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 @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder tank session is in full swing, but that doesn’t mean the good guys won’t pick up a win every now and then. After a 21-point drubbing by the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, the Thunder will have a much better shot at a win tonight as they host the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors are not even 2 full seasons removed from being NBA Champions, but a lot has changed since then. Despite the roster staying fairly consistent, Toronto has dealt with the struggles of injuries and health & safety protocols, and as a result, the Raptors are just 18-29 on the season and 11th in the Eastern Conference Standings.
Still, Toronto has plenty of All-Star talent, and while the Thunder is young and feisty, they don’t have a clear floor general to take over the game while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be sidelined with plantar fascitis in his right foot.
With the end of the season drawing near, the name of the game is the same: continue to develop and improve in preparation for the future. It’s hard to be mad about current games when expectations for the future as so high, so stay encouraged, Thunder fans. Brighter days are ahead of us.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Théo Maledon
- SG: Svi Mykhailiuk
- SF: Kenrich Williams
- PF: Isaiah Roby
- C: Moses Brown
Raptors
- PG: Fred VanVleet
- SG: Gary Trent
- SF: OG Anunoby
- PF: Pascal Siakim
- C: Aaron Baynes
Injuries
Thunder
- Darius Bazley is OUT (left shoulder contusion).
- Luguentz Dort is OUT (concussion protocol).
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is OUT (plantar fascitis in right foot).
- Ty Jerome is QUESTIONABLE (sprained right ankle).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (sprained right ankle).
- Aleksej Pokuševski is OUT (health & safety protocol).
Raptors
- DeAndre’ Bembry is OUT (health and safety protocols).
- Jalen Harris is OUT (pointer right hip).
- Kyle Lowry is OUT (infected right foot).
- Patrick McCaw is OUT (swollen left knee).
- Paul Watson is OUT (health and safety protocols).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 13-9 against the Raptors in the regular season (6-6 at home, 7-3 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the regular season series with the Raptors 4 times, lost it once, and tied it 7 times.
- The Thunder went 1-1 against the Raptors last season (0-1 at home, 1-0 on the road).
- The Thunder has lost 4 of the last 5 matchups with the Raptors at Chesapeake Energy Arena.