The NBA Playoffs will resume this Wednesday, as a pair of crucial Game 2s take center stage tonight — and our NBA betting expert Brandon Kravitz has identified a first-quarter prop showing significant value in Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns.
Let's get into the breakdown of his top NBA props for Thunder vs Suns Game 2 on Wednesday, April 22.
Thunder vs Suns Game 2 Props
| Time (ET) | Player Prop |
|---|---|
| 9:30 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. | |
Suns vs. Thunder First-Quarter Spread
Thunder 1Q -5 (-115)
I think we all have this one pretty well figured out at this point. There is a massive gulf in class between the Thunder and Suns, and I’m looking to capitalize on that right out of the gate in Game 2. I am taking the Thunder -5 in the first quarter.
If you look back at Game 1, the Thunder didn't wait around to introduce themselves; they were up by 15 points at the end of the opening frame. They absolutely suffocated Phoenix from the jump.
In fact, the talent gap is so wide right now that the Thunder could cover this -5, be up by seven or eight entering the second quarter, and the Suns would probably look at that as a mini-victory. When a team is viewing a seven-point deficit as a "win," everyone comes away happy after the first quarter—except, of course, for the people holding Suns tickets.
Phoenix is completely outmatched in this series. It is Devin Booker, inefficient "Dillon Bricks"—as I’ve officially renamed him—and absolutely nothing else. There is no depth, no secondary creation, and no answer for the waves of pressure OKC throws at you.
I’ve also been tracking a specific first-quarter trend this postseason that is becoming impossible to ignore: Going into the Tuesday night games, the home team is 8-2 ATS in the first quarter. The Thunder are obviously a major part of that equation.
The bottom line is simple: if you expect these home favorites to cash the full-game spread, they are increasingly getting that work out of the way early. It’s a very profitable angle that the market hasn't fully caught up to yet.
The Thunder are young, they’re at home, the crowd is going to be deafening, and they know they can bury this Suns team before the bench even checks in. I’m going to keep hammering this first-quarter spread until the line finally adjusts to the reality of these starts. Give me OKC -5 in the first 12 minutes of tonight's game.
Pick: Thunder First Quarter Spread -5 (-110)
