After a poor shooting performance to start the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned things around on Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers as he finished with 35 points, including the game-winning buzzer-beater to seal a 123-121 victory.
The two teams meet again in OKC Wednesday night, and I would expect another exciting back-and-forth matchup, especially if Josh Giddey (non-Covid illness) and Darius Bazley (non-Covid illness) are back for the Thunder and Jusuf Nurkic (right calf soreness) is back for the Blazers.
Game Details
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
Game Notes: Oklahoma City Thunder Official Game Notes, Portland Trail Blazers Official Game Notes
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Josh Giddey
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Jalen Williams
- C: Darius Bazley
Blazers
- PG: Damian Lillard
- SG: Anfernee Simons
- SF: Josh Hart
- PF: Jerami Grant
- C: Jusuf Nurkic
Injury Report
Thunder
- Darius Bazley is QUESTIONABLE (non-Covid illness).
- Ousmane Dieng is OUT (non-displaced fractured right wrist).
- Josh Giddey is QUESTIONABLE (non-Covid illness).
- Chet Holmgren is OUT (right foot surgery).
- Tre Mann is OUT (G League — on assignment).
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is OUT (sprained right ankle).
- Jaylin Williams is OUT (G League — on assignment).
Blazers
- Drew Eubanks is PROBABLE (right hip contusion).
- Jerami Grant is PROBABLE (back spasms).
- Josh Hart is PROBABLE (sprained left ankle).
- Damian Lillard is PROBABLE (sprained left wrist).
- Nassir Little is OUT (fractured right femoral head impaction).
- Jusuf Nurkic is QUESTIONABLE (right calf soreness).
- Gary Payton II is OUT (return to competition conditioning).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 30-26 (17-11 at home, 13-15 on the road) against the Trail Blazers in the regular season and 1-4 (1-1 at home, 0-3 on the road) in the playoffs.
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Trail Blazers 4 times, lost it 6 times, and tied 3 times.
- The Thunder went 4-0 (2-0 at home, 2-0 on the road) against the Blazers last season.
- The Thunder is 1-0 (1-0 at home, 0-0 on the road) against the Blazers so far this season.