Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview, Picks, & Best Bets (2/27/26)
The Denver Nuggets (37-22) travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (45-15) at 9:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. The contest is headlined by MVP frontrunners Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Keep reading for Nuggets vs. Thunder best bets, and click any odds below to place a bet. For more sportsbook promos, we highly recommend checking out the best sports betting sites. Also check out our daily NBA betting trends for data, odds and insights!
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Nuggets vs. Thunder Odds
Nuggets vs. Thunder Best Bets & Picks
Best bets in this matchup include taking the under on Jamal Murray’s points and the over on Christian Braun’s points.
Jamal Murray Under 22.5 Points (-120 BetMGM)
The Thunder feature the best trio of perimeter defenders across the league in Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso, so there will be minimal space for Murray to operate. Dort, in particular, has completely shut down Murray’s scoring over the past few seasons. Factor in Murray not being 100% healthy if he suits up due to an illness, and it’s a horrific matchup for the first time All-Star.
Since Oct. 2023 (Chet Holmgren’s debut), Murray has scored under 20 points in seven of eight regular season matchups against Oklahoma City.
Christian Braun Over 10.5 Points (-125 FanDuel)
Oklahoma City’s defense is designed to limit paint attempts and pick-and-roll scorers while funneling jump shots to inconsistent role players. Braun is easily the shakiest perimeter shooter on the Nuggets at this point, so he should benefit by seeing an uptick in field goal attempts. He’s also guaranteed to play a ton of minutes because Braun is Denver’s best defensive option to throw at Gilgeous-Alexander.
Since Oct. 2023, Braun has scored at least 11 points in five of seven regular season games versus the Thunder.
Nuggets vs. Thunder Preview & Breakdown
The Nuggets are scoring a league-leading 120.7 points per 100 possessions this season despite dealing with a revolving door of injuries. Nikola Jokić deserves the lion’s share of the credit because he ensures excellent shot quality and makes life easy for his teammates. Jamal Murray’s All-Star leap and Denver’s elite three-point shooting are also driving forces behind the team’s offensive success.
But the Nuggets (20th in defensive rating) must improve their defense in order to survive the West and win the NBA Finals. Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson returning to action will indisputably provide a massive boost, yet it’s not enough. Jokić needs to raise his rim deterrence impact.
Oklahoma City has also faced significant injuries this season, and its grip on the one seed is becoming looser and looser. Fortunately for the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will suit up for the first time since Feb. 3. He is six games away from breaking the regular season record for most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history.
Sam Presti’s decision to acquire Jared McCain at the trade deadline already looks like a masterstroke. McCain has averaged 22.2 points per 75 possessions while shooting 44.1% from deep since debuting for the Thunder. He will be an X Factor for the reigning champs in the upcoming playoffs.
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