The Oklahoma City Thunder is the NBA’s hottest team right now, even though they locked up the top seed in the Western Conference a while ago. A 145-117 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday marked the 10th straight win for the Thunder, their second double-digit winning streak of the season. OKC now wraps up their current homestand with a matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
The Thunder and the Pistons met just a couple of weeks ago, a 113-107 win for OKC in Detroit that had plenty of frustration from both sides, but particularly from Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff concerning the officiating. Detroit is similar to OKC in that they play physical defense, and, also like OKC, they don’t always get officiated in a way that would seem fair. Still, you have to figure out how to play the game anyway, and despite having one of the worst free throw differentials in the entire league, the Thunder has navigated the disparity with success.
Cade Cunningham was ejected in the third quarter of the previous meeting, but he probably won’t even play tonight due to a left calf contusion, and with several Pistons players suspended due to a fight that occurred against the Minnesota Timberwolves the other night, I’m not sure how much emotion will be involved in this game compared to a typical one. One thing is for sure, though, and that is OKC is going to play to win, regardless of how wrapped up their postseason positioning is.
Game Details
Tip-Off: 8:30 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: ESPN, FanDuel 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, Detroit Pistons Official Game Notes
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Luguentz Dort
- SF: Jalen Williams
- PF: Chet Holmgren
- C: Isaiah Hartenstein
Pistons
- PG: Dennis Schroder
- SG: Tim Hardaway Jr.
- SF: Ausar Thompson
- PF: Tobias Harris
- C: Jalen Duren
Injury Report
Thunder
- Alex Caruso (left ankle soreness) is QUESTIONABLE.
- Ousmane Dieng (strained left calf) is OUT.
- Alex Ducas (strained right quad) is OUT.
- Ajay Mitchell (right great toe surgery) is OUT.
- Nikola Topic (left knee surgery) is OUT.
- Aaron Wiggins (left Achilles tendinitis) is OUT.
- Jaylin Williams (sprained left ankle) is QUESTIONABLE.
Pistons
- Cade Cunningham (left calf contusion) is DOUBTFUL.
- Tobias Harris (right Achilles tendinopathy) is PROBABLE.
- Ronald Hollan II (league suspension) is OUT.
- Jaden Ivey (fractured left fibula) is OUT.
- Marcus Sasser (league suspension) is OUT.
- Isaiah Stewart (league suspension) is OUT.
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 22-10 against the Pistons (12-3 at home, 10-7 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Pistons 7 times, lost it 1 time, and tied it 8 times.
- The Thunder went 1-1 against the Pistons last season (1-0 at home, 0-1 on the road).
- So far this season, the Thunder is 1-0 against the Pistons (0-0 at home, 1-0 on the road).