NBA Picks: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Toronto Raptors

Oklahoma City Thunder at Toronto Raptors
Sunday, 1/6/13, 1:00 PM EST, TV: TSN
Opening Point Spread: Oklahoma City -7.5
Current Betting Line: Oklahoma City -7
Opening Total: 197
Current Total: 199
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Oklahoma City Thunder are second in the league in averaging 105.6 points per game

Oklahoma City has won four of its last five games, including a 109-85 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night, while going UNDER the total for the first time in five contests. The Thunder have played the fewest road games in the NBA this season, but have compiled an 8-4 record despite averaging 5.0 less per game than at Chesapeake Energy Arena. “We all play the same number in the end, so it evens out,” stated Thunder forward Kevin Durant. The team is 4-2 on the first day of a back-to-back situation, as it travels to take on Washington Monday. Oklahoma City is 7-3 ATS as a road favorite of 6.5 to 9 points the last two-plus seasons.

The Thunder are second in the league in averaging 105.6 points per game, while occupying the third spot in terms of shooting 48.0 percent from the field. Oklahoma City has been getting tremendous production out of point guard Russell Westbrook in the last four games, as he’s shooting 52.7 percent from the field in that span, while averaging 21.8 points and 8.6 assists per game on the season. He combines with Durant to make up the highest-scoring combo in the league.

Toronto will continue a six-game homestand, as it looks to bounce back from a 105-96 setback to the Sacramento Kings as seven-point favorites, while going OVER the total for the third time in four contests. “A loss always makes you understand what you have to work on,” stated Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan. The Raptors will try to limit the Thunder offensively, considering they’ve lost all 15 games this year when allowing at least 100 points. Toronto is 4-1 ATS when playing on Sunday, with the UNDER going 3-2 in that situation.

The Raptors are averaging 100.6 points over their last 10 games, with most of the production coming from the reserves, as the bench is accounting for 52.4 points per game in that span. The unit has scored 49-plus points in nine of those 10 affairs, as it’s shooting 45 percent from the field.