OKC Thunder | Game #59 Preview: Pacers

Tip-Off: 6 PM CT

Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Television: Bally 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 put up a valiant effort against the Washington Wizards before falling 119-107 on Monday on the road. Tonight the Thunder wraps up a 4-game road trip as they take on the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers have experienced a year of disappointment after finishing 4th in the East just a season ago. Primarily due to injuries, Indiana is just 26-31 on the season, putting them at 9th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Tonight’s matchup between the two teams will be missing a number of star players, most notably the continued absence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder, as well as Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and T.J. Warren for the Pacers. Still, I wouldn’t expect this game to be a close one. OKC isn’t exactly working hard to win games, and there’s only so much Mark Daigneault can do as a coach with a limited roster.

Projected Starters

Thunder

  • PG: Théo Maledon
  • SG: Luguentz Dort
  • SF: Aleksej Pokuševski
  • PF: Darius Bazley
  • C: Moses Brown

Pacers

  • PG: Malcolm Brogdon
  • SG: Edmond Sumner
  • SF: Justin Holiday
  • PF: Caris LeVert
  • C: Goga Bitadze

Injuries

Thunder

  • Gabriel Deck is OUT (not with team).
  • Luguentz Dort is QUESTIONABLE (strained right hip).
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is OUT (plantar fasciitis in right foot).
  • Josh Hall is OUT (bilateral knee soreness).
  • Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle sprain).
  • Isaiah Roby is OUT (sprained right great toe).

Pacers

  • Goga Bitadze is QUESTIONABLE (sprained left ankle).
  • Jeremy Lamb is QUESTIONABLE (sore left knee).
  • Doug McDermott is QUESTIONABLE (sprained left ankle).
  • Domantas Sabonis is OUT (sore lower back).
  • Myles Turner is OUT (partial plantar plate tear in the right toe).
  • T.J. Warren is OUT (stress fracture in left foot).

Head-to-Head

  • Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 11-12 against the Pacers (7-4 at home, 4-8 on the road).
  • Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Pacers 3 times, lost it 3 times, and tied 6 times.
  • The Thunder lost the season series 0-2 (0-1at home, 0-1 on the road) last season.

Game Notes

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