2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Thunder at Warriors

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 Golden State Warriors face the Oklahoma City Thunder?

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.

Thunder at Warriors Betting Picks

Thunder First-Quarter Spread -3.5 (-115)

It's a little startling to see the Warriors as a 12.0-point home 'dog. But OKC is just that dang good, and I think the Thunder will be ready to rock in this nationally televised showdown.

The last time OKC played a showcase-type game, they hosted the Los Angeles Lakers on November 12th and won by 29, including winning the first quarter by 12.

Even if Stephen Curry was playing, the Warriors would have trouble offensively against a Thunder defense that paces the NBA in defensive rating by a significant margin. With Steph out, offense should be a real struggle for the Dubs as they're scoring just 108.8 points per 100 possessions with Curry off the floor, compared to 119.4 with him on the court.

Steph's absence should be felt right away as Curry usually plays a big chunk of the first stanza while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander typically plays almost all of the first period. That -- coupled with the thought that the Thunder are going to be amped up for a showcase game, something they haven't had many of lately -- puts me on OKC to win the first quarter by at least four points.

Jimmy Butler Under 21.5 Points (-132)

While Jimmy Butler sees a bump in usage and output sans Steph Curry, this is a nightmare matchup for him.

With Curry off the court this year, Butler sees a usage rate increase of 3.7 percentage points and is averaging 24.0 points per 36 minutes. But OKC's defense is incredible, and with Jalen Williams back, they'll have their full arsenal of defenders to throw at Butler.

The Thunder's defensive rating is 103.6 -- tops in the league by a mile. The second-best defensive rating is 110.6 (Detroit Pistons). They've really clamped down on small forwards, giving up the second-fewest points per game to the position (20.6).

OKC and Golden State are also just average pace teams, and given the 12.0-point spread, there's a chance Butler's minutes are capped a bit by a blowout.

All in all, despite Curry's absence, Butler should have a difficult time getting to 22-plus points.

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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.