2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Spurs vs. Thunder in the NBA Cup Semifinals

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 Saturday as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder tangle in Vegas at 9 p.m. ET in the NBA Cup semifinals?

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

Spurs vs. Thunder Betting Picks

Thunder First Quarter Spread -3.5 (-104)

There are a bunch of mind-blowing Thunder stats out there this year. One of my favorite ones revolves around OKC's first-quarter dominance, and that leads me to this bet.

For the season, OKC's first-quarter net rating is +20.6. Yes, +20.6.

The Thunder have been annihilating people in just about every facet this season, and they go to work immediately from the jump ball. They've been even more potent lately in the first stanza, posting a comical +39.8 first-quarter net rating across their past five games, so the absence of Isaiah Hartenstein from the starting five hasn't done much to slow them down.

Having Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for (usually) the entire first quarter is certainly a big factor in the Thunder's opening-period success, but it's not just SGA. This is a well-oiled machine -- one that might have a little extra juice in its collective first-quarter step on Saturday as they get to take part in a showcase game. We saw that play out in Wednesday's cup clash with the Phoenix Suns as OKC jumped out to a 38-23 advantage after the first quarter.

While it looks like Victor Wembanyama is likely to suit up for this game and that certainly makes the Spurs a lot better, I'm still expecting OKC to start fast and cover this first-quarter spread.

Chet Holmgren Over 2+ Made Threes (+120)

Wemby playing would have a big impact on the Spurs overall, particularly San Antonio's defense. Assuming Wemby is active, I like Chet Holmgren to nail multiple threes.

With Wemby off the court, teams opposing the Spurs take 32.5% of their shots at the rim. When Wemby is on the floor, that number craters to 23.9%. In turn, Wemby's presence leads to opponents taking more threes -- 33.3 per 100 possessions with Wemby off the floor but 39.7 per 100 with him on it.

That could push Chet Holmgren to the perimeter as Chet -- now that he's playing the five more with Hartenstein out -- will be as impacted by Wembanyama's defense as much as anyone.

Holmgren has played four games against Wemby in his career, and he's made an average of 1.7 threes per game in the split -- up a touch from his career average of 1.5 made triples per night.

Chet is shooting 39.5% from three this season, so while he's not a high-volume shooter from deep, he can take advantage of whatever looks he gets. If Wemby plays, I think Holmgren may get a few more three-point looks than usual.

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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.