Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
Luguentz Dort exploded for 21 points in the first quarter on Sunday evening against the Toronto Raptors before finishing with 29 total, but the Oklahoma City Thunder once again fell short of victory. A 7-point halftime lead was erased as the Raptors went up by 1 headed into the fourth quarter. Toronto increased their lead before finally handing OKC a 112-106 loss, the Thunder’s 9th in a row.
Tonight, the Thunder takes on Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards on the road. The Wizards are on a 4-game win streak and are heavy favorites, which should come as no surprise. OKC continues to sit players due to an array of injuries, and a result, they continue to struggle with one of the worst offenses (statistically speaking) in a very long time.
Meanwhile, the Wizards are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, and Russell Westbrook has been a key to their success. Westbrook has recorded 7 straight triple-doubles, bringing his career total to 171. He is just 10 shy from tying Oscar Robertson’s career triple-double record of 181, and it’s safe to say he’ll like get a little closer to that record tonight.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Théo Maledon
- SG: Luguentz Dort
- SF: Aleksej Pokuševski
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Moses Brown
Wizards
- PG: Russell Westbrook
- SG: Bradley Beal
- SF: Deni Avdija
- PF: Davis Bertans
- C: Robin Lopez
Injuries
Thunder
- Gabriel Deck is OUT (not with team).
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is OUT (plantar fasciitis in right foot).
- Josh Hall is OUT (bilateral knee soreness).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle sprain).
Wizards
- Thomas Bryant is OUT (left ACL injury).
- Rui Hachimura is OUT (left knee soreness).
- Alex Len is QUESTIONABLE (left ankle soreness).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 15-8 against the Wizards (10-2 at home, 5-6 on the road).
- The Thunder has won the season series with the Wizards 4 times, lost it once, and tied 7 times.
- The Thunder split the season series last year 1-1 (1-1 at home, 0-0 on the road).