2011 NBA Playoffs Picks – Nuggets at Thunder Game 1 Odds and Predictions – Free NBA Picks 4-17-11

Free NBA Playoffs Picks and Odds: Game 1 Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder Favorite, Moneyline, Total and Predictions 4/17/11: The Denver Nuggets may arguably be one of the most powerful and dangerous teams without home court advantage in this postseason. This club absolutely took off after the trade that sent long-time franchise player Carmelo Anthony to New York, New York for key role players like Gallinari and Felton. They can score points at will and their defense is finally showing some signs of life. No longer do the Nuggets feel they have to give the ball to Anthony, but rather every player is joining in the collective task of producing. The Nuggets enter the postseason with 50 wins on the season and many insiders believe that their best basketball is in front of them. The Nuggets have won games, since the trade, against teams they have struggled mightily against over the years, teams such as the Lakers and Mavericks have fallen to the new look Nuggets. However, one team Denver can not seem to solve is their first round opponent. The Oklahoma City Thunder has had the card of the Nuggets for the past few seasons and a pair of late season defeats to this club have many Nuggets fans fearful. In those two late season losses the Thunder were able to penetrate the interior of Denver’s defense with ease and get to the basket. George Karl will have to get Nene motivated and eager to get the defense going early in this series, if not it could potentially be a quick 4 and gone.

The Oklahoma City are poised for a long post season run and many are calling for this club to be there when the west is won. The dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook is first class and they will give teams fits this spring. The Thunder ended the season with 55 wins under their belts and a first rank in the north-west division. The final week of the regular season saw this club knock off heavy weights in the Lakers and Spurs, but they also lost their final match to the Bucks. Consistency will be the focal point for this team in the playoffs, often times they were criticized for taking nights off this season. It will be the collective tasks of the veteran leadership on this team to get their teammates motivated and ready every night to do battle. Kendrick Perkins is the x-factor for the Thunder entering the first round. If he can rekindle his highly effective interior game then the sky is the limit for this Oklahoma bunch. The boards game and interior defense has been the falling point for the Thunder in years past and many believe that Perkins may be the missing link to put this team over the top.

We will recommend a play on the Nuggets +5.5(check latest NBA Odds at SBG Global Sportsbook) in the first game of the opening round tilt with the Okahoma City Thunder. Denver enjoyed great success in the final months of the season and now with some recruits coming back from injury they are completely stacked. George Karl brings a plethora of NBA playoff experience and I expect he will have his club adequately prepared for this road match. The Thunder have the talent to win the west this year but I believe they will succumb to the ‘slow-start’ syndrome. The pressure has never been as high for this club to win now and we have often seen this club crumble when the stakes are too high. The Nuggets have lost two games to this club in the final two weeks so there is much revenge playing on the side of Denver. This game is destined to be decided in the final minutes and I expect it to be a highly entertaining and heated affair. We will consider the Nuggets holding the Thunder in check for the majority of the game and busting the spread. Cheers!

Free Pick: Denver Nuggets +5.5
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