The New York Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years after routing the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-90 in Game 4, extending their playoff winning streak to 11 games. With the Eastern Conference now decided, attention turns to the Western Conference Finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder enter tonight’s matchup as betting favourites on home court at Paycom Center. Oklahoma City finished the regular season as the NBA’s top seed at 64-18 and has been one of the league’s strongest home teams all season. The Thunder are also the defending champions and are led by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who remains the focal point of the offence and one of the league’s biggest playoff performers.
After dropping Game 1, Oklahoma City responded with back-to-back wins in Games 2 and 3 before falling 103-82 in Texas on Sunday. That loss gave San Antonio renewed confidence, but the Thunder are expected to respond aggressively in a must-win game on their home floor. Their defence has been a major factor throughout the postseason, with pressure from Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso creating turnovers and disrupting opposing offences. Chet Holmgren has also been important as a rim protector, giving the Thunder a strong last line of defence.
The Spurs, meanwhile, are leaning heavily on Victor Wembanyama, who played 31 minutes in Sunday’s win and helped limit Oklahoma City to its lowest scoring total since 2021. The Thunder shot just 33% from the field and 18.2% from three-point range in that game, showing that San Antonio can slow the pace and make things difficult when its defence is active. Still, Oklahoma City’s depth and home-court advantage are expected to be decisive factors.
A key storyline for the Thunder is the health of Jalen Williams, who is listed as questionable with a left hamstring issue. His availability could affect Oklahoma City’s offensive balance, though the team still has enough firepower and defensive strength to remain in control of the series. Ajay Mitchell is out for the Thunder.
The betting market reflects Oklahoma City’s edge at home, with the Thunder favoured on the moneyline and against the spread. The total is set at 217.5, suggesting another tightly contested game rather than a high-scoring shootout. Given the stakes and the way playoff basketball tends to slow down as series intensify, defence is expected to dominate once again.
Gilgeous-Alexander is also a central player in the scoring outlook. He averaged 27.7 points per game in the playoffs and is expected to lead the Thunder’s offensive response after being held to 19 points in Game 4. In a high-pressure home game, Oklahoma City will likely look to attack early, increase tempo and let its star guard set the tone.
With the series tied and the winner moving one step closer to the NBA Finals, Game 5 promises another intense, physical playoff battle in Oklahoma City.
