The Oklahoma City Thunder looked more like their typical selves on Wednesday in Game 2 against the New Orleans Pelicans as they shot the lights out from downtown. Despite Jonas Valanciunas getting some easy buckets early for the Pelicans, the Thunder quickly corrected course, taking a lead that they would never relinquish. In the end, a 124-92 victory for the home team left the Pelicans headed back to New Orleans down 2-0 in the series.
Saturday afternoon sets the stage for Game 3 as the Pelicans enter as a slight underdog. Still missing Zion Williamson, New Orleans needs something special as they try to work towards evening up the series, but OKC seemed much more focused in Game 2, so that could be a difficult undertaking. The Thunder don’t want to give the Pelicans even an inkling of hope, so they need to start this one where they left off on Wednesday and take care of business early.
Tip-Off: 2:30 PM CT
Location: Smoothie King Center (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Television: TNT
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: Chet Holmgren
Pelicans
- PG: CJ McCollum
- SG: Brandon Ingram
- SF: Trey Murphy III
- PF: Herbert Jones
- C: Jonas Valanciunas
Injury Report
Thunder
- NONE
Pelicans
- Zion Williamson is OUT (strained left hamstring).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder are 34-21 against the Pelicans (17-10 at home, 17-11 on the road) in the regular season and 2-0 against them in the playoffs (2-0 at home, 0-0 on the road).
- The Thunder have won the season series with the Pelicans 10 times, tied it once, and lost it 4 times.
- The Thunder went 2-1 against the Pelicans last season in the regular season (1-1 at home, 1-0 on the road) and 1-0 in the play-in round of the postseason (1-0 on the road).
- The Thunder went 2-1 against the Pelicans this season (0-1 at home, 2-0 on the road).
- The Thunder are up 2-0 in Round 1 against the New Orleans Pelicans (2-0 at home, 0-0 on the road).
- The Thunder have won 3 straight against the Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center.