NBA Picks 3/3 – OKC Thunder @ Chicago Bulls

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The Western Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder (47-15) visit the Chicago Bulls (25-36) tonight at the United Center. This is the first of two matchups between the teams. Oklahoma City has dominated Chicago of late winning six straight head-to-head meetings. The Thunder’s last five wins against Chicago have all been decided by at least 14 points. Oklahoma City crushed Chicago 145-117 at home when the teams last met on March 31, 2025. The teams will square off for a final time on Mar. 27 in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City is a 10.5-point favorite and the total is 227.5.

PIVOTAL TRADE BETWEEN THE TEAMS

On June 20, 2024 these teams pulled off a one-for-one trade when Chicago sent veteran defensive-minded guard Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City in exchange for 21-year-old point guard Josh Giddy. This was a rare offense for defense deal because Josh Giddey had put up a lot better individual stats in his first three NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, then Alex Caruso ever did in his 7-year NBA career between the Bulls and Lakers. The Bulls were getting a potential franchise player in Giddy, while Oklahoma City was getting veteran leadership and defense in Caruso. 

Despite the immense talent, Josh Giddey became the odd man out in Oklahoma City as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander elevated his game to an MVP level. Giddey’s skillset was similar to Gilgeous-Alexander so it was hard for them to play meaningful minutes together for long stretches. Alex Caruso’s elite defense, playmaking skills and timely three-point shooting were more beneficial to a young team like Oklahoma City.

After almost two full seasons, the trade has worked out well for both teams as Alex Caruso’s intangibles were instrumental in Oklahoma City finishing with a league-best 68-14 record last season and winning the 2024-25 NBA championship. Oklahoma City currently owns the best record in the Western Conference at 47-15. On the other hand, Josh Giddey is now experiencing a career-year with the Bulls and is trending towards becoming a franchise player. 

WHAT BOTH TEAMS DID IN THEIR PREVIOUS GAME

Oklahoma City picked up a 100-87 victory at fledgling Dallas on Sunday. The reeling Mavs were missing their top 3 scorers in star rookie Cooper Flagg (20.4 ppg), Naji Marshall (15.4 ppg) and PJ Washington (14.3 ppg) in the loss to Oklahoma City. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a game-high 30 points (12-20 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT) and added 4 steals in 33 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 59 straight games, the longest streak in NBA history. 

Chicago routed Milwaukee 120-97 at home on Sunday. The victory ended their 11-game losing streak. Chicago’s last win occurred on Jan. 31 at Miami, they lost all 11 of their games in the month of February. The game featured a couple of monumental swings as the Bulls trailed by 16 points in the second quarter but ended up winning by 23. Chicago also went on an astonishing 27-0 run towards the end of the third quarter to the middle of the fourth quarter, which turned an 89-81 deficit into a 108-89 lead. Chicago outscored Milwaukee 33-8 in the fourth quarter. 

Josh Giddy posted his 8th triple-double of the season finishing with 20 points (7-14 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 14 rebounds and 10 assists over 32 minutes. Collin Sexton scored a game-high 22 points (9-14 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 1-1 FT) and collected 3 steals in 32 minutes off the bench. Matas Buzelis added 20 points  (7-15 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks across 32 minutes.

GAME STORYLINES: OKLAHOMA CITY

In the summer of 2019, the Oklahoma City made the decision tear their roster down and build from scratch. Their first move was acquiring 20-year-old, second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a package for superstar Paul George in July 2019. Over the next several years, the Thunder drafted Chet Holmgren (2022), Josh Giddy (2021), Jalen Williams (2022), Aaron Wiggins (2021), Cason Wallace (2023), Ajay Mitchell (2024) and signed Isaiah Hartenstein as a free agent in July 2024.

Those series of adept moves by Oklahoma City — from 2019-2024 — culminated with the Thunder finishing with a franchise-best 68-14 record and capturing the NBA title last season. It was the franchise’s second overall title (1979) and first since relocating to Oklahoma City from Seattle prior to the 2008-09 season. The Thunder became the youngest team (average age of 25.6 years) to win an NBA title since the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977. 

The superb play of superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the catalyst for Oklahoma City’s transition from also-rans to NBA champions. Gilgeous-Alexander amassed a historic season last year as he led the NBA in scoring (32.7 ppg), and was named the MVP of the Regular Season and the NBA Finals. He became the fourth player in NBA history to achieve this honor. 

The 27-year-old, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is registering another tremendous season in 2026 averaging 31.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.7 threes on 55 percent shooting from the floor and 38.1 percent shooting from long distance across 51 games. Gilgeous-Alexander recently returned from an abdominal strain that kept him out for 9 games. He’s averaging 33 points per game in two games since returning from injury. 

First-time All-Star Chet Holmgren (17.2 ppg, 9 rebs, 2 blks, 1.2 threes, 55.3% from 2 in 54 gms), emerging second-year guard Ajay Mitchell (14.1 ppg, 3.7 asts, 1.4 stls, 1.1 threes, 48.7% from 2 in 43 gms), center Isaiah Hartenstein (10.5 ppg, 9.3 rebs, 1 stl, 63.7% from 2 in 35 gms) and 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams (17.5 ppg, 5.4 asts, 4.7 rebs, 1.3 stls, 47.9% from 2 in 26 gms) are excellent contributors alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

After experiencing a breakout season last year, Jalen Williams has been limited to just 26 games due to a right hamstring injury that has hampered him for the entire season. He has not played since Feb. 11, The hamstring injury kept Williams out for the first 19 games of the season. If Williams can return and regain last year’s All-Star form, the Thunder would be overwhelming favorites to repeat as NBA champions.

GAME STORYLINES: CHICAGO

For the past 11 seasons, the Chicago Bulls have been mired in mediocrity as they’ve advanced to the playoffs just twice (2017 and 2022) and are coming off three straight seasons where they lost in the play-in round of the postseason. The 2025-26 season began with some optimism for the Bulls as they got off to a 6-1 start. Unfortunately, the Bulls lost 5 straight games falling to 6-6 on Nov. 16 and were battling to stay at .500 for the next two and a half months. 

With the Bulls middling around .500 for most of the season, management made wholesale changes at the trade deadline on Feb. 3. The Bulls traded three of their top four scorers in leading scorer Coby White (18.6 ppg) to Charlotte, Nikola Vucevic (16.9 ppg) to Boston and Ayo Dosunmu (15 ppg) to Minnesota. They also sent sharpshooter Kevin Huerter (10.9 ppg) to Detroit. 

In return, the Bulls received a hodge-podge of four combo guards and a center — guards Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Jaden Ivey, Rob Dillingham and center Nik Richards — who are not really a fit on the team. Many questioned why Chicago jettisoned four of their best players for what could be viewed as spare parts. But the Bulls going on an 11-game losing streak when the trades happened may have answered those questions. It appears as if Bulls management wanted to tank the season in order secure higher odds in the NBA draft lottery.

At 25-36, Chicago is likely out of contention for any playoff/play-in spot and will continue to lose a lot more games when you look at how their current roster is poorly constructed. The draft gurus are saying the 2026 NBA draft will be one of the strongest in recent years, so finishing in the lottery may be a wiser move than scrapping to advance past the play-in round for a fourth straight year. 

Despite the turbulent season, star guard Josh Giddey is compiling the best season of his young career. The 23-year-old is averaging career-highs in points (17.8), assists (8.4), rebounds (8.2) and threes (1.8) per game in year 5. He notched his 8th triple-double of the season — a career-high — against Milwaukee on Sunday. He already has 15 career triple-doubles as a Chicago Bull, which ranks him second all-time to Michael Jordan’s 28.  

The Bulls signed Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million rookie extension in September 2025 after trading for him a year earlier in June 2024. After the fire sale at the trade deadline, it looks as if Chicago’s plan is to build from scratch around the multi-skilled Giddey. 

THE PICK: THUNDER (-10.5)

I see a total mismatch here as the Thunder are the favorites to win the NBA title again in 2026, while the Bulls purged their roster about a month ago so they could tank the rest of the season. Lay the Points and take the Thunder tonight!