Another game came down to the wire on Wednesday evening for the Oklahoma City Thunder as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 27 points in a 108-98 Thunder victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. OKC is on a 3-game winning streak, and tonight they host one of the best teams in the Western Conference in the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans are 3rd in the West, just half a game behind the Denver Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies at 19-12 on the season. However, they are missing Brandon Ingram (left great toe contusion) and Zion Williamson (health and safety protocol), so this should make for a close game that will hopefully end in an early Christmas present win for Thunder fans.
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, New Orleans Pelicans Official Game Notes
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Josh Giddey
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Jalen Williams
- C: Aleksej Pokusevski
Pelicans
- PG: CJ McCollum
- SG: Trey Murphy
- SF: Herbert Jones
- PF: Naji Marshall
- C: Jonas Valanciunas
Injury Report
Thunder
- Ousmane Dieng is OUT (non-displaced fractured right wrist).
- Chet Holmgren is OUT (right foot surgery).
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is OUT (sprained right ankle).
- Jaylin Williams is OUT (concussion protocol).
Pelicans
- Brandon Ingram is OUT (left great toe contusion).
- Kira Lewis Jr. is OUT (G League — on assignment).
- E.J. Liddell is OUT (right knee ACL injury recovery).
- Larry Nance Jr. is OUT (right achilles soreness).
- Dereon Seabron is OUT (G League — two-way).
- Zion Williamson is OUT (health and safety protocols).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 31-19 against the Pelicans (17-8 at home, 14-11 on the road).
- The Thunder has won the season series with the Pelicans 9 times, tied it once, and lost it 4 times.
- The Thunder went 2-1 against the Pelicans last season (1-1 at home, 1-0 on the road).
- The Thunder is 0-1 against the Pelicans so far this season (1-0 at home, 0-1 on the road).