Thunder vs Clippers Predictions, Picks & Odds: NBA on NBATV, 3/23
The Oklahoma City Thunder face off against the Los Angeles Clippers today, in a highly anticipated Western Conference showdown airing on NBATV at 8:00 PM ET. With the Thunder leading the league as the top team in the West and the Clippers fighting to maintain their playoff positioning, this matchup promises intensity and intrigue.
Thunder vs Clippers Predictions for NBA on NBATV, 3/23
The Thunder, riding a wave of dominance, look to extend their league leading wins, while the Clippers aim to leverage their recent hot streak to pull off an upset. Here’s a deep dive into the storylines, odds, picks, injuries, and how to bet on this exciting clash.
Oklahoma City Thunder: SGA’s MVP Campaign and Defensive Dominance
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the class of the NBA in the 2024-25 season, boasting the league’s best record and a suffocating defense that allows just 107.0 points per game—second in the league. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, the Thunder have won nine of their last ten games entering this matchup, including a recent five game winning streak against Eastern Conference opponents.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been unstoppable lately, and has taken back first in the MVP race. The return of Chet Holmgren from a hip injury has bolstered their frontcourt, and Isaiah Hartenstein has been playing some of the best basketball of his career. With a deep bench and a relentless defensive identity, OKC is favored by -4.0 on the road against the Clippers, a team they’ve beaten three times this season.
Los Angeles Clippers: Harden’s Resurgence and Kawhi’s Impending Return
The Los Angeles Clippers sit at seventh in the Western Conference with a 40-30 record, but they’ve been playing some of their best basketball lately, winning five straight and eight of their last ten games. James Harden has been the catalyst, averaging MVP-level numbers in March, including a 30-point outburst in their latest 20-point win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Kawhi Leonard has played 35 or more minutes in seven of his last eight matches, and continues to help the Clippers climb the rankings. Ivica Zubac has been a force in the paint, and the Clippers’ defense, allowing just 108.5 points per game (fourth in the NBA), gives them a puncher’s chance against the Thunder. Can they ride this momentum to stun OKC at the Intuit Dome?
Thunder vs Clippers Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Here are the latest betting odds for Thunder vs Clippers March 23, 2025, courtesy of Bet365 Sportsbook (odds subject to change):
- Moneyline: Thunder -170 | Clippers +145
- Spread: Thunder -4.0 (-110) | Clippers +4.0 (-110)
- Total: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)
The Thunder open as -4.0 point favorites on the road, reflecting their dominance, having won their last four matches against Los Angeles. The Clippers, despite their recent surge, are significant underdogs at +145 on the moneyline, offering value for risk-takers. The total is set at 229.5, a number that could climb given both teams’ recent offensive outputs—Oklahoma City at 124.4 points per game and Los Angeles scoring 119 or more points in six straight matches.
Thunder vs Clippers Best Bet: OKC -4.0 (-110 at Bet365)
The Thunder come up against a hot team and this is a great opportunity to test the defensive play without their forwards. Jalen Wiliams and Ousmane Dieng are out, and Luguentz Dort is listed as questionable. Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell are one of the most lethal forward combinations in the league, and the Thunder stopping them is crucial to this best bet.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player in the Association, and gets to the foul line as if he’s playing against hockey players. He attempts the second most this season, with an 8.9 per game average. Both Harden and Gilgeous-Alexander are all-time greats at drawing fouls, and fans of the free throw are in for a treat. Chet Holmgren will have a size advantage over the Clippers, and Cason Wallace could expose weak side pressure for the Thunder. Both have an opportunity to be involved in the offense, and could have great production.
It could be a close match, but the Thunder will pull away in the fourth quarter, via fouls and excellent defense. Trust them to cover the -4.0 spread today.
Thunder vs Clippers Injury Report & Starting Lineup
Injury Report:
- Thunder:
- LuGuentz Dort (Questionable)
- Jalen Williams (Out)
- Ousmane Dieng (Out)
- Nikola Topic (Out)
- Ajay Mitchell (Out)
- Clippers:
- Jordan Miller (Out)
Projected Starting Lineups:
- Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG), Cason Wallace (SG), Aaron Wiggins (SF), Chet Holmgren (PF), Isaiah Hartenstein (C)
- Clippers: James Harden (PG), Kris Dunn (SG), Norman Powell (SF), Kawhi Leonard (PF), Ivica Zubac (C)
The Thunder’s depth mitigates their injury concerns, while the Clippers’ combination of great rebounding and elite play from Harden and Leonard could present problems for Thunder’s front court.
How To Bet On Thunder vs Clippers at Bet365 Sportsbook & Claim Your $1,500 Bonus
Ready to bet on Thunder vs Clippers? Bet365 Sportsbook offers a fantastic welcome bonus for new users—up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if your first wager loses. Here’s how to get started:
- Sign Up: Click here to register for a new Bet365 account.
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No promo code is required—just sign up through the link, deposit, and bet. Terms apply: 21+, available in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MA, MI, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only. If gambling becomes a problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
This Thunder-Clippers clash is a battle of momentum versus mastery. Will OKC’s dominance prevail, or can the Clippers’ resurgence steal the show? Lock in your bets and tune in to NBATV to find out!
Player News
Ivica Zubac had a productive outing, finishing with 27 points (11-of-15 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), five rebounds, one assist and two blocks in the Game 5 loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Zubac continued to score the ball well, finishing with a series-high in points on efficient shooting. However, Zubac’s usual impact on the glass was absent as he secured just five rebounds in Game 5 after tallying at least nine in the previous four, with his one assist also tying his lowest output of the series. Down in the series 3-2, the Clippers head back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Thursday, where they face a must-win situation to keep their season alive.
James Harden concluded Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets with 11 points (3-of-9 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 35 minutes.
Harden had a quiet night on Tuesday, barely cracking double figures in scoring and failing to register double-digit shot attempts. The 2018 NBA MVP has faced a stifling Nuggets defense that, over the last few games, has forced the ball out of his hands, leading to inferior performances compared to earlier games in the series. Harden will look for a bounce-back performance on Thursday as he tries to lead the Clippers to a season-saving victory in Game 6.
Kawhi Leonard stuffed the stat sheet in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets, posting 20 points (8-of-15 FGs, 3-of-7 FTs), nine rebounds, 11 assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Leonard did a little bit of everything for the Clippers in Game 5. The two-time NBA Finals MVP posted a series-high in assists and also hit the glass hard, resulting in a near-triple-double. Leonard has scored at least 20 points in all five games of this series. However, the Clippers may need even more from him going forward as they look to extend their season beyond Thursday’s Game 6 at the Intuit Dome.
Nikola Jokic earned a triple-double in the Nuggets’ Game 5 win on Tuesday over the Clippers, finishing with 13 points (4-of-13 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), 10 rebounds, 12 assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.
The three-time NBA MVP had a relatively quiet game by his standards, but still came away with his third triple-double of the series. Jokic struggled with shooting efficiency, and his scoring output was the lowest of the series. Yet, his points were not as necessary in this game, given how well the rest of the Nuggets shot the ball. Nevertheless, Jokic will be in line for another big performance on Thursday when the Nuggets face the Clippers in Game 6.
Russell Westbrook came off the bench and produced 21 points (8-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, one assist and three three-pointers in the Nuggets’ Game 5 win over the Clippers on Tuesday.
Westbrook was electric in his first game back in the lineup following a foot injury that kept him out of Game 4. His second-quarter scoring ignited the crowd and helped set the table for what would be his highest-scoring game of the postseason. The 2017 NBA MVP has had himself a nice series thus far from a scoring standpoint and will have a chance to end his former team’s season on Thursday in Game 6.
Jamal Murray had a dominant Game 5 performance in the Nuggets’ win over the Clippers on Tuesday, tallying 43 points (17-of-26 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, one block and eight three-pointers.
Fresh off a series-low 13 points in Game 4, Murray exploded for a series-high on Tuesday. He totaled nearly as many three-pointers in this game as he had in the previous four combined, while still managing to dish out seven assists. Murray got hot early in this one and never cooled off, and now has provided his Nuggets the opportunity on Thursday in Game 6 to eliminate the Clippers for the second time in the last five seasons.