It will be a battle between the top two teams in the NBA, each sitting at the top of its conference. Both will want to win, as paper would suggest that this could be a preview of the NBA Finals this year, should games play out to seeding.

However, we know that's almost never the case…

Quick Picks

Our pick: OKC to win

Value bet: SGA to have 35+ points

Long shot: SGA to score 2+ Threes

Betting Preview

Despite having had a few blips throughout the regular season (which has to be expected), OKC have been almost unbeatable this year. They have made Oklahoma a fortress and have been defending their NBA championship from last year incredibly well.

Ahead of their upcoming home stretch that includes this encounter against the Pistons, they were 29-6 at home. They had been on a run of 9-1 over the last 10 matches, having lost their first in 13 games; the first time they had lost since their defeat to the Pistons.

Detroit will have a home game before two away games, including this OKC meet. They enter the road games with a record of 24-11 on the road, and 7-3 over their last 10 matches. Only the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have won more games than them this season so far.

Betting Markets to Watch

As noted, the last time these two teams played, the Pistons won. Detroit won 124-116 at home, with Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham both scoring double-doubles. They both had 29 points, with Duren having 15 rebounds and Cunningham having 13 assists. For OKC, Jaylin Williams scored 30 points with SGA absent. Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins both had 20+ points.

The overall record is mixed, with OKC edging the last 20 games 11-9. Of the nine played in OKC, Oklahoma have won six. This includes the last three, by margins of 16, 12, and 1.

This would suggest there's value in the handicap, with OKC covering. They are likely to be favourites to win, and recent contests suggest they will win by a large margin. This also suggests there's value worth exploring in the Big Win Little Win market for OKC to win by 11+ points.

OKC are almost at full strength, which will likely help them to achieve a win. SGA continues to remain a player that offers value in the player props market, especially in the threes market. He averages around four attempts per game, and while his success rate isn't high, scoring 2+ threes should offer value worth exploring.

Our Prediction

Check the latest NBA betting odds at Sportsbet.

We think the Oklahoma City Thunder will be the most likely to win this game. We think they'll be big winners in this game as they are at full strength, with SGA to have 35+ points our value pick.

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With the NBA playoffs betting season approaching, this matchup between conference leaders could offer a glimpse of what's to come in the postseason.

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