Kings vs. Thunder NBA expert prediction and odds for Tuesday, April 9 (Bet on OKC)
By Peter Dewey
The Western Conference playoff race is heating up in the final week of the NBA regular season, especially when it comes to the play-in tournament, as several teams are battling for position – including the Sacramento Kings.
They’ll take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight in what could be a potential first-round matchup this postseason.
The Thunder have been banged up as of late – mainly star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – which has led to them dropping to the No. 3 seed in the West.
Still, the team is just one game out of the No. 1 seed. Can it pick up a win against a Kings team battling for the No. 6 spot in the West?
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Here’s a look at the latest odds and my best bet for this game:
Kings vs. Thunder odds, spread and total
Kings vs. Thunder how to watch
- Date: Tuesday, April 9
- Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Paycom Center
- How to watch (TV): NBC Sports California, Bally Sports Oklahoma
- Kings record: 45-33
- Thunder record: 53-25
Kings vs. Thunder injury reports
Kings injury report
- Jordan Ford – out
- Kevin Huerter – out
- Malik Monk – out
- Keegan Murray – questionable
Thunder injury report
- Ousmane Dieng – out
- Adam Flagler – out
- Jalen Williams – questionable
- Gordon Hayward – out
- Keyontae Johnson – out
- Olivier Sarr – out
Kings vs. Thunder key players to watch
Sacramento Kings
De’Aaron Fox: With Malik Monk out, De’Aaron Fox has had to do even more on offense for the Kings in recent games. Fox is averaging 26.0 points per game over his last six matchups, shooting 43.2 percent from the field. He’s likely going to have the ball in his hands a ton in this meeting.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Josh Giddey: With SGA banged up recently, it’s been Giddey who has stepped up for the Thunder, averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game over his last nine matchups. Giddey is shooting 48.3 percent from 3 over that stretch, a massive jump from his season-long average of 34.5 percent.
Kings vs. Thunder prediction and pick
This season, Oklahoma City has dominated as a home favorite, going 19-12 against the spread, and the team is desperate for a win in this game after dropping five of its last 10.
The return of SGA tonight – and possibly Williams – will be huge for the Thunder, but the team has been playing it safe with both stars since it has already clinched a playoff spot, so I wouldn’t be shocked if Williams sat.
Still, the Kings have not looked good since Monk went down, ranking 20th in the NBA in offensive rating over their last 10 games.
If these teams get into a defensive battle, I like OKC to hang around even if it's two top guns don’t play. If they do, the Thunder could be in line for a big win to stay in reach of the No. 1 seed.
Pick: Thunder -5.5 (-110)
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.