The Oklahoma City Thunder’s loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday marked the first time since November 3, 2023, that the Thunder lost consecutive home games. With all the talk of breaking records and setting the standard that has surrounded OKC this season, this is not exactly a mark that they would have been expected to meet.
The Thunder has an opportunity to get back on track on Tuesday night as they host the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans own the worst record in the Western Conference, but a two-game win streak has them feeling pretty good. Despite winning just 4 of their last 9—what feels like a high mark for their season—the Pelicans have lost by 10 or fewer points in each of the five losses, which feels like progress.
Oklahoma City is a big favorite tonight, but with how short they are due to injury and how poorly they’ve played as of late, it feels like this could be yet another trap game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is likely going to have to carry the load on offense, but what he really needs is for teammates to hit open shots. If Chet Holmgren is packing it in the paint, teammates aren’t hitting from downtown. If Luguentz Dort is knocking down shots, nobody else is really helping out. It’s been a rough time lately.
So, while the Pelicans could be another hurdle for the Thunder to jump over to get back to some level of normalcy, this could also be an opportunity to right the ship a bit and remind the league just how dominant the Oklahoma City Thunder can be, healthy or not.
Game Details
Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: FanDuel Sports Network 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: Aaron Wiggins
- PF: Jaylin Williams
- C: Chet Holmgren
Pelicans
- PG: Trey Murphy III
- SG: Herbert Jones
- SF: Saddiq Bey
- PF: Zion Williamson
- C: Derik Queen
Injury Report
Thunder
- Alex Caruso (strained right adductor) is OUT
- Isaiah Hartenstein (strained right soleus) is OUT.
- Ajay Mitchell (strained abdominal) is OUT.
- Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgical recovery) is OUT.
- Nikola Topic (surgical recovery) is OUT.
- Cason Wallace (left hip soreness) is OUT.
- Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring) is OUT.
Pelicans
- Trey Alexander (G League — two-way) is OUT.
- Hunter Dickinson (G League — two-way) is OUT.
- Dejounte Murray (ruptured right Achilles) is OUT.
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 41-21 against the Pelicans (20-10 at home, 20-11 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 has won the season series with the Pelicans 11 times, tied it once, and lost it 4 times.
- Last season, the Thunder went 4-0 against the Pelicans in the regular season (2-0 at home, 2-0 on the road).
- The Thunder has won 12 straight games (2024 playoffs included) against the Pelicans.
- The Thunder is 2-0 against the Pelicans so far this season (1-0 at home, 1-0 on the road).