3 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Nuggets vs. Thunder in Game 5 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Denver Nuggets face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Nuggets at Thunder Game 5 Betting Picks

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Record 2+ Steals (-108)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is known for his scoring prowess and efficiency on the offensive end of the floor, but he also generates extra possessions for the Thunder via steals. After posting a career-best 2.0 SPG in 2024, Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 1.7 SPG during the 2025 season, and he has been extremely active with his hands in the playoffs.

Across his eight outings this postseason, SGA has notched multiple steals in five contests, including in three of the four matchups versus the Nuggets. To take it a step even further, Gilgeous-Alexander has achieved two-plus steals in all but one of the six games in these playoffs where he's gotten 38-plus minutes, so we should expect him to hit this number if Tuesday's matchup remains competitive.

Facing the Nuggets certainly helps Gilgeous-Alexander's chances of logging multiple steals as Denver has the most turnovers per game (15.1) and steals allowed per game (8.7) among teams remaining in the playoffs. With Oklahoma City returning home for a pivotal Game 5, I'm expecting Gilgeous-Alexander to bring a bit more energy than he's shown in recent games during this series.

Aaron Gordon Over 23.5 Pts + Reb (-112)

There's an argument to be made that Aaron Gordon has been the second-best player on the Nuggets in this series. Even with a Game 2 performance where he put up only 10 points and 5 rebounds in 26 minutes, Gordon is averaging 17.3 PPG and 10.8 RPG while shooting 54.5% from three and earning a team-best 131.0 offensive rating versus the Thunder.

In all three games where Gordon has played more than 26 minutes in this series, he's scored 15-plus points and grabbed 8-plus rebounds, making me gravitate toward the over on his points-plus-rebounds prop. Furthermore, Gordon has accrued 30-plus points and rebounds in three of the four meetings against OKC in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Even though Gordon notched 14.7 PPG and 4.8 RPG during the regular season, this line is palatable due to his improved play and role in the playoffs. Considering that Gordon is tallying the second-most rebound chances (15.0) on the Nuggets in this series and the expectation of him converting more baskets around the rim moving forward, I'll continue to ride the hot hand in Game 5.

Isaiah Hartenstein to Record a Double-Double (+200)

Along with liking Isaiah Hartenstein's points-plus-rebounds prop for Tuesday's contest, I believe there's value in taking him to record a double-double. Throughout the first four games of the series between the Thunder and Nuggets, Hartenstein is registering 11.0 PPG and 10.3 RPG on 28.7 MPG.

Despite Hartenstein earning a double-double in only one matchup against Denver so far, he's flirted with 10-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in all four outings. Hartenstein is producing the fourth-most rebound chances per game (20.0) of the players still playing in the postseason, but he's just one of two players with 20-plus rebound chances per game who is averaging fewer than 14.0 RPG.

On top of Hartenstein being a fantastic rebounder on both ends of the floor, Denver is presenting him with plenty of opportunities to deploy his floater or attack the rim in the paint, and the Nuggets are coughing up the most points in the paint per game (50.9) of the teams still active in the playoff picture. Hartenstein has now played 65 games for the Thunder (including the playoffs), and he's finished with a double-double in 46.2% of those contests, which comes out to +116 implied odds.

You can also check out our latest 2025 NBA Playoffs printable bracket, which includes the seeding and matchups for each conference.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.