Tip-Off: 6:30 PM CT
Location: State Farm Arena (Atlanta, Georgia)
Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder is 2-2 since returning from the NBA All-Star Break, but both losses have been by 20+ points to Eastern Conference teams fighting for a playoff spot. Tonight, the Thunder takes on the Hawks in Atlanta, and they have been one of the hottest teams in the league lately.
Winners of the last 6 in a row, the Hawks are 20-20 and have a chance tonight to move one game above .500 for the first time in nearly two months. Atlanta has dealt with a number of injuries so far this season, but they currently sit at 6th in the Eastern Conference standings, and they have a good chance to keep moving up the ranks.
Meanwhile, OKC is dealing with their own injury issues. Darius Bazley continues to sit with a left shoulder contusion, and Luguentz Dort (sprained great left toe) and Théo Maledon (sprained left thumb) are both questionable. At this rate, Al Horford will be the only other regular joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the starting lineup.
This is just the second game of a four-game road trip for the Thunder, and while tonight’s matchup will likely be the toughest of the stretch, it would still be nice to see pick up a surprise win. Still, even if they don’t, the Rockets and the Timberwolves are the two teams up next, so those should invariably be easy wins.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Ty Jerome
- SF: Aleksej Pokuševski
- PF: Isaiah Roby
- C: Al Horford
Hawks
- PG: Trae Young
- SG: Kevin Huerter
- SF: Tony Snell
- PF: Danilo Gallinari
- C: John Collins
Injuries
Thunder
- Darius Bazley is OUT (left shoulder contusion).
- Luguentz Dort is QUESTIONABLE (sprained left great toe).
- Josh Hall is OUT (sore left knee).
- George Hill is OUT (right thumb surgery).
- Meyers Leonard is OUT (not with team).
- Théo Maledon is OUT (sprained left thumb).
Hawks
- Clint Capela is QUESTIONABLE (left heel pain).
- Kris Dunn is OUT (right ankle surgery).
- De’Andre Hunter is OUT (right knee surgery).
- Onyeka Okongwu is QUESTIONABLE (sore right adductor).
- Cam Reddish is OUT (sore right achilles).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 15-8 against the Hawks (9-3 at home, 6-5 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Hawks 5 times, lost it twice, and tied 5 times.
- The Thunder won the season series 1-0- last year (1-0 at home, 0-0 on the road).
- The Thunder is 1-0 against the Hawks so far this season (1-0 at home, 0-0 on the road).
- The Thunder has won 5 of the last 6 games against the Hawks.