Get ready for the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder showdown! Explore our Same Game Parlay Pick for winning insights and betting tips.
Sometimes the NBA schedule makers just nail it. The league is still abuzz after the first showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers last Wednesday. Cleveland knocked off Oklahoma City in a 129-122 thriller, ending a 15-game winning streak for the Thunder. The game was neck and neck the whole way, but the Cavaliers pulled away in the end thanks to 20-10 performances from Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. We won’t have to wait long for the rematch as the top team in the Western Conference looks to avenge its defeat at the hands of the top team in the Eastern Conference.
Bet the latest NBA Odds Right Now!
Oklahoma City will likely be a short home favorite in this game. The Thunder have been on a rampage since their loss to the Cavaliers, blowing out the New York Knicks 126-101 in Madison Square Garden before dismantling the Washington Wizards 136-95 in our nation’s capital. They will finish their four-game East Coast swing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night before heading back home for this tilt.
It would have been too perfect if Cleveland had a 15-game winning streak of its own coming into OKC on Thursday night. The Cavaliers saw their 12-game winning streak snapped by Indiana on Sunday, and they will face the Pacers again on Tuesday before heading to the Sooner State. Still, they are the best team in the league right now with a 33-5 record, and the Cavaliers are currently 11-0 against the Western Conference this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers SGP
Through the first half of the 2024-25 NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been the biggest story. Cleveland is currently 33-5 and on pace to finish with its best regular season record in franchise history. That’s pretty high praise given LeBron James spent half of his career with the Cavaliers, but this team seems special. New head coach Kenny Atkinson is currently the odds-on favorite by the NBA futures odds to be named NBA Coach of the Year, and the team is responding to him after seemingly tuning out J.B. Bickerstaff last season.
Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are both averaging more than 20 PPG, and they have learned to play off each other very well. Garland is largely the point man, but Mitchell can shoot or dish too, giving the offense more options. Big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen can get points in the paint while cleaning up the boards, and Caris LeVert is able to provide scoring off the bench.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite to be named NBA MVP by the current NBA betting odds. SGA is averaging 31.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 5.9 APG while shooting 52.2% from the floor. He is one of the most efficient guards in the league, and his elevation into superstardom has the Thunder in a great position. At this point, the NBA MVP race is a two-man competition between SGA and Nikola Jokic, and no one else has odds under 20-1.
Jalen Williams continues to develop into a star, and that’s huge considering Chet Holmgren appears destined to always be an injury concern. Williams is averaging 20.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 5.2 APG this season, and he plays excellent defense. Free agent acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein has been a big help too as he provides length and presence in the middle of the defense.
Oklahoma City’s only loss to an Eastern Conference team this season prior to last Wednesday’s defeat against Cleveland came at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup Championship. OKC was flat in the second half of that game, scoring just 31 points to lose by 16 in a game where the Thunder made just 33.7% of their field goals and 15.6% of their three-point attempts.
I believe the Thunder will upend the Cavaliers in front of a packed house that brings a decided playoff atmosphere for a mid-season game. SGA will put a big stamp on his MVP candidacy with millions watching on TV, and the Cavaliers will have a hard time containing him off the dribble.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS OVER
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER -2.5
Bet the latest NBA Odds Right Now!
