Oklahoma City Thunder (29-5) vs. Golden State Warriors (18-16)
January 2, 2026 10:00 pm EDT
The Line: Golden State Warriors +9.5; Over/Under: 228.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors collide at the State Farm Arena on Friday night. Here’s a Warriors vs Thunder Prediction. This article will include a Warriors vs Thunder Pick.
Golden State Warriors Betting Preview
The Golden State Warriors are starting to heat up again as they’ve reeled off five wins from their past six games. They will be aiming for a third straight victory after outlasting the Hornets in a 132-125 road win on Wednesday. Stephen Curry led the team with 26 points on nine of 16 shooting, Brandin Podziemski and Jimmy Butler III each scored 19 points while Gui Santos chipped in with 13 points. As a team, the Warriors shot 55 percent from the field and 24 of 49 from the 3-point line as they exploded for 39 points in the second quarter to take the narrow lead into halftime. But it was a real dog fight all the way until the final buzzer, as the Warriors never led by more than 15 points in this one.
Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder have kicked off another win streak as they are now gunning for a fourth straight victory after blowing past the Trail Blazers in a 124-95 win on Wednesday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 20 points and six assists on 11 of 15 shooting, Ajay Mitchell added 17 points on four of four shooting, Isaiah Joe added 15 points while Jalen Williams chipped in with 13 points and seven assists. As a team, the Thunder shot 49 percent from the field and 16 of 49 from the 3-point line as they dominated right from the start and never looked in danger after outscoring the Trail Blazers by an impressive 73-55 in the first half. It was a pretty balanced scoring effort also, as the Thunder had a total of seven players finishing in double figures in points.
Why the Golden State Warriors will win
- The Warriors have won eight of their last nine games as home underdogs on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Thunder have lost three of their last four games as favorites against Western Conference opponents following a win.
- The Warriors have covered the spread in each of their last nine games as home underdogs on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Thunder have failed to cover the spread in 11 of their last 12 road games against Western Conference opponents that held a winning record.
Why the Oklahoma City Thunder will win
- The Thunder have won each of their last 16 games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Warriors have lost each of their last eight games against Northwest Division opponents that held a winning record.
- The Warriors have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven night games against Western Conference opponents.
- The Thunder have covered the spread in each of their last six road games against Pacific Division opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Warriors’ last 11 games against Northwest Division opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Thunder’s last seven games as road favorites against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone OVER the total points line.
Golden State Warriors Player Facts
- Will Richard ranks 19th amongst qualified players for steals per 36 minutes (2.0) this season.
- Jimmy Butler ranks 30th amongst qualified players for FG% (51.6%) this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder Player Facts
- Cason Wallace ranks 1st amongst qualified players for steals per game (2.2) this season.
- Chet Holmgren is the only player to have made 9+ field goals without a miss in a game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Warriors rank 1st in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (15.9).
- The Warriors rank 1st in the league for three-point field goal attempts per game this season (43.9).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for opponent points per game this season (107.5).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for point differential per game this season (+14.6).
Warriors vs Thunder Prediction
The Warriors have ruled out Draymond Green and Seth Curry with Al Horford and Stephen Curry both questionable, while the Thunder are missing Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Ousmane Dieng to name a few. The Warriors are coming into this contest with some winning momentum, and they would love a win in this one, but the Warriors are underdogs against this surging Thunder squad, who are still missing a bunch of key players. The Warriors are certainly tempting with the points, but with the injury cloud hanging over Curry and Green, I prefer a play on the Thunder at home in this spot.
