Blazers vs. Thunder NBA expert prediction and odds for Tuesday, Jan. 23 (OKC should cover)
By Peter Dewey
The Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the Portland Trail Blazers by 62 points the last time these teams played, and they once again find themselves as major favorites on Tuesday night in OKC.
Portland has posted the worst net rating in the NBA since the start of the new year, and that’s a bad sign for the rebuilding Blazers on the road in this matchup.
OKC has been one of the best home teams in the league this season, especially when favored, going 13-3 against the spread in those matchups.
Does that mean bettors should lay the number with the Thunder tonight?
Here are the latest odds and my best bet for Tuesday’s matchup:
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Blazers vs. Thunder odds, spread and total
Blazers vs. Thunder how to watch
- Date: Tuesday, Jan. 23
- Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Paycom Center
- How to watch (TV): Bally Sports Oklahoma, Root Sports Northwest
- Blazers record: 12-30
- Thunder record: 29-13
Blazers vs. Thunder injury reports
Blazers injury report
- Moses Brown – out
- Shaedon Sharpe – out
- Robert Williams III – out
Thunder injury report
- Lindy Waters III – out
- Ousmane Dieng – out
- Olivier Sarr – out
Blazers vs. Thunder key players to watch
Portland Trail Blazers
Scoot Henderson: If Portland is going to get anything positive out of this season, it needs No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson to find his footing at the NBA level. Henderson is averaging just 12.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting a ghastly 36.4 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from 3. He had 13 points on 4-of-21 shooting in the team’s last game vs. OKC.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A legit MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points per game this season. He should have an easy matchup ahead of him against a Portland team that ranks 23rd in defensive rating. SGA had 31 points in 21 minutes in his last meeting with the Blazers.
Blazers vs. Thunder prediction and pick
Oklahoma City has been elite against the spread as a home favorite all season, and the Blazers are just 10-13 against the spread as road dogs, losing those games by an average margin of 13.3 points per game.
There’s no doubt that OKC has the talent advantage here, and I’m worried about this Blazers team with the trade deadline coming up. Will Portland prioritize playing younger talent with the hopes that it can ship out veterans like Malcolm Brogdon, Jerami Grant, and Deandre Ayton at the deadline?
The Blazers have been double-digit dogs 14 times this season, going 7-7 ATS in those matchups. However, they have failed to cover in four of their last five matchups as double-digit underdogs.
Give me OKC in what is a the most lopsided game of the night.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.