During the regular season, the Golden State Warriors lost just twice overall at home and didn’t lose back-to-back games anywhere — the first team in league history to not lose consecutive games. The Warriors need to keep that streak going in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday or find themselves down 2-0 to the Thunder with the series then heading to Oklahoma City. The Warriors are 8.5-point favorites on online betting odds.
A Look at the Oklahoma City at Golden State NBA Playoffs Lines Game 2 & TV Info
When: Wednesday, May 18, 9 PM ET
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland
TV: TNT
NBA Odds: Warriors -8.5 (221.5)
Thunder at Warriors Historic Betting Trends
I’m a bit surprised this opening line is a point higher than Game 1 when the Warriors are -7.5 and were shocked 108-102. Remember, the Warriors were 3-0 against OKC during the regular season, although every game could have been won by the Thunder. The Warriors had been 37-0 this season when leading a game by double digits at halftime as they did Game 1. The Thunder franchise had lost its previous 12 Game 1s on the road, including five since the team moved to Oklahoma City.
Everyone is going to be focusing on a clear travel by Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook with just over 17 seconds left an OKC up by three. And, yes, he clearly traveled. Referee Monty McCutchen awarded Westbrook a timeout with 17.2 seconds remaining, despite the All-Star point guard’s dragging his pivot foot. After the timeout, Westbrook was immediately fouled, and he hit one of two free throws to make it a two-possession game.
The Warriors led for much of the game, including by as many as 14. And the Thunder didn’t exactly play their best. They missed 10 free throws. Kevin Durant and Westbrook shot a combined 17-of-51.
But it was OKC that came up big in the fourth quarter and Golden State that shrunk from the spotlight. The Thunder have now won three straight playoff games in which they trailed entering the fourth quarter. During the regular season, they led the NBA in losses when leading at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors went 1-of-10 on 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, their worst 3-point percentage in a quarter in which they took at least 10 shots this season.
Durant scored 26 points and made a key 17-foot jumper with 30.7 seconds left, while Westbrook scored 24 of his 27 points in the second half. Westbrook also had 12 assists and seven steals in Game 1. Westbrook is the second player with at least 25 points, 10 assists and five steals in the first game of a playoff series, along with Rick Barry (1975 Warriors). Steven Adams had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder, who outscored the Warriors by 19 points with him on the court.
In the first half, the Thunder turned the ball over 10 times, many unforced and silly. In the second, they had just two giveaways. The Thunder have now won three straight road playoff games, which includes back-to-back wins in San Antonio and now one at the vaunted Oracle
MVP Stephen Curry had 26 points and a playoff career-high 10 rebounds, but the Warriors missed too many shots down the stretch. The Warriors’ 42 second-half points and 14 in the fourth were lows for this postseason.
Expert Betting Prediction
Golden State will win Game 2 but I’m taking the points just like I did in Game 1. Go over the total.
