Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Streaming: Thunder App
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live tweets and discussion during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder dropped to 1-1 through two preseason games as they lost a close one 98-96 against the Dallas Mavericks in Tulsa Wednesday night. The game featured six lead changes and 12 ties, and no team led by more than 10 points. Despite leading for much of the game, the Thunder was not able to pull out the win.
Tonight the Thunder plays in front of their home crowd at the Paycom Center for the first time since April as they host the Adelaide 36ers, members of the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers made major headlines just a few days when they knocked off the Phoenix Suns 134-124. In that meeting, Craig Randall II led Adelaide with 35 points as the 36ers lit up the three-point line, knocking down 24-of-43 attempts from downtown (55.8%).
The 36ers are a familiar team for second-year Thunder point guard Josh Giddey. He played for Adelaide in the 2020-21 season, winning the NBL Rookie of the Year. Giddey’s Australian roots could make for a friendly battle tonight as the Thunder do not want to be the second NBA victim of the Aussies.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Josh Giddey
- SG: Tre Mann
- SF: Aaron Wiggins
- PF: Alesekj Pokusevski
- C: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
36ers
- PG: Mitch McCarron
- SG: Craig Randall II
- SF: Antonius Cleveland
- PF: Robert Franks
- C: Daniel Johnson
Injuries
Thunder
- Marquese Chriss is OUT (knee surgery).
- Luguentz Dort is OUT (concussion protocol).
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is OUT (sprained left MCL).
- Chet Holmgren is OUT (Lisfranc injury in right foot).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (sprained left ankle).
36ers
- None to report.