OKC Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Game 5 (Series Tied 2-2) - Best Bets & Betting Odds
All odds provided by Sports Interaction.
Thunder vs. Pacers Player Prop Best Bet
Ahead of Game 3, we wrote about how good Myles Turner has been in his role as a rim protector following games where he recorded zero blocks. We took him over 1.5 blocks in that one, and he responded with five swats. And he got them early too. No sweating this one.
Then, in Game 4, he again blocked zero shots. So we’re going back to the well, because why not? His blocks prop is still at 1.5—the -155 odds we’re getting from betting apps aren’t ideal, though they do show we’re on the right track here—and he has not had fewer than two blocks in back-to-back games since late March.
Turner has played in 20 games during this postseason and he has only failed to block two shots in seven of those games—but never in two straight. One of those seven games was the most recent, in Game 4, but following the first six such games, Turner had 4, 2, 4, 2, 3, and 5 blocks. Turner has also been a much more aggressive shot blocker on the road (2.5 blocks a game) than at home (1.9) in these playoffs.
OKC is also one of the most aggressive teams in terms of attacking the basket, which leads to more opportunities for Turner, as we said before Game 3. OKC is averaging about 40 field goals per game inside 10 feet in these Finals. If Turner continues to play 29 minutes like he has (which he surely will, as the Thunder play big more than any other team), he will have ample chances to get us this prop again.
Best Bets: Myles Turner Over 1.5 Blocks (-155)
Thunder vs. Pacers Game Betting Picks
The Pacers looked like they might be able to take a real stranglehold on these NBA Finals late in the fourth quarter of Game 4 at home in Indiana. However, they got a little taste of their own medicine when the Thunder, who were down as much as 10 late in the third quarter, stormed back to even up the series at 2-2 and change the perspective of the remainder of this matchup.
Now back to 2-2 and heading home to OKC after achieving a comeback win against the comeback kings, we think it’s going to be very tough for the Pacers to lay a hand on OKC in Game 5 at Paycom Center.
OKC was just 3-for-16 from the three-point line in Game 4, and they were also nearly doubled in the assist department (11 to 21). But they still pulled one out, and in comeback fashion. That will be huge for their morale.
The Thunder have been the best team in the league all year, but especially at home. Their 35-6 straight up record at home in the regular season was tops in the NBA. They have continued that dominance in the playoffs, putting up a postseason best 9-2 (.818 winning percentage) record at Paycom.
They’ve been nearly just as good ATS: they are 8-3 ATS at home during this postseason, and their 35-15-2 overall ATS record at home is also tops in the NBA. As long as this spread stays in the single digits, we’ll roll with OKC.
Best Bet: Oklahoma City Thunder -9.5 Point Spread (-110)/Sports Interaction
