Tip-Off: 6 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
The Oklahoma City Thunder is still searching for a win in 2022 after three straight losses to kick off the new year, and it might not happen for a while based on the upcoming schedule. The Thunder has 9 straight games against teams that are currently at least in position for the play-in tournament if not firmly cemented in a playoff spot, and the tough run begins tonight at home against the Denver Nuggets.
The Thunder and the Nuggets met just a few weeks ago in a dazzling win for OKC. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his second career triple-double, and the Thunder came away with 108-94 victory in which they led for the majority of the game. Tonight’s meeting, however, could be a different story.
Oklahoma City has not played well lately, and that could be due to a change of focus. Many believe that the Thunder needs to lose more games to aid their tanking efforts in hopes of getting a better lottery pick, and perhaps that has changed some strategy, but the bigger issues have been poor shooting and excessive turnovers. If the Thunder wants to have any chance at keeping tonight’s game with the Nuggets close, then they need to play a much cleaner and more efficient game.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Aaron Wiggins
- SF: Josh Giddey
- PF: Luguentz Dort
- C: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Nuggets
- PG: Monte Morris
- SG: Will Barton
- SF: Aaron Gordon
- PF: Jeff Green
- C: Nikola Jokic
Injuries
Thunder
- Derrick Favors is OUT (lower back soreness).
- Vit Krejci is OUT (G League — on assignment).
- Isaiah Roby is OUT (health and safety protocols).
Nuggets
- Vlatko Cancar is OUT (right foot surgery).
- Petr Cornelie is OUT (health and safety protocols).
- P.J. Dozier is OUT (left ACL surgery).
- Markus Howard is OUT (sprained left knee).
- Jamal Murray is OUT (left knee injury recovery).
- Michael Porter Jr. is OUT (lumbar spine surgery; health and safety protocols).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 23-27 against the Nuggets (16-11 at home, 7-16 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series with the Nuggets 6 times and lost it 7 times.
- The Thunder went 0-3 (0-1 at home, 0-2 on the road) against the Nuggets last season.
- The Thunder is 1-0 against the Nuggets so far this season (1-0 at home, 0-0 on the road).