Pacers vs. Thunder Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Friday, Jan. 23

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to win their third game in a row on Friday night, and they’re taking on an Indiana Pacers team that has been awful on the road this season.

Indy enters this game off of a loss to Boston on Wednesday night, and it’s just 2-19 on the road this season. This rematch of last season’s NBA Finals doesn’t have a ton of juice, as the Pacers have one of the worst records in the NBA with guard Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out for the season.

Oddsmakers have set the Thunder as massive favorites in this game, but they are down Jalen Williams (hamstring) in this matchup. Still, OKC was able to get a win over Milwaukee on Wednesday behind 40 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Can the reigning league MVP lead his team to another win – this time as a home favorite?

Here’s a look at the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for this matchup on Friday night.

Pacers vs. Thunder Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Pacers +16.5 (-110)
Thunder -16.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Pacers: +850
Thunder: -1450

Total

226.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Pacers vs. Thunder How to Watch

Date: Friday, Jan. 23
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Paycom Center
How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
Pacers record: 10-35
Thunder record: 37-8

Pacers vs. Thunder Injury Reports

Pacers Injury Report

Tyrese Haliburton – out
Quenton Jackson – questionable
Bennedict Mathurin – out
Taelon Peter – doubtful
Ethan Thompson – probable
Obi Toppin – out

Thunder Injury Report

Alex Caruso – out
Isaiah Hartenstein – out
Ajay Mitchell – out
Thomas Sorber – out
Nikola Topic – out
Aaron Wiggins – questionable
Jalen Williams – out
Jaylin Williams – questionable

Pacers vs. Thunder Best NBA Prop Bets

Note: These player prop picks were made before odds were released and are suggestions based on past player performance.

Thunder Best NBA Prop Bet

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER Points

SGA had 40 points on 16-of-19 shooting against Milwaukee, and he’s now scored 39, 30 and 40 points in the last three games with Williams going down with a hamstring issue.

The Thunder rely heavily on SGA for offense, and he’s already averaging 32.0 points per game this season. So, his floor is really high and he’s seeing a few more looks – when needed – with JDub sidelined.

Not only that, but the Pacers are just 19th in the NBA in defensive rating and 27th in opponent points in the paint per game. SGA should have a field day getting to the basket in this game.

Pacers vs. Thunder Prediction and Pick

Oklahoma City enters this game at just 12-10 against the spread as a home favorite, but it has posted an average scoring margin of +15.0 points in those games.

Meanwhile, Indiana is just 8-12 against the spread as a road underdog, despite being set as a double-digit dog on several occasions this season.

The Pacers have the worst road net rating in the NBA, and I don’t see them keeping up with the best team in the league, even though the Thunder are short-handed. Indy did force multiple overtimes in the first meeting between these teams, but that was early in the season before it became clear that the Pacers are one of the worst teams in the NBA.

I think the Thunder will roll at home, where they are 20-2 straight up this season.

Pick: Thunder -16.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and win your first $5 bet to get $300 in bonus bets instantly.