The Phoenix Suns look to claw into a playoff position against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
The pregame narrative: Devin Booker became the Suns’ all-time leading scorer on Monday but I’m fading Phoenix’s star guard on Wednesday. My best bet, however, is on Isaiah Hartenstein to record a double-double.
Check out my Suns vs. Thunder prop picks for Feb. 5.
Suns vs. Thunder prop picks
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Best bet: Hartenstein to record a double-double (-125)
To start, Hartenstein is averaging a double-double this season, scoring 11.5 points and grabbing 12.5 rebounds a night.
He’s the most reliable big man on the Thunder’s roster as Chet Holmgren continues to nurse a hip injury.
Hartenstein has 10-plus rebounds in nine of the last 10, so I have little concern about that portion of the wager.
The part that worries me slightly is the 10-plus points, as the centre fell under that mark in six of the last 10.
It’s worth noting that Phoenix has struggled to protect the rim all season, though. Opponents take more shots there than anywhere else on the court and shoot an above-average 57.3%, per 3stepsbasket.com.
Knowing that, who better to bet on than Oklahoma City’s only healthy 7-footer?
Key stat: The Suns give up the fourth-most points to centres per game (25.0).
Quick pick
Booker under 26.5 points (-115): Booker is listed as a shooting guard but plays the point guard role in the Suns’ offence.
That is important because the Thunder allow the fewest points (22.0) per game to opposing PGs, per Fantasy Pros.
Phoenix’s newly minted all-time leading scorer has been productive lately, clearing 26.5 points in four straight games, but OKC is the toughest matchup in the league regardless of position.
The Thunder have the NBA’s best defensive rating (105.4) and concede the fewest points per game (104.4).
Booker has fallen short of this total in three straight meetings with OKC, averaging 16.0 PPG in those games.
There’s potential for a blowout, too, as the Thunder are 12.5-point favourites and lead the league with an average scoring margin of +12.1.
Picks made at 11:40 a.m. ET 02/05/2025.
Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.