The NBA’s two prominent MVP contenders, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, will be in the spotlight on Wednesday night in Game 2 of their second-round series.
The pregame narrative: Jokic guided the Denver Nuggets to a comeback victory in Game 1, but both he and Gilgeous-Alexander lived up to expectations with their performances. The Oklahoma City Thunder can ill afford to drop both games at home before the series shifts to Denver.
I’m backing SGA and Jokic in my Nuggets vs. Thunder prop picks for Game 2 on May 7.
Game 2 Boost: Thunder -9.5, Gilgeous-Alexander 35+ points & Jalen Williams 20+ points. Bet now!
Nuggets vs. Thunder prop picks
Best Bet: Jokic over 22.5 rebounds and assists (-115)
I was really hoping this line would be the same as it was in Game 1.
It is, and I’m eager to buy back in.
Jokic was an animal in the series opener, putting up 42 points (15-of-29 shooting), 22 rebounds and six assists in 42 minutes.
That’s right, the Joker almost cashed this bet on rebounds alone. And with a 30-pound advantage over OKC centre Isaiah Hartenstein, I expect rebounds to continue coming in bunches.
Assuming Jokic’s rebound total regresses from 22, though, I know there’s more he can give as a passer.
His six assists in Game 1 were well below his season average (10.2). And he tallied eight-plus assists in all seven games in the first round.
If Jokic sees an uptick in his assist volume — which he should, given that he’s averaging 17.4 potential assists per game in the playoffs — I’m confident that his rebounding floor is high enough to make this a worthwhile play.
- During the regular season, the Thunder allowed the eighth-most rebounds per game to opposing centres (15.28), per Betting Pros.
- Jokic has 12+ rebounds in all five games vs. OKC this year.
Key stat: Jokic has averaged 27.4 RA against the Thunder this year, going 4-1 against this line. He had exactly 22 rebounds/assists in the outlier.
Game 2 prop prediction
Gilgeous-Alexander over 45.5 points/rebounds/assists (-112): Much like he was a do-it-all player for Team Canada at the 2024 Paris Summer Games, Gilgeous-Alexander is at the centre of everything for the Thunder.
That was clear again in Game 1, when the Hamilton, Ontario native finished with team highs in points (33), rebounds (10) and assists (eight).
OKC likely views Game 2 as a must-win at home. That obviously doesn’t shape the outcome, but it does lead me to believe that SGA will have a sky-high usage rate.
After all, who better for the Thunder to call upon than the likely MVP-in-waiting?
In 40 home games this year, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 33.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists (45.1 PRA). Expect all systems go from SGA on Wednesday.
Nuggets vs. Thunder prop picks made at 2:18 p.m. ET 05/06/2025.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.