SlateLines earns a commission from sportsbook links on this page. 21+ and present in a legal state. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.
The last time these two met, Wemby’s Spurs won Game 7 of the West Finals in Oklahoma City. Now the rematch closes opening night in the Alamo City. Oklahoma City won 64 games last season, and San Antonio still beat them four times in five regular-season tries. Spurs at home, laying less than a field goal? Go Spurs Go.
The Matchup
- The rematch. San Antonio won Game 7 of the West Finals in Oklahoma City last May, 111-103, then lost the Finals to the Knicks.
- The Spurs have OKC’s number. San Antonio won 130-110 and 116-106 at home, 117-102 in Oklahoma City on Christmas, and 111-109 in a neutral-site game in December. The Thunder’s only win was 119-98 in January.
- Two 60-win teams. OKC went 64-18 and outscored teams by 11.1 a game. San Antonio went 62-20, plus 8.1 a game.
- The stars. Victor Wembanyama averaged 24.9 points and 11.4 boards. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points. San Antonio’s guards, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, give Shai different looks all night.
- Tip-off. 9:30 PM ET at Frost Bank Center, on NBC.
Injuries
Chet Holmgren (quad) and Jaylin Williams (heel) sat out OKC’s preseason game this week, and Otega Oweh is out for the season. Tobias Harris (calf) is out for the opener, and Jayden Quaintance hasn’t been cleared. Holmgren is the one to watch; if he’s out, the paint belongs to Wemby.
The Number
Oklahoma City was the better team over a full season by about three points a game. Home court makes up most of that, and the head-to-head says the Spurs matchup bothers the Thunder. Minus two and a half, I’ll lay it.
The honest case against: the Thunder won 64 games and Shai can take over any night. It’s a Game Pick, a lean, and like every pick we post, it lands on the receipts page win or lose. Our first NBA season, so these are leans while we build the record.
Bottom Line
Take the Spurs minus two and a half at . Lean. Home floor, Wemby, and a 4-1 regular season against this exact team. Spurs.
Lines as posted Monday at 12:30 PM ET; we recheck prices and the injury report Tuesday morning. Confirm them before tip.
Same-Game Parlay
One read in three legs. The Spurs beat OKC four times last year without Wembanyama scoring big. He was under 23 in all five games. Stephon Castle was the one doing the damage. Every leg needs the same game, so this is one position, not three bets.
The angleSan Antonio wins it as a team, with Castle doing damage and Wemby not needing to carry it.
Build it at FanDuel →FanDuel prices same-game parlays in its own builder, so there is no price here. Build the legs there and check the number before you place it.
Price: check your sportsbook for SGP pricing. Lines as posted Monday at 12:30 PM ET; confirm them before you build the ticket. This parlay is a Game Pick. Player props not available in all states.
Best Props for This Game
Bets beyond the spread, from either side. It’s opening night, so the trends come from last season’s games. These are Game Pick props, separate bets from our pick, so keep them small. We’ll recheck every player against Tuesday’s injury report before tip.
OKC throws its bigs at him, and he’s never had a big scoring night against them.
- TrendUnder 26.5 in 39 of 65 games last season
- Matchup22, 12, 19, 17 and 22 points against OKC last season, all five under
He was San Antonio’s best scorer against the Thunder last year.
- TrendCleared 15.5 in 42 of 69 games last season
- Matchup22, 24, 19, 20 and 14 points against OKC, 4 of 5 over
A low bar for the bench scorer who closed last season strong.
- TrendCleared 7.5 in 69 of 83 games last season, all of his last 10
- Matchup25 points in two of his five games against OKC last season
The reigning scoring machine averaged 31.1 last season.
- TrendCleared 29.5 in 43 of 68 games last season
- Matchup29, 33, 22 and 34 points against San Antonio last season
21+ · Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER