Tip-Off: 8:30 PM CT
Location: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
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 a long season of tanking, but the Oklahoma City Thunder wraps up the regular season tonight as they take on the Los Angeles Clippers on the road. The Thunder was knocked out of the playoffs weeks ago, while the Clippers have cemented their spot at 8th place in the West, where they will take on the 7th place Minnesota Timberwolves. Essentially, tonight’s game doesn’t mean much.
OKC has made a point to avoid winning at all costs over the last few games, and even though the Clippers are resting Paul George and Reggie Jackson, the Thunder shouldn’t be able to do much more than maybe keep this game to single digits. After tonight, the play-in portion of the NBA Playoffs begins, and OKC can start thinking about the NBA Draft Lottery, which will take place on Thursday, June 23rd.
It was a long season. It was a fun season (at times). But now, as it comes to an end, we can rest easy and just hope for the best possible scenario for the NBA Draft.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Zavier Simpson
- SG: Vit Krejci
- SF: Georgios Kalaitzakis
- PF: Jaylen Hoard
- C: Isaiah Roby
Lakers
- PG: Xavier Moon
- SG: Terance Mann
- SF: Robert Covington
- PF: Nicolas Batum
- C: Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Thunder
- Darius Bazley is OUT (non-displaced tibial plateau fracture).
- 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 OUT (right ankle soreness).
- Ty Jerome is OUT (sports hernia surgery).
- Tre Mann is OUT (strained right hamstring).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle surgery).
- Kenrich Williams is OUT (sprained left knee).
Clippers
- Paul George is OUT (rest).
- Reggie Jackson is OUT (rest).
- Kawhi Leonard is OUT (right knee ACL injury recovery).
- Marcus Morris Sr. is OUT (non-covid illness).
- Norman Powell is OUT (left foot injury maintenance).
- Jason Preston is OUT (right foot injury recovery).
- Jay Scrubb is OUT (right foot injury recovery).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 25-24 against the Clippers (16-8 at home, 9-16 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Clippers 4 times, tied 4 times, and lost 5 times.
- The Thunder went 1-2 against the Clippers last season (1-0 at home, 0-2 on the road).
- The Thunder is 1-1 against the Clippers so far this season (1-0 at home, 0-1 on the road).