Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Picks, Parlays & Betting Predictions - 11/7/2025

The OKC Juggernaut Gets a Twin-Boost: Holmgren and Caruso Return for Cup Opener in Sacramento

The Oklahoma City Thunder (8-1) got their first loss of the season earlier in the week, blowing a 22-point lead to the Blazers. However, as the Thunder prepare to start their run in the NBA Cup tonight in the Golden 1 Center against the Sacramento Kings, they're going to get some much-needed help, which will surely alleviate those opening-night jitters. Chet Holmgren is cleared to play tonight, and Alex Caruso is cleared to play tonight also.

This is big news. Holmgren, who has been nursing lower back soreness, is an anchor on defense, the guy who lets Shai Gilgeous-Alexander be the player he is. To have him on the court is pressing the nitro boosters.Likewise, the return of defensive ace Alex Caruso, who was just resting in the last game, stabilizes that perimeter D. 

They need both guys, especially with star swingman Jalen Williams (wrist surgery recovery) still out of the mix—he’s due for a re-evaluation in the next couple of weeks, but no J-Dub tonight. Lu Dort is also listed as questionable with a shoulder thing, so while the cavalry is arriving, the Thunder are still dealing with some rotation headaches.

Despite the Kings playing at home, Vegas has zero faith in them stopping the OKC machine. The Thunder are huge 11-point favorites, and the Over/Under is set high at 234. That line suggests we're getting a track meet, which is exactly what Shai and the boys want. But don't sleep on Sacramento; they desperately need a win to pull out of their 3-5 funk. Their scoring punch is solid, but their biggest issue has been the absence of Keegan Murray (thumb), who hasn't even debuted this season after a lucrative new contract. 

Until Murray is back giving them his elite shooting and defense, they just don't have enough juice to hang with a fully loaded, or near fully loaded, Thunder squad. They will likely rely on player Domantas Sabonis, but if Chet is his old shot-blocking, space-stretching self, OKC is going to blow them out, taking them to an easy win in their Cup campaign opener. The Kings have their work cut out for them, and they better play the perfect game if they hope to pull off this upset.