His speed will be a problem for the Pelicans and he is on the ball all the time and this is the time of year in the NBA when the brightest stars shine the brightest. SGA gets short end of MVP conversations and people seems always ready to discount what OKC has done. This guy averaged 31 points and 7 assists at home this season. Would anyone be shocked if he went for 35 and 10 helpers tonight? I'm old enough to remember the Lakers beating NO twice within a couple of days in NOLA no less. SGA puts on a show tonight

So far it's been a very chalky NBA playoffs for Game 1. Favorites are basically covering and teams are winning pretty easily at home. This should be more of the same. OKC won the top seed in a brutaly difficult Western Conference and while they lack playoff pedigree so do the middling Pelicans who are without Zion, their best player by far, and with Brandon Ingram not looking right since he returned, OKC can run them ragged. OKC was 27-14 ATS at home. It's been rough going so far for beat up teams that had to work through the play-in games. Thunder crowd will be intense and they are just too talented. Could get lopsided early

Trendlines in Saturday in opening-round NBA playoff games were skewed sharply to the home sides, which won and covered all four opportunities. No surprise if OKC continues that pattern on Sunday against an NO side that the Thunder won and covered against in the last two regular-season meetings. Though we suspect the Pels can maintain competitiveness in this series, the absence of Zion does them no favors, and OKC was definitely able to make a fortress of its home court late in the season, winning and covering its last five at home, with a hefty win margin of 23 ppg. Play Thunder

This line is simply too big for Josh Giddey when OKC is at full strength. Giddeys usage and playing time significantly increase when the Thunder are without either Shai Gilgeous Alexander and/or Jalen Williams. When both players are active, Giddey averages around 20 PRA, compared to over 30 when SGA is inactive this season. This game is also likely to be paced down coupled with New Orleans having an excellent defense. This is a great spot to fade Giddey in a tough matchup.