The second round of the NBA Playoffs will conclude with one final matchup on Sunday afternoon, as Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Nuggets and Thunder takes center stage at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 4 NBA picks for today's winner-take-all contest. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Sunday, May 18.
NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks, Predictions: Sunday, May 18
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Nuggets vs. Thunder
By Joe Dellera
The Nuggets and the Thunder face off in a winner take all Game 7 this afternoon, and I expect Nikola Jokic to leave it all on the floor.
Jokic has been tremendous rebounding the basketball this series. He leads all players in the Conference Semifinals with 14.7 rebounds on 24.8 chances per game.
As much as Oklahoma City has tried to slow the tide, they cannot keep Jokic off the glass.
Jokic has played about 41 minutes per game this series, and given the importance of Game 7, it would not be shocking to see him push into the mid 40s.
Last year in their Game 7 against the Wolves, he played 46 minutes and sat for just 1:24.
Denver will need that type of performance against OKC today, especially if Aaron Gordon is a bit banged up with that hamstring issue.
I’ll back Jokic in this all-hands-on-deck Game 7.
Pick: Nikola Jokic Over 13.5 Rebounds (-120)
| | | |
Nuggets vs. Thunder
By Alex Hinton
On Thursday, Denver forced a decisive Game 7 with a 119-107 victory. However, it is returning to Oklahoma City where the Thunder are 8.5-point favorites.
The Nuggets also may be without Aaron Gordon, who suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game.
That means for the Nuggets to pull off the upset, they will likely need an all-time great performance from their three-time MVP.
Nikola Jokic is averaging 29.8 points per game in this series. However, he has actually scored more on the road in this series, clearing this number in two of the three games in Oklahoma City. He went for 42 points in Game 1 and 44 points in Game 5.
Jokic has scored 29 points or more in three of his last five Game 7's. He did not come close to this number in the Nuggets' Game 7 victory over the Clippers.
However, the Nuggets pulled away for a blowout victory and his scoring was not required as much. I suspect he will not have that luxury today.
Jokic averaged a triple-double in the regular season. However, he is only averaging 5.7 assists on 14.3 potential assists in this series as his teammates have struggled to convert off his passes.
If his assists stay down, Jokic will have to be more aggressive himself, and that should lead to 30 points today.
Pick: Nikola Jokic Over 29.5 Points (-120)
| | | |
Nuggets vs. Thunder
I don't want to fade Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in a Game 7 in favor of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander likely needing one or both of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to come through. I just don't.
This will be Jokic and Murray's first Game 7 together on the road — they beat the Clippers in the bubble during 2020 — and their seventh together in general. They're 4-2 in those contests.
The winner of this game, to me, could be the title favorite, even if Minnesota is a legitimate threat to either. But the Nuggets are the side I want in Game 7 today, despite being on the road.
Pick: Nuggets +8 (-110) / Nuggets ML (+260)
| | | |
Nuggets vs. Thunder
Denver has covered the spread four straight games in this series, and that's why the spreads and power rankings are reflecting different teams that we began with.
