Nuggets vs Thunder Predictions, Picks & Odds (Jul 14)

• The OKC Thunder are slight 1.5-point favorites vs the Denver Nuggets in Summer League play Tuesday
• Denver Round 2 pick Bryce Hopkins debuted with a 24-point effort in the opener against Houston
• Read below for my Nuggets vs Thunder picks, predictions and updated odds

---

Two teams expected to battle at the top of the Western Conference will square off in NBA Summer League, when the Denver Nuggets take on the OKC Thunder.

OKC has yet to win a game in Vegas, dropping their first two and not looking close to competitive, yet the books have them pegged as 1.5-point favorites against Denver, who are coming off a win over Houston.

This one gets going Tuesday at 9pm ET from the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Read below for my Nuggets vs Thunder picks, predictions, and updated odds.

Nuggets vs Thunder Odds

Odds as of July 14. Claim the bet365 promo code to bet on WNBA action.

The moneyline opens with both teams getting -110 odds to take the victory Tuesday. The spread is tight, with Denver getting 1.5 points, but both teams getting equal -110 odds.

As for the total, it checks in at 178.5 points, again with -110 odds on both sides.

Nuggets vs Thunder Prediction

• Nuggets ML (-110 at bet365)

After opening Summer League with a loss to Houston, the Nuggets put together a pretty solid effort in whipping the Minnesota Timberwolves 101-82.

Second-round pick Bryce Hopkins followed up his 24-point debut against Houston with a solid 16 points and seven rebounds against Minny on a nice 6-for-13 shooting from the field.

Another rookie, Trevon Brazille, sat out the Minnesota game after opening Summer League with five points and 11 boards.

On top of developing those rooks, Denver brings a far more experienced roster to Vegas, including third-year guard KJ Simpson, who’s averaged 18 points and 6.5 assists so far. Erik Stevenson, an undrafted castoff in 2023 — who’s now 27 years old — just had 20 points, including 4-for-7 shooting from downtown.

OKC’s only real concern in Vegas is to get their three 2026 draft picks some reps to see if they can contribute to an already stacked roster that’s got the second-best 2027 NBA Championship odds.

Both big man Aday Mara (12th) and guard Bennett Stirtz (16th) are First Rounders, though neither currently figures in the 2027 NBA Rookie of the Year odds. But there’s potentially minutes available to them and second-round pick Otega Oweh if they are able to show something.

Stirtz has led the team in scoring both games, while Mara has pulled down 16 boards across two games, but the rest of the roster is castoffs, and a big reason OKC hasn’t scored more than 84 points in a game.

The development for their youngn’s continues, but so do the losses.

DEN Nuggets vs OKC Thunder Picks

• Over 178.5 points (-110 at DraftKings)

Even if the Thunder haven’t been able to score, their opponents have dragged them Over the 178.5 scoring line that’s set for Tuesday. The Lakers hung a 96-84 win on them to carry the Over, while Golden State did the heavy lifting in a 104-79 romp.

The Nuggets have also cleared both times, but have held their own, averaging 93.5 points per game through their two starts in Vegas.

I expect much a similar game script, with both teams showcasing early on before the reserves get into the game, and Denver’s bench mob outclasses what the Thunder put on the court.