Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets Prediction NBA Picks 10/24/24

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets meet Thursday in NBA action at the Ball Arena. Here’s an Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets Prediction. This article will include an Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets Pick.

Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Preview

The Thunder play the Bulls, Hawks, and Spurs next. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 57 games last season and entered year 5 under coach Mark Daigneault. The Thunder gained their valuable playoff experience and should be better than they were a season ago. The additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein make OKC better defensively and provide some toughness. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a superstar, Chet Holmgren is coming off his best season yet, and guys like Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort are coming into their own. The Oklahoma City Thunder are young, deep, and enjoy playing together.

It feels like last year’s run was just the tip of the iceberg, as OKC is a popular pick to threaten the NBA title. The OKC Thunder haven’t won 50-plus games in back-to-back seasons since 2013-14. There’s good reason to be excited about Thunder basketball.

Denver Nuggets Betting Preview

The Nuggets play the Clippers, Raptors, Nets, and Timberwolves next. The Denver Nuggets followed up their NBA title with 57 wins and a trip to the conference semifinals. Entering the 10th season under coach Michael Malone, the Nuggets remain one of the teams that’s a threat to the Celtics repeat. The Nuggets lose Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Reggie Jackson, and Justin Holiday, and they replace them with Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric, and DaRon Holmes II. Westbrook has a chance to be a difference-maker for the Nuggets, but Denver will continue to go as far as Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic take them.

A healthy, consistent season of Michael Porter Jr. would go a long way as well. The Nuggets do have depth issues, but it would be insane to write this team off.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets Injury Report

The Thunder will be without Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Nikola Topic for the season opener. The Nuggets will be without DaRon Holmes II.

Why the Denver Nuggets will win

• The Nuggets have won each of their last eight Thursday night games at Ball Arena.
• The Thunder have lost seven of their last eight road openers against Western Conference opponents.
• The Thunder have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six night games against Northwest Division opponents.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets Prediction

You’re not going to get the Thunder in the underdog role often this season, so I wouldn’t talk you off the ledge if leaning in that direction. The problem is the Nuggets are consistently one of the best home teams in the NBA, and health is on their side. OKC is down a couple of key rotation players in Williams and Hartenstein, and it’s not an ideal situation when going up against Jokic and company. I have to lay the bucket with the Nuggets at home. 

Randy Chambers's Pick: Denver Nuggets -2.5