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 been just a few days, but the Oklahoma City Thunder and Orlando Magic are set to meet once again. In the first meeting, neither team had much going on the offensive side of the ball, and the result was an extremely low-scoring night. The Magic got the best of the Thunder with a 90-85 final score, and tonight, the two teams finish up the season series in Oklahoma City.
The Magic has won two straight and is now just a half a game back from the Thunder in the overall standings, which means they currently have slightly better odds for a higher draft pick. A loss tonight for either team would help their case for better odds for the draft lottery, but I have a hard time seeing the Thunder dropping this one.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out due to ankle soreness, so the Thunder will have a tougher time than normal. Still, the Magic are missing a few key guys due to injury, as well, so this should be a close matchup either way.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Tre Mann
- SG: Aaron Wiggins
- SF: Aleksej Pokusevski
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Isaiah Roby
Magic
- PG: Cole Anthony
- SG: R.J. Hampton
- SF: Franz Wagner
- PF: Chuma Okeke
- C: Mo Bamba
Injuries
Thunder
- Luguentz Dort is OUT (left shoulder surgery).
- Derrick Favors is OUT (lower back soreness).
- Josh Giddey is OUT (right hip soreness).
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is QUESTIONABLE (right ankle soreness).
- Ty Jerome is OUT (sports hernia surgery).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle surgery).
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is OUT (third metatarsal fracture in right foot).
- Olivier Sarr is QUESTIONABLE (non-COVID illness).
- Kenrich Williams is OUT (sprained left knee).
Magic
- Bol Bol is OUT (right foot surgery).
- Wendell Carter Jr. is OUT (sprained left wrist/ankle).
- Markelle Fultz is OUT (left knee injury management).
- Gary Harris is QUESTIONABLE (left knee contusion).
- Jonathan Isaac is OUT (left knee injury recovery).
- Jalen Suggs is OUT (right ankle bone bruise).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 19-9 against the Magic in the regular season (11-3 at home, 8-6 on the road).
- In 13 seasons, the Thunder has won the season series with the Magic 6 times, lost it once, and tied it 6 times.
- The Thunder went 1-1 against the Magic last season (0-1 at home, 1-0 on the road).
- The Thunder is 0-1 against the Magic so far this season (0-0 at home, 0-1 on the road).