NBA Picks 3/9 – Denver Nuggets @ OKC Thunder

NBA Picks 3/9 – Denver Nuggets @ OKC Thunder

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

Two of the NBA’s top teams square off this afternoon as the Denver Nuggets (41-22) visit the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder (52-11) at Paycom Center on ABC. Today’s contest is the third of four meetings between the Nuggets and Thunder. This game could resemble a mini playoff series as these teams will face off again tomorrow night in Oklahoma City. 

The Nuggets and Thunder split the first two meetings which were both played in Denver. Oklahoma City won the opener 102-87 on Oct. 24 and Denver escaped with a 124-122 win on Nov. 6, handing Oklahoma City its first loss of the season. Oklahoma City has won five of the last six against Denver. Oklahoma City is a 7.5-point favorite and the total is 240.5.

Denver is coming off a 149-141 overtime win against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Denver blew a 21-point (85-64) third quarter lead and allowed a Kevin Durant three-pointer at the regulation buzzer to tie the game at 125 and force overtime. Denver was led by a historic performance from superstar Nikola Jokic who amassed 31 points (13-22 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 22 assists, and 21 rebounds over 45 minutes. Jokic became the first player in NBA history to record at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a game. Jokic also broke the NBA record for assists by a center in a game. Wilt Chamberlain previously held the record with 21. 

NBA Picks 3/9 – Denver Nuggets @ OKC Thunder

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon scored 27 points and knocked down a career-high seven three-pointers in the win. Christian Braun added 25 points (8-11 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), five rebounds, five assists and a block across 38 minutes. Braun has scored at least 23 points in three of his last four games. 

An undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder squad defeated the Portland Trailblazers 107-89 at home in their previous game on Friday night. The Thunder were able to beat the Blazers without four starters in MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (rest), All-Star forward Jalen Williams (wrist), power forward/center Chet Holmgren (lower right leg contusion) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (broken nose).

The undermanned Thunder received tremendous performances from reserves-turned-starters Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams in the relatively easy win over Portland. Wiggins registered 30 points (13-26 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists, one steal and a block across 32 minutes. Williams notched his first career triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He added three steals and two blocks over 36 minutes. Oklahoma City has won six in a row and eight of their last nine games. 

GAME STORYLINES: DENVER

Denver Nuggets franchise center Nikola Jokic may have taken one of the unlikeliest paths to superstardom that we’ve ever seen in the NBA or any other sport. Jokic went from being the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft and playing his true rookie year (2014-15) overseas to becoming one of the great players in NBA history over his 10 seasons. Through his first 9 NBA seasons, Jokic has led Denver to an NBA title — where he was named Finals MVP, won the NBA MVP Award three times and has been selected as an All-Star seven times. 

Nikola Jokic has continued his stellar level of player this season in year ten. He’s averaging a triple-double of 28.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game on 57.7 percent shooting from the floor through 57 games. He’s also averaging career-highs of 1.8 steals, 1.9 threes and 43.9 percent shooting from long distance. If Jokic can maintain these averages, he’d be the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season joining Oscar Robinson and current teammate Russell Westbrook.

NBA Picks 3/9 – Denver Nuggets @ OKC Thunder

The trio of shooting guard Jamal Murray (21.4 pts, 6.1 asts, 3.8 rebs, 1.4 stls, 2.4 threes, 47.6% from 2, 39.9% from 3), forward Michael Porter Jr. (18.4 pts, 6.8 rebs, 2.6 threes, 50.7% from 2, 40.3% from 3) and budding swingman Christian Braun (15.3 pts, 5.1 rebs, 1.1 stls, 57.3% from 2) have been excellent complimentary pieces alongside Nikola Jokic. Murray was superb during the 2023 postseason when Denver won the title. The 23-year-old Braun is having a breakout season in year three as he’s increased his scoring average by 8 points from 7.3 ppg last season to 15.3 ppg in 2025. 

Denver made a notable offseason move when they added 9-time All-Star and 2016-17 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook as a free agent. The Nuggets signed the 36-year-old Westbrook to a two-year, vet minimum deal. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 threes per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor across 56 games as a part-time starter. Westbrook has done an excellent job being a secondary playmaker as a starter or the primary playmaker off the bench. 

GAME STORYLINES: OKLAHOMA CITY

Over the past five seasons (2021-2025), the Oklahoma City Thunder have quickly transitioned into one of the elite teams in the NBA due to shrewd personnel moves from management. The Thunder already possessed talented third-year star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the team in 2020-21 but they used the ensuing drafts to select Josh Giddy (No. 6 overall in 2021), Aaron Wiggins (No. 55 overall in 2021), Chet Holmgren (No. 2 overall in 2022) and Jalen Williams (No. 12 overall in 2022). Oklahoma City went from 22-50 in 2020-21 to a Western Conference-leading 57-25 last year in 2023-24 behind the efforts of those four draft picks and the evolution of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into an All-NBA performer. 

Oklahoma City entered the 2024-25 season with huge expectations after last season’s ascension to the top of the Western Conference. It appeared as if the season could be doomed for the Thunder when second-year star center Chet Holmgren suffered a pelvic fracture against Golden State in just the 10th game of the season. The injury kept Holmgren sidelined for nearly three months, he returned on Feb. 7 against Toronto. The loss of Holmgren did not affect Oklahoma City as they went 32-7 without him and have been dominant all season.

NBA Picks 3/9 – Denver Nuggets @ OKC Thunder

Leading the way for the juggernaut Thunder is superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 26-year-old Kentucky product is averaging an NBA-high 32.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1 block and 2.1 threes per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 89.8 percent from the free throw line across 61 games. He was named an All-Star for the third time in his career this season and is the frontrunner (-550) to win the NBA MVP Award. Alexander has a chance to really boost his MVP chances with a big performance against fellow MVP candidate Nikola Jokic today in front of a national television audience. 

Emerging forward Jalen Williams (21.4 pts, 5.5 rebs, 5.2 asts, 1.7 stls, 1.8 threes, 47.8% from 2), second-year big man Chet Holmgren (15 pts, 8.5 rebs, 2.7 blks, 1.3 threes, 49.5% from 2), center Isaiah Hartenstein (10.9 pts, 11.3 rebs, 4 asts, 1.1 blks, 57.1% from 2) and versatile swingman reserve Aaron Wiggins (11.8 pts, 3.8 rebs, 1.7 threes, 50.2% from 2, 39.6% from 3) make up arguably the most talented and deepest core in the NBA. 

The 23-year-old Jalen Williams has improved his averages in each of his first three years in the NBA. He was selected as an All-Star this season for the first time in his career this year. Oklahoma City signed Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million deal in the offseason and his production has been invaluable for the Thunder whether it was filling in for Chet Holmgren or playing alongside of him. The 26-year-old Maryland product Wiggins has also been outstanding making spot starts for injured teammates or coming off the bench.

THE PICK: THUNDER (-7.5)

It appears as if Oklahoma City rested its starters in their last game against Portland in order to ramp up for today’s nationally televised game against a high-profile opponent in Denver. I think the Thunder will look to make a statement today against the Nuggets. Not only to show who the best team in the Western Conference is but to show who the MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) should be this year. Lay the Points and take the Thunder today.