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Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Just as they did for a long while last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are beginning to look like an unstoppable force in their conference and a run of nine wins from their last 10 games has seen them open up a healthy lead at the top of the West. 

Mark Daigneault’s side have at least three more wins than any other side in the Western Conference and only the 26-4 Cleveland Cavaliers can better their 23-5 record in the whole of the NBA. 

That is bad news for the Indiana Pacers, who host the Thunder on Friday morning having enjoyed a mixed season, holding a 15-15 record.

OKC Thunder @ IND Pacers

Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder prop bets - tips and predictions

Luguentz Dort over 1.5 Steals & Blocks - 4/5

Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort built up a reputation a few years back as one of the most relentless and feared perimeter defenders in the NBA, with that label very much still intact in the present day. 

The Canadian guard is averaging a combined 2.1 steals and blocks per game this season - a 0.6 increase from his 1.5 last term - and he could be a thorn in the side of the Pacers’ star men in this clash. 

Tyrese Haliburton is Indiana’s undoubted star and he will see plenty of the ball which should lead to plenty of opportunities to steal or block for OKC’s chief disruptor, Dort. 

The Thunder guard has managed at least two steals alone in five of his last eight games, while he has also notched eight blocks in that same run of fixtures - managing three in a single match against the Toronto Raptors at the beginning of the month. 

He is a decent price to manage over 1.5 of those two statistics combined against the Pacers. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 32.5 points - 1/1

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is to Oklahoma City what Haliburton is to Indiana, but he takes that to a whole other stratosphere and you will find it hard to find anybody arguing that he is not one of the best players in the NBA. 

It was his 41 points which led the Thunder to a 12th win in 13 matches on Christmas Eve and he looks set to have another huge impact on Friday, against a side he loves playing. 

Gilgeours-Alexander was absent for the pair’s last meeting but he notched 39 and 30 points in the other two clashes last season and his line of 32.5 points looks achievable given his current vein of form. 

The Canadian has managed more than that in three of his last five matches and is fancied to put up another big figure against a side who rank in the bottom 11 for defensive rating in the NBA, with a figure of 114.3. 

Read more US sports betting tips and predictions on site.

Pacers v Thunder Money line, spread, over/under

Money Line

Spread

Over/Under

Pacers

37/20

+5.5 - 10/11

Over 227.0 - 10/11

Thunder

4/9

-5.5 - 10/11

Under 227.0 - 10/11

Oklahoma City Thunder -5.5 - 10/11

There are a few reasons for the Indiana Pacers to feel confident ahead of this clash. 

Firstly, they won all three meetings with the Thunder last season, winning the two most recent clashes by 10 or more points. 

Secondly, they are much stronger at home than they are on their travels, boasting a solid 8-4 record at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which should be full of plenty of expectant fans on Friday. 

And lastly, but certainly not least, is the fact they are on a five-game winning streak - a sequence which includes wins over the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, two sides stacked with talent. 

However, all of those positives could be quickly made redundant by the Thunder, who are beginning to look unstoppable, even with Chet Holmgren sidelined. 

OKC have won their last eight matches in the NBA (excluding the NBA Cup final) and have no issues on their travels, winning 11 of their 14 road games this term. 

They are in exceptional form and are blowing teams away with regularity, with each of their last nine wins coming by a margin of at least six points, suggesting they should dominate proceedings in Indiana and land a comfortable triumph over Rick Carlisle’s Pacers. 

View the full market and more odds for Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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