Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
It’s hard to tell if the Oklahoma City Thunder are even trying to tank after grabbing a 108-100 win on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. The win was OKC’s third in a row and puts the Thunder at 4-6 on the season. Last season, the Thunder had just one 3-game winning streak, and that was the longest of the season. Tonight, they have a chance to beat that mark when they host the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings have forever been in a young, rebuilding mode, yet they haven’t been able to get over the hump and even make it to the Playoffs. At 5-7, Sacramento is staying in postseason contention, and with the young star talent, they definitely could push their way into a better spot, but they just haven’t been able to do that over the years.
Tonight’s game should be a fun matchup between a litany of young stars, specifically OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox. I would pretty much guarantee that whoever has the better game between the two of them will likely be on the side of victory as the final buzzer sounds.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Luguentz Dort
- SF: Josh Giddey
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Kings
- PG: De’Aaron Fox
- SG: Tyrese Haliburton
- SF: Harrison Barnes
- PF: Maurice Harkless
- C: Richaun Holmes
Injuries
Thunder
- Vit Krejci is OUT (G League – on assignment).
- Theo Maledon is OUT (G League – on assignment).
- Isaiah Roby is OUT (G League – on assignment).
- Paul Watson is OUT (G League – two-way).
- Aaron Wiggins is OUT (G League – two-way).
Kings
- Terence Davis is QUESTIONABLE (sore left ankle).
- Tyrese Haliburton is QUESTIONABLE (tightness in lower back).
- Louis King is OUT (G League – two-way).
- Neemias Queta is OUT (G League – two-way).
- Robert Woodard II is OUT (G League – on assignment).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 32-15 against the Kings (18-4 at home, 14-11 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the regular season series against the Kings 10 times, lost it twice, and tied it once.
- The Thunder went 0-3 against the Kings last season (0-1 at home, 0-2 on the road).