Oklahoma City Thunder plays host to the LA Clippers when the NBA gets going again on Thursday night. The Thunder (-130) goes into the match as the betting favorite. And in our latest NBA betting picks, we tell you if they will win this Western Conference showdown.
The NBA resumes on Thursday after the All-Star Game break with 12 fixtures on the slate.
One of the standout matches is the Western Conference clash between the second-place Oklahoma City Thunder and third-place LA Clippers. Both sides trail the Timberwolves at the top of the table by 1.5 and 2 games, respectively.
The Timberwolves get their season restarted on Friday against the Bucks. So the clash at the Paycom Center 24 hours earlier represents a chance for one of the teams to close the gap at the top. Even if it’s just temporarily.
When it comes to the Timberwolves, the best NBA betting sites aren’t paying a lot of attention to the Conference table in the betting to win the postseason playoffs. The current betting favorites are the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, at +250. The Nuggets are joined at the top of the betting by the Clippers, who are also +250.
The Phoenix Suns are third favorites at +650, with the Thunder at +700 and the division-topping Timberwolves at +750.
Outside of the leading five candidates are the Mavericks and Golden State Warriors at +1400. The LA Lakers are +1600.
In the latest betting to win the 2024 NBA Championship, the Boston Celtics lead the way.
Boston has been the standout team in the NBA this season. They have a 43-12 record in the Eastern Conference. As a result, the best NBA finals betting sites make the Celtics just +265 to win the 2024 Championship.
The franchise the betting sites think are most likely to stop Boston is the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are +475 to go back-to-back in 2024.
Not far behind their Western Conference rivals are the LA Clippers at +500. While after all their upheavals in recent weeks, the Milwaukee Bucks have slipped to +700. The Suns are next at +1200, with the Thunder at +1400 and the Timberwolves at +1600.
Betting for this Western Conference clash is close. And it’s to be expected, with both sides so evenly matched. The home-court advantage means the Thunder are favorites at -130 on the money line. The Clippers are +110.
On the handicap spread, the Clippers are receiving a 1.5-point start. To win with the spread, LA is -110. To win and cover the spread, the Thunder is -110.
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On the total points spread, 238.5 is the line set by the best NBA betting sites. Both over and under 238.5 is -110. The last time these two met, 245 points were scored. The match was in mid-January at the Crypto.com Arena.
Below are more options from different sportsbooks on our NBA betting table. You can read more about the bookmakers we have used on our online sportsbook reviews page.
| Thunder vs. Clippers |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder | -130 | -130 | -130 |
| Clippers | +110 | +110 | +110 |
| Thunder (-1.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Clippers (+1.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Over 238.5 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 238.5 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The Thunder sit second in the Western Conference with a 37-17 record. They are currently 1.5 wins behind the Timberwolves, having played one match fewer. Their home record is 21-6, and they are on a winning streak of two.
Oklahoma has won its last four home games, including a five-point win (105-100) over the Nuggets at the end of January. The last time they lost at Paycom Center was in the match before the win over the Nuggets. On that occasion, they went down 107-101 to the Timberwolves.
The Clippers are in slightly better form. In their last ten matches, they are 7-3 (the Thunder are 6-4). And they are two wins behind the Timberwolves in the Conference table, having played two matches fewer.
The Clippers are 36-17 overall this season. At home, they are 20-6, and on the road, 16-11.
They are currently on a road-trip winning streak of five. Although, it would have to be said the five wins didn’t come against any of the top sides in the NBA. Of the five teams they defeated, the Heat has the best record. And they sit 7th in the Eastern Conference with a 30-25 record.
Both these two teams have their strengths and weaknesses. The bookmakers seem to favor the Clippers to do better in the postseason. But in recent matches, when LA has faced top-notch opposition, they have fallen short. They lost heavily to the Timberwolves in the week before the All-Star Game, and their last defeat on the road came against the Cavaliers (who sit second in the Eastern).
As for the Thunder, they’ve also had some funny results in recent weeks. A 35-point loss to the Mavericks just under two weeks ago is the main evidence to back that view up.
This looks like a real 50/50 call to name a winner. And with the spread also being tight at 1.5 points, we feel it’s best to look at the total points line for a pick.
Over 238.5 points have been covered in Oklahoma’s last five matches. And as the home team, we say they will dictate the direction of the match. We are backing over 238.5 points for our betting pick.
Check below for our list of the top sportsbooks where you can wager online:
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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