Thunder vs. Pacers Betting Analysis & Pick 3/31/23

Oklahoma City Thunder (38-39 SU, 44-32-1 ATS) vs. Indiana Pacers (33-44 SU, 39-36-2 ATS)

When: Friday, March 31st, 7:00 PM (ET)

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, IN, Indianapolis

TV: BSIN

Point Spread: OKC -3/Ind +3 (Bet your NBA picks for FREE this week by snatching up a 100% bonus!)

Total: OFF

Money Line: Oklahoma City Thunder -150/+122

Notable Injuries

Thunder

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Out) Ankle
• Kenrich Williams (Out) Wrist
• Lindy Waters III (Out) Foot
• Chet Holmgren (Out) Foot

Pacers

• Myles Turner (Questionable) Back
• Tyrese Haliburton (Out) Ankle
• Chris Duarte (Out) Ankle
• Kendall Brown (Out) Leg

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Oklahoma City is 38-39 overall. When taking to the road, Oklahoma City has a mark of 15-23 and a win percentage of 39%. Currently, the team is 10th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 44-32-1 vs the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs the spread, they are 2-3 in their past 5 games and 0-5 ATS. Over their past 10 games, they are 6-4 SU and 4-6 ATS.

In their last outing, the Thunder emerged victorious against the Pistons, winning by a score of 107-106. Jalen Williams led the team in scoring with 27 points. The Oklahoma City team was not able to cover the spread as 9-point favorites.

Heading into the game, Indiana is 33-44 overall. When playing at home, Indiana has a mark of 19-19 and a win percentage of 50%. Currently, the team is 12th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 39-36-2 vs the spread. The Pacers need a win in today’s matchup vs Oklahoma City to avoid their 5th straight loss.

Indiana will be looking for a bounce-back performance in today’s game. In the Pacers’ most recent matchup, they lost to the Bucks by a score of 149-136. Bennedict Mathurin finished with a team-high 29 points. Given that they were 13-point underdogs, the teams each added an ATS push to their resume.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Thunder picked up the 126-106 win over the Pacers. The Thunder point margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as 3.5 point favorite. This has been the only matchup between the two teams this season. When looking at how these teams have performed vs the spread in recent matchups, the Thunder have an ATS mark of 3-2. Yet, the Pacers have averaged more points per game in these contests, at 123 compared to Indiana at 115. The over-under record in these same games is 4-1, with the teams combining for an average of 238 points per game.

Analysis

This season, Oklahoma City is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 117.5 points per game. So far, the Thunder are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 101.4 possessions per game. The three-point shot has been a big part of Oklahoma City’s offensive game plan, as they are ranked 11th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 35.9% of their looks from outside. On defense, the Thunder are allowing an average of 111.83 points per game, placing them 15th in the league. So far, opposing teams are hitting 34.97% of their looks from deep vs Oklahoma City.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not be available for today’s game in Oklahoma City due to an injury, as reported on the injury report. This means that Josh Giddey will need to step up and take on the role of primary scorer for the team. This year, Giddey has been averaging 16.5 points per game for the Thunder.

This season, Indiana is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 115.9 points per game. So far, the Pacers are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 100.5 possessions per game. The three-point shot has been a big part of Indiana’s offensive game plan, as they are ranked 6th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 36.5% of their looks from outside. Defense has been a struggle for Indiana, as they are currently allowing 114.94 points per game. The team’s 3-point shooting defense has been a problem this year. So far, opposing offenses have hit 36.78% of their looks from the outside.

Buddy Hield is the top scorer for the Pacers, with an average of 16.9 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 45.4%. Bennedict Mathurin is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.6 points per game.

Betting Trends

• Thunder are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
• Thunder are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
• Pacers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
• Pacers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

Nothing is more beautiful than a motivated NBA team playing to their full potential. That’s exactly what we’ll see Friday night in Indiana where the OKC Thunder are pressing for a playoff spot and the Pacers are thinking draft pick. Deposit $100, get $100 FREE! Deposit $200, get $200 FREE! Deposit $300, get $300 FREE! All you have to do is use bonus code PREDICT100 when you sign up and deposit at MyBookie Sportsbook!