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 an incredibly injured team right now, so threes days of rest was the perfect recipe for those who are healthy enough to actually play. Losers of 5 of the last 6, the Thunder has a tough task tonight as they host the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference standings with a 46-22 record, and the series between OKC and Memphis so far this season has been a dramatic one. In the first meeting, which did not feature Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Ja Morant, the Thunder found themselves on the wrong side of history as they lost by the largest margin ever 152-79. The second meeting, however, went differently as SGA outperformed Morant to lead OKC to a 102-99 victory.
The Thunder is a heavy underdog tonight, which should come as no surprise to Thunder fans. OKC has been a double-digit underdog more often than not lately, and they’ve struggled to cover, which is different from the trend for the season. Tonight’s matchup should definitely be closer than the first meeting between these two teams, but it could still be a blowout of sorts. We’ll see what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the gang can cook up for the home crowd.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Tre Mann
- SF: Aaron Wiggins
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Isaiah Roby
Grizzlies
- PG: Ja Morant
- SG: Desmond Bane
- SF: Zaire Williams
- PF: Jaren Jackson
- C: Steven Adams
Thunder
- Luguentz Dort is OUT (strained left shoulder).
- Derrick Favors is OUT (lower back soreness).
- Josh Giddey is OUT (right hip soreness).
- Ty Jerome is OUT (left hip soreness).
- Tre Mann is QUESTIONABLE (sprained left ankle).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle soreness).
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is OUT (third metatarsal fracture in right foot).
- Kenrich Williams is OUT (sprained right knee).
Grizzlies
- Santi Aldama is OUT (G League — on assignment).
- Dillon Brooks is QUESTIONABLE (sprained left ankle).
- Yves Pons is OUT (G League — Two-Way).
- Tyrell Terry is OUT (G League — Two-Way).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 28-20 against the Grizzlies (17-7 at home, 11-13 on the road) in the regular season and 9-10 in the playoffs (6-5 at home, 3-5 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Grizzlies 8 times and lost it 4 times.
- The Thunder went 1-2 against the Grizzlies last season (1-1 at home, 0-1 on the road).
- The Thunder is 1-1 against the Grizzlies so far this season (0-0 at home, 1-1 on the road).