Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 29/03/2024, 06:50  by Devesh Jaganath in NBA Predictions

The Phoenix Suns will pay a visit to the Paycom Center to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA on Friday night. The hosts are 50-22 and third in the Western Conference, while the visitors are 43-30 and seventh in the Conference standings. 

With only nine games left in their schedule, the Suns are striving to secure a spot without having to go through the play-in round of the Western Conference playoffs. Despite a recent setback, losing to the Spurs at home, they bounced back on Wednesday night with a 104-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets, led by Kevin Durant's impressive performance of 30 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocked shots. At the beginning of the season, the Suns were considered one of the top contenders for a top seed in the Western Conference. However, injuries have hindered their Big Three of Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker from playing together as much as the team had hoped. Currently, the Suns rank 10th in scoring in the NBA, averaging 116.9 points per game, while the Oklahoma City Thunder rank 13th in points allowed per game, conceding 113.2. The Suns tend to score more points at home than on the road during the 2023-24 season, averaging 117.1 at home compared to 116.6 on the road. Defensively, they rank 16th in scoring defense for the season. Jusaf Nurkic missed the game on Wednesday and is uncertain for the upcoming contest.

The OKC Thunder continue to exceed expectations as they compete for the top spot in the Western Conference alongside defending champions Denver and the Minnesota Timberwolves. They've been in excellent form, winning eight of their last 11 games overall. However, they're now looking to bounce back after a narrow 132-126 overtime loss to the Rockets on Wednesday. Josh Giddey led the team with 31 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Jalen Williams contributed 23 points and 10 assists. The Thunder average 120.4 points per game, which is 6.5 points more than what the Suns allow (113.9). They score more points at home (122.8 per game) compared to on the road (118.0). Defensively, the Thunder rank 13th in the NBA, allowing 113.2 points per game. There's uncertainty surrounding the availability of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the upcoming game.