The Oklahoma City Thunder has won 5 straight games, and for the most part, the end results haven’t even been close. OKC’s average margin of victory in that time is 23.8 points, improving their league-leading +/- to an impressive +13.0. The Thunder has a chance to improve that number on Monday night as they host the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans have lost 8 straight and continue to struggle as they navigate injuries and roster changes following the trade deadline. With only 30 games remaining in the regular season for New Orleans, they are all but eliminated from the Playoffs at this point, whereas OKC is firmly solidified in the top spot in the West, 7.5 games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies.
While New Orleans may not have much to play for in terms of the immediate future, they still have enough grit to keep a game closer than it should be, so the Thunder needs to enter the game with their trademark ‘0-0’ mindset with intentions to run the Pelicans out of the building.
Game Details
Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: FanDuel TV – 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: Luguentz Dort
- SF: Jalen Williams
- PF: Chet Holmgren
- C: Isaiah Hartenstein
Pelicans
- PG: Jose Alvarado
- SG: Trey Murphy
- SF: Javonte Green
- PF: Zion Williamson
- C: Yves Missi
Injury Report
Thunder
- Ousmane Dieng (strained right soleus) is OUT.
- Isaiah Joe (right knee soreness) is OUT.
- Ajay Mitchell (sprained right great toe) is OUT.
- Nikola Topic (left knee surgery) is OUT.
- Cason Wallace (strained right shoulder) is OUT.
Pelicans
- Boston Brandon (sprained left ankle) is OUT.
- Bruce Brown (not with team) is OUT.
- Herbert Jones (strained right shoulder) is OUT.
- CJ McCollum (personal reasons) is OUT.
- Dejounte Murray (ruptured right Achilles) is OUT.
- Kelly Olynyk (not with team) is OUT.
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 37-21 against the Pelicans (18-10 at home, 18-11 on the road) in the regular season and 4-0 against them in the playoffs (2-0 at home, 2-0 on the road).
- The Thunder have won the season series with the Pelicans 10 times, tied it once, and lost it 4 times.
- Last season, the Thunder went 2-1 against the Pelicans in the regular season (0-1 at home, 2-0 on the road) and 4-0 against them in the playoffs (2-0 at home, 2-0 on the road).
- So far this season, the Thunder is 1-0 against the Pelicans (1-0 at home, 1-0 on the road).