OKC Thunder vs LA Clippers Predictions, Picks & Props to Bet (Nov 4)

• The Thunder are 7-point road favorites over the Clippers tonight
• OKC leads the NBA in Net Rating and Defensive Rating
• See my Thunder vs Clippers predictions, picks and props to bet for Nov. 4

The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0, 3-0 away) return to the court tonight, looking to build on their perfect start. They’ll head to Los Angeles to face a struggling LA Clippers (3-3, 3-1 home) squad that’s playing on the second night of a back-to-back. 

Online sportsbooks are bullish on OKC in this spot, pegging them as big road favorites in the latest NBA odds. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm PT/11:00 pm ET from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, with NBC providing the broadcast coverage.

OKC Thunder vs LA Clippers Picks & Predictions

The Thunder are just the third franchise in NBA history to start a season 7-0 in consecutive years. Boston accomplished the feat back in the 60’s, and it was another 30 years before Houston pulled it off in the 90’s. Both those teams went on to win the title in each season, and it’s hard to imagine anyone trumping OKC in the NBA Championship odds.

Oklahoma City has won their first seven games by an average of 12.4 points. That’s just shy of last year’s 12.8 point average margin of victory, which was the highest ever. If you remove garbage time from the equation, the Thunder currently have the point differential of 69-win game.

The scary part is, they haven’t been 100% healthy yet. Number two scorer Jalen Williams hasn’t played as he recovers from wrist surgery, while 7-footer Chet Holmgren has sat out three straight games with a back injury. Holmgren is set to return tonight, which is just one of many reasons why my Thunder vs Clippers prediction is banking on an OKC cover.

Another reason I’m backing the Thunder is the play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning NBA MVP odds winner has picked up right where he left off last season. SGA has twice as many clutch points as anyone else in the league.

He’s also one of only nine players with a true shooting percentage north of .600, while handling more than 30% of the team’s possessions. He’s scored 20 points or more in 79 straight games, which is the third longest streak in NBA history.

OKC Thunder Team Stats

Not that you need any more ammo to back OKC tonight, but I’ll provide some anyways. The Thunder lead the NBA in Net Rating and Defensive Rating. OKC ranks just eighth in Offensive Rating, but that can be partly attributed to the starters resting early on most nights, as they cruise to blowout victories.

That’s what I expect to happen tonight. Oklahoma City jumps all over a tired LA team, and then coasts to an easy victory. I’d happily lay -7 in my Thunder vs Clippers pick even if LA was at full strength, but it sounds like Kawhi Leonard’s availability is in doubt.

Leonard tweaked his ankle in last night’s loss versus Miami, and rarely suits up in back-to-back outings anyways. He’s the team’s best on ball defender, and their most reliable offensive creator.

Without him, it’s up to the likes of James Harden, Chris Paul and Brook Lopez among others, which would be fine if the year was 2018.

OKC Thunder vs LA Clippers Player Props to Bet

As for the NBA player props market, I’m investing in over 1.5 Chet Holmgren threes. The rangy big man is shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc this season, and has averaged six 3-point attempts in his first four games.

As for the Clippers defense, it’s very beatable from long range. They rank 22nd in defending the three-point line, and even worse if you factor in threes between the 21-24 foot range. The Heat shot 48% from three last night en route to beating LA, with their starting bigs combining to go 5-of-9 from downtown.