NEW ORLEANS — The Thunder (13-1) will finish up its two-game road trip tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans (2-11) before heading back home to Oklahoma City to face the Sacramento Kings (3-11) for the third time this season.
The Thunder are coming off their fifth straight win following a 109-96 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge once again with 33 points, which was his 12th 30+ point game this season. Chet Holmgren also played a big part in OKC’s victory, finishing with 25 points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes.
This weekend’s victory over the Hornets marked the Thunder’s 23rd consecutive win against Eastern Conference teams. Despite the absence of former All-Star guard Lamelo Ball and forward Brandon Miller, the Hornets remained competitive through the first half until the Thunder’s 32-point third quarter elevated OKC to a 17-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Now, the Thunder will look to keep this winning streak alive against the Pelicans in their second matchup of the season. The Thunder blew out the Pelicans 137-106 in their last contest at the start of November.
A big factor for the Pelicans will be the availability of former number one overall pick Zion Williamson, who is currently listed as ‘day-to-day’ due to a hamstring injury, according to ESPN. Williamson was the Pelicans’ leading scorer against the Thunder in their last matchup, finishing with 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Tonight’s game against the Thunder also marks the Pelicans’ second game under interim head coach James Borrego, following Willie Green’s firing on Saturday.
Alex Caruso’s availability will also be something to keep an eye on for the Thunder, as he is currently listed as ‘day-to-day’ due to a hand injury. The Thunder’s supporting cast will need to continue to step up tonight in the absence of several key players. Ajay Mitchell (16.7 PPG) and Isaiah Joe (14.8 PPG) have done just that so far this year for OKC, providing a much-needed scoring punch.
Here are the most recent injury reports for both teams as of 1 p.m. on Monday, according to ESPN:
THUNDER
Alex Caruso (Day-to-Day)Aaron Wiggins (Out)Jalen Williams (Out)Nikola Topic (Out)Kenrich Williams (Out)Thomas Sorber (Out)
PELICANS
Zion Williamson (Day-to-Day)Dejounte Murray (Out)Jordan Poole (Out)
Tonight’s game tips off at 7 p.m. (CT). Be sure to follow FOX23 this NBA season as we bring you the latest stories on the reigning NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder on air and online.