NBA Predictions Today: How Do Thunder and Spurs Follow-Up Epic Game 1?

From a fan perspective, the NBA playoffs have gone above and beyond in the last two days. Game 1 of both conference finals delivered an instant classic. What can the Thunder and Spurs do to follow up a double-overtime thriller on Wednesday night in Game 2?

Obviously, this series looks like it could be unpredictable, but here are the best predictions for how Game 2 will unfold.

Best NBA Predictions for Wednesday, May 20

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Thunder Beat Spurs by 6.5 Points in Game 2 (Yes, 51%)

The Thunder suffered its first loss of the postseason in Game 1, which didn’t unfold the way most expected. But we’re going to give the reigning champs the benefit of the doubt in Game 2. Obviously, Oklahoma City can’t afford to lose the first two games of the series at home, so the onus is on them to win at all costs.

Oklahoma City is too talented and too well-coached not to have a solid Plan B against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. Look for the Thunder to make some adjustments to even up the series. Also, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren both had subpar offensive performances in Game 1. Both players should bounce back in Game 2, allowing the Thunder to win and pull away late to cover the spread.

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Thunder vs. Spurs Over 216.5 Total Points in Game 2 (Yes, 52%)

Game 1 only went over the point total because the game went to overtime. Both teams finished with a relatively modest 101 points at the end of regulation. But we predicted a low-scoring affair in Game 1 while the teams adjust to one another. After playing an extra 10 minutes in Game 1, it’s safe to say that both teams are settled in and are ready to be more aggressive in Game 2.

As mentioned, the Thunder had some key players underperform in Game 1. In fact, three starters finished with less than 10 points, which probably won’t happen again. Also, seven of Oklahoma City’s nine playoff games have hit the over, and with the total coming down, it makes sense to bet on that trend continuing, especially since San Antonio’s last six games have ended with at least 223 total points.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 8+ Assists in Game 2 (Yes, 46%)

We won this bet in Game 1, and we’re happy to run it back in Game 2. Gilgeous-Alexander actually finished with 12 assists in Game 1, far surpassing the threshold. That could open the door for a more aggressive bet in Game 2. Of course, we can’t rely on another double-overtime game, so we’ll stick with 8+ assists for Gilgeous-Alexander.

Oklahoma City is hoping that Gilgeous-Alexander has a better shooting night on Wednesday. But that shouldn’t impact his opportunities to rack up a high assist total. In fact, if he’s a little more gun-shy about shooting in Game 2, Gilgeous-Alexander will focus even more on being a playmaker for others. The bottom line is that he’s had at least eight assists in seven of nine playoff games, so this feels like a safe bet.

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Isaiah Hartenstein 6+ Rebounds in Game 2 (Yes, 35%)

Harteinstein collected just two rebounds in Game 1, largely because he only played 12 minutes. The Thunder rolled the dice with a smaller lineup, giving most of Harteinstein’s usual minutes to Alex Caruso. Of course, that decision didn’t necessarily work out for Oklahoma City, as the smaller lineup allowed Wembanyama to go off for 41 points and 24 rebounds.

Surely, the Thunder will have to adjust by playing a bigger lineup in Game 2. That means playing the seven-foot Hartenstein more to compete with Wembanyama on the boards. Obviously, that’s going to be easier said than done. But Hartenstein has accumulated at least eight rebounds in seven of nine playoff games, so if his playing time reverts to his normal 24 minutes per game, he should have no trouble collecting at least six rebounds in Game 2.

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