Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @TheThunderGuys for live-tweets during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder held on for a close win over the Charlotte Hornets last night to move to 12-6 on the season, which ties them for the best record in the West. Tonight, they host the Denver Nuggets, who have a solid record themselves at 12-7.
The Nuggets have a solid starting lineup featuring 4x NBA All-Star Paul Millsap, triple-double machine Nikola Jokic, and budding star Jamal Murray. The Nuggets are one of three teams in the NBA that rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating, but the Thunder is right behind them in overall net rating.
Tonight’s matchup is the first divisional matchup of the season for the Thunder, and considering how close the Western Conference was at season’s end a year ago, these games are important as they typically are determining factors for playoff seeding. The Thunder is still dealing with a number of injuries, but so are the Nuggets. Oklahoma City will need some younger players to step up and fill the voids where necessary.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Russell Westbrook
- SG: Alex Abrines
- SF: Paul George
- PF: Jerami Grant
- C: Steven Adams
Nuggets
- PG: Jamal Murray
- SG: Gary Harris
- SF: Paul Millsap
- PF: Juancho Hernangomez
- C: Nikola Jokic
Injuries
Thunder
- Hamidou Diallo (left ankle sprain) is OUT.
- Terrance Ferguson (left ankle sprain) is OUT.
- Andre Roberson (left patellar tendon) is OUT.
Nuggets
- Will Barton (right hip/core muscle surgery) is OUT.
- Gary Harris (left ankle soreness) is QUESTIONABLE.
- Michael Porter Jr. (lower back surgery) is OUT.
- Isaiah Thomas (right hip surgery) is OUT.
- Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery) is OUT.
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 21-18 against the Nuggets (14-7 at home, 7-11 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series with the Nuggets 6 times and lost it 4 times.
- The Thunder went 1-3 against the Nuggets last season (1-1 at home, 0-2 on the road).
- The Thunder has lost 4 of the last 5 matchups against the Nuggets and 2 of the last 3 against the Nuggets at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Game Notes
- The Thunder has won their last two games, and the Nuggets have won their last two as well.
- Oklahoma City is 8-2 in their last 10 while Denver is 4-6 in their last 10.
- Oklahoma City is 7-2 at home while Denver is 4-4 on the road.
- Oklahoma City is 7-5 against the Western Conference while Denver is 7-4.
- Oklahoma City is 2-0 in the second game of a back-to-back while Denver is also 2-0 in the second game of a back-to-back.
- The Thunder is 1-1 on Saturday night while the Nuggets are 2-1.
- This is the Thunder’s first game against another team in the Northwest Division, but the Nuggets are 2-0 against other teams in the Northwest Division.
- Oklahoma City Thunder Official Game Notes
- Denver Nuggets Official Game Notes
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