2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Nuggets vs. Thunder in Game 2 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Denver Nuggets face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Nuggets at Thunder Game 2 Betting Picks

Nikola Jokic Over 8.5 Assists (-136)

In Game 1, Nikola Jokic dominated to the tune of 42 points, 22 rebounds and 6 assists. OKC elected to mostly play him one on one, and it resulted in Jokic taking 29 shots, his most of this postseason.

Given how Jokic performed and that the Thunder lost, I'm thinking OKC may switch up its plan and send more help to Jokic, which puts me on the Nuggets' star to record over 8.5 assists in Game 2.

However, even if I'm wrong about that and OKC defends Jokic the same way it did in Game 1, Jokic can still get to nine-plus assists. In Game 1, he totaled 12.0 potential assists, so despite him ending with only 6 dimes, Jokic was setting up his teammates plenty, per usual.

Jokic's teammates failing to convert his potential assists has been a theme of these playoffs. Jokic is posting 17.4 potential assists per game in the postseason, but he's averaging only 9.6 actual assists. In the regular season, he averaged 16.5 potential assists and 10.2 assists, so his teammates should eventually start turning his passes into assists at a higher clip.

Our NBA player projections have Jokic totaling 9.5 assists in Game 2. Also, since I like Jokic to get at least nine assists, I don't mind taking him to record a triple-double at +125 odds. We project him for 13.7 boards, so if he goes over this assists prop, he'll have a good shot to notch a triple-double.

Chet Holmgren Over 7.5 Rebounds (-136)

Game 1 was a night to forget for Chet Holmgren as he finished with just 12 points and 6 rebounds while missing a pair of critical free throws late in the loss. I like him to bounce back in Game 2, particularly on the glass.

OKC will surely prioritize rebounding tonight after getting mauled on the boards in the series opener as Denver out-rebounded the Thunder, 63-43. An adjustment OKC may make is to play Isaiah Hartenstein and Holmgren together more as they played just 29 and 28 minutes, respectively, in Game 1. The 28 minutes were the fewest in this season's playoffs for Chet aside from a 21-minute outing in OKC's blowout win over the Memphis Grizzlies last round.

Holmgren snagged at least eight rebounds in three of the four games versus the Grizzlies, and our projections peg him to pull down 8.4 rebounds tonight.

You can also check out our latest 2025 NBA Playoffs printable bracket, which includes the seeding and matchups for each conference.

Get a 30% Profit Boost for a 3+ leg parlay or SGP on any NBA Playoff game taking place on May 7th! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for the latest NBA odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NBA betting options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.