Washington Wizards vs Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

At 8:00 ET, the Washington Wizards (+1102) will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (-2300) in a non-conference matchup. The Thunder (-18) are favored in this game, and the over/under line is set at 223.5.

Oklahoma City (22-5) is currently on a seven-game win streak and is the top team in the Western Conference. On the other hand, the Wizards (4-22) are 15th in the Eastern Conference and have lost four straight games.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS VS OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Wizards +18

This game will be played at Paycom Center at 8:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 133-121 in favor of the Wizards.
  • Our projections have Jordan Poole finishing with 18 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Wizards finishing with a field goal percentage of 44.5% and knocking down 14 threes.

Will the Wizards Come Through as Road Underdogs?

Washington’s struggles continued on Saturday with a 112-101 loss to the Bucks, dropping their record to 4-22. The Wizards, who were +8.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread, losing by 11. The total score of 213 points fell short of the 218.5 O/U line.

After a 36-36 tie in the 1st quarter, the Bucks took control with a 14-0 run, extending their lead from 48-44 to 62-44. Washington was held to 14 points in the 2nd quarter and, despite outscoring Milwaukee 29-26 in the 4th, couldn’t close the gap after entering the final period down 86-72.

In their 112-101 loss to the Bucks, the Wizards hit 18 threes, shooting 42.9% from deep. Overall, they shot 44.4% from the field.

Jordan Poole led the way with 26 points, hitting 8 threes at 61.5%. He scored 16 points in the 1st quarter. Bilal Coulibaly added 20 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 9 in the 4th quarter.

Despite a strong defensive effort in the 3rd quarter, the Wizards couldn’t overcome a rough start, giving up 36 points in the 1st quarter and ultimately falling to the Bucks 112-101. Washington allowed Milwaukee to shoot 44% from the field.

The Wizards struggled to defend the three-point line, as the Bucks hit 20 threes at a 41% clip. Washington sent Milwaukee to the free-throw line just 5 times, where they made 4. The Wizards finished with 39 defensive rebounds, 7 steals, and 4 blocks.

Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Oklahoma City?

After a 104-97 road win over the Heat on Friday, the Thunder improved to 22-5 for the season. Oklahoma City, favored by 1 point, covered the spread with the 7-point victory. The game’s total of 201 points fell short of the 217-point over/under line.

Miami went on a 12-0 run, turning a 58-51 deficit into a 63-58 lead, but the Thunder responded by outscoring the Heat 31-23 in the 3rd quarter. Despite being outscored 27-23 in the 4th, Oklahoma City held on for the win.

Jalen Williams led the Thunder to a win over the Heat, scoring 33 points and hitting 4 threes at 57.1% efficiency. He also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, though he shot just 40% from the field and 33.3% from deep.

Williams was key in the 4th quarter, scoring 13 points, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 13 in the 3rd. Luguentz Dort hit 4 threes at 80% efficiency, finishing with 14 points. The Thunder connected on 14 threes as a team, shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc, despite an overall field goal percentage of 45.3%.

The Thunder put together a strong defensive performance on Friday, holding the Heat to just 97 points. Oklahoma City gave up 25 points in the 1st quarter but tightened up in the 2nd, allowing only 22. They continued their solid play in the 3rd, giving up 23 points, and managed to hold off Miami in the 4th, despite allowing 27 points.

Defensively, the Thunder limited the Heat to 43% shooting from the field, including just 30% from three-point range, where Miami made 12 threes. Oklahoma City also sent the Heat to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 13. The Thunder controlled the boards with 36 defensive rebounds, allowing 7 offensive boards, and added 8 steals and 5 blocks.