🏀 Thunder vs. Spurs Player Props Today: NBA Picks & Best Bets (May 22)

I'm backing Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell in my Thunder vs. Spurs props for Game 3.

Shane Thurston

Last Updated: May 22, 2026 8:29 AM EDT • 3 minute read

Pictured: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) drives to the basket. Photo by: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Just when the Western Conference finals seemed to have enough storylines, Game 2 delivered even more chaos with key injuries to both the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, shifting the outlook heading into Game 3. With the series knotted at 1-1, Friday's matchup carries extra weight.

San Antonio is a 1.5-point favorite, but I'm making the most of the uncertainty by targeting Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell in my Thunder vs. Spurs player props today as part of Friday's NBA picks and best bets. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, airing on NBC.

🏀 Best Thunder vs. Spurs player props today: NBA picks for May 22

See all of our experts' NBA picks based on the latest NBA odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.

Player	Prop bet	Units	Confidence
Ajay Mitchell, G, Thunder	Over 13.5 points (-105 via BetMGM)	1.05u -> 1u	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ajay Mitchell, G, Thunder	20-plus points (+425 via BetMGM)	0.1u -> 0.42u	⭐⭐

Total wagered: 1.15 units | Max profit: 1.42 units

💰 Best Thunder vs. Spurs prop bet

Ajay Mitchell Over 13.5 points (-105)

Ajay Mitchell's scoring line has already climbed from 12.5 since it's open price tag, and I don't think it's done moving. With Jalen Williams' status in doubt due to a hamstring injury, Mitchell is set to take his place in the lineup.

Dating back to the start of the regular season, Mitchell has played 21 games without Williams this year. In those 21 contests, Mitchell has averaged 15.8 points and cleared this scoring line 13 times. Without Williams, Mitchell's usage rating is 3.1% higher.

This line is as high as 14.5 at FanDuel, so take BetMGM's bargain right away.

🔥 More Thunder vs. Spurs prop picks

Ajay Mitchell 20-plus points (+425)

With the Spurs sending an extra defender at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the half-court, the Thunder need someone to come through offensively on the perimeter. Alex Caruso has done his part by scoring 48 points through two games. Williams scored 26 points in Game 1.

Mitchell has been quiet thus far, but he's demonstrated his scoring ability in Williams' absence this postseason. In the six playoff games without Williams, Mitchell is averaging 21.2 points per contest. He's scored 20 or more points in four of those outings. He was coming through so much in Round 2 that his scoring line closed at 17.5 in Game 4.

I don't think our best sports betting apps have properly priced Mitchell's potential impact. I'll sprinkle a bit on his juicy odds in the alternate market.

🚀 Thunder vs. Spurs same-game parlay

The real plus-money value in Game 3 is on Mitchell's odds in the alternate market. But I've created a parlay that involves his scoring line in an Oklahoma City win to provide a different angle ahead of Friday's matchup.

💵 Thunder vs. Spurs SGP picks

Ajay Mitchell Over 13.5 points (-105)
Thunder ML (+105)

Best odds: +200 via BetMGM (0.1u -> 0.2u)

💵 My betting record for NBA picks

All NBA picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 28.

Bet type	Record	Net profit	ROI
Overall	44-51	+8.13 units ✅	12% ✅
Player props	33-28	+9.51 units ✅	14.8% ✅
Parlays	6-22	-0.38 units ❌	-13.4% ❌

💡 How I'm betting Thunder vs. Spurs

Follow all of our NBA analysis and expert predictions this season.

Finding edges gets more difficult this deep into the postseason. Markets tighten with the influx of action and the heightened scrutiny that comes with every playoff game.

That said, injury uncertainty remains one of the few areas where real value still exists. And it's become a central storyline in this series. Williams' absence looms large for the Thunder as they look to defend their championship.

From a betting standpoint, Mitchell is the player I want to target. He's been the clearest beneficiary of Williams' injury throughout the season, which is why I've built two prop bets around him, including one offering some attractive value on the odds.

🚑 Thunder vs. Spurs injuries

📺 How to watch Thunder vs. Spurs

Date: Friday, May 22
Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio)
TV: NBC

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Written by:
Shane Thurston

Shane Thurston has been writing for Sportsbook Review since 2022, though his passion for sports, writing, and betting runs much longer than that. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a journalism degree in 2017 and has been covering sports ever since, working for MLB.com, Manhattan Mercury, Lawrence Journal-World, WynnBET, Bet Chicago Sports, BetNOLA, and BetMGM. Thurston cares about creating quality sports betting content above all else. He uses NFL experience, a mixture of models, information, film, analysis, and a top-down approach to locate every best bet shared for SBR. He never gives out a pick that he wouldn’t be willing to spend his own money on. Thurston is focused on finding +EV bets on a daily basis for a variety of sports such as NCAAF, NCAAB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, and MLB. He usually bets on props but is willing to wager on a spread or total when there is an edge. Don’t ask him how many bets he has placed on a typical college football Saturday. Thurston doesn’t care if you follow him on social media, but his Twitter account has info on how you can follow his bets through multiple third-party platforms. He just wants you to read all the great work from the SBR team.