Oklahoma City Thunder at New Orleans Hornets
Monday, 1/24/10, 8:00 PM EDT
Opening Point Spread: New Orleans -4
Current Betting Line: New Orleans -4.5
Opening Total: 191.5
Current Total: 192
Oklahoma City seems to be the perfect team to cool off New Orleans on Monday night by winning both meetings this season and four straight overall. The Thunder escaped with a 101-98 home victory over New York on Saturday when Durant hit a 3-pointer as time expired. “Once I let it go, it felt like everybody went silent,” Durant stated. “And once it went in, I really couldn’t hear too much. I was just looking toward the bench.” Even more impressive in the victory was the squad’s 57 total rebounds and 22 on the offensive end, which both matching a season-high. The team is 28-15 overall on the season and an even 6-6 against Western Conference competition on the road. Oklahoma City is 10-11 ATS on the road this season and currently an underdog on the NBA lines page.
The Thunder are use to winning close games on the season and have compiled a 16-5 mark in contests decided by seven points or less. Oklahoma City has a dominant duo in Durant and point guard Russell Westbrook, as they are tied with Lebron James and Dwyane Wade for the highest scoring combo in the league at 51.0 points per game. Westbrook is the only player in the NBA averaging 22-plus points, five-plus rebounds and eight-plus assists. In order to make a run in the playoffs this season, the defense will need to raise its level of play, as the unit has held an opponent to fewer than 100 points just once in the last six games.
New Orleans is dominating opponents on the defensive end and held San Antonio to a season-low 72 points in a home victory on Saturday after suffocating Atlanta in a 100-59 win the previous night. “We can’t be satisfied,” said coach Monty Williams. “I know everybody is going to be talking about how the Hornets beat the best team in the league and making a lot out of that.” The Hornets now turn their focus in trying to breakthrough against a dangerous opponent and how to stop Westbrook, who is averaging 30 points in his last four games against them. New Orleans is 2-5 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.
The Hornets are 29-16 on the season through 45 games and are 13 games above .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 2008-09 season. New Orleans will ultimately be looking to hold Oklahoma City under the century mark tonight, as the team is 15-1 when holding opponents under 100 points at home this season. Their current eight-game winning streak has pulled the Hornets in range to take over the fourth place spot in the Western Conference and second position in the Southwest Division.
Bettors will be interested in backing the Thunder due to their 4-0 ATS mark in the series, while the Hornets are 6-14 ATS as a favorite.
