, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in offensive rating, fifth in field goal percentage, and 11th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 107.5 points per game against the Thunder, which is the second-best rate in the league. Oklahoma City also leads the league in defensive rating, ranks first in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 22nd in opponents’ three-point percentage.
The Philadelphia 76ers have climbed to seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 39-32 overall record. They are coming off back-to-back wins and have won four of their last five to keep the door to a top-six playoff seed open with 11 games remaining. On the season, the Sixers have gone 38-33 against the spread, and the game total has gone over in 37 of their 71 games played.
Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey each remain sidelined for the Sixers, leaving the team without their three max contract players. In addition, Kelly Oubre Jr. is sidelined with an elbow sprain, and Dominick Barlow is questionable after spraining his ankle in the previous game. Of the available players, V.J. Edgecombe headlines the production with averages of 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Quentin Grimes pitches in 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, although he is listed as questionable with an illness. Cameron Payne, Trendon Watford, Andre Drummond, and Adem Bona each also play significant roles.
Nick Nurse’s squad is scoring 115.8 points per game, which ranks 14th in the NBA. The Sixers also rank 15th in offensive rating, 23rd in field goal percentage, and 25th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.1 points per game against them, which ranks 17th in the league. The Sixers also rank 16th in defensive rating, 13th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 15th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Thunder vs. 76ers prediction, best bet
After a promising start to the year, it looked as if the Sixers’ season was slipping away due to injuries for the second consecutive season. But the shorthanded squad has battled back, winning four of its past five to keep their postseason aspirations alive. However, it is worth noting that these four recent wins came against the Jazz, Kings, Nets, and Trail Blazers. Facing a defending champion Thunder team with the best record in the league provides a significantly more difficult challenge.
The Thunder produced a 129-104 victory in the first matchup against the Sixers. This was while Tyrese Maxey was still on the floor, and the lone player to score more than 13 points for Philadelphia in the matchup. Oklahoma City forced 23 turnovers in the matchup and shot 57% from the floor. They led for 87% of the game and stretched the lead to as large as 27.
Since this point, the Thunder have looked more like the best version of themselves, and the Sixers’ injury concerns have grown greater. Getting Jalen Williams back on the floor is a massive boost, and the depth advantage of this Oklahoma City team will be evident in this matchup. Expect Jared McCain to be provided an opportunity to show out against his former team, and for the Thunder to have too many opportunities to exploit this shorthanded Sixers team.
The recent stretch of play from the Sixers is encouraging, but this was due to the inadequacies of their opponents. Expect the Thunder to look like the better team on both sides of the ball and for their depth to fully break this game open. Even if the Sixers show a spark in the opening minutes, count on Oklahoma City pushing this to a full-scale blowout in the same way they did win the previous matchup and win by well beyond the 16.5-point spread.
