OKLAHOMA CITY – The last time the Oklahoma City Thunder hosted the Indiana Pacers, the Thunder left the court with the city’s first NBA championship after their Game 7 win.
Now, just a day over seven months since Oklahoma City’s 103-91 win, the teams meet again on Friday (Saturday morning, Singapore time) on opposite ends of the league’s spectrum.
The Thunder, with mostly the same roster as last season, look capable of winning a second consecutive title. They sport the NBA’s best record, having won back-to-back games and seven of their last eight.
The Pacers, with a much different roster than last year, own the Eastern Conference’s worst record while losing 17 of their last 21.
Indiana’s path was expected to be tough this season, what with Tyrese Haliburton sustaining a torn Achilles early in that Game 7 loss that will keep the All-Star point guard out for the whole season.
The Pacers have dropped their last three games by an average of 22.3 points, including a 43-point loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
“We need to keep competing and executing no matter what the score is, whether we’re ahead or behind,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “That’s the deal.”
Despite the team’s struggles, Pascal Siakam continues to thrive.
“He’s not just been great, he’s been beyond great,” Carlisle added.
Siakam played a major role in the Pacers’ playoff run last season and averaged 19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks during the NBA Finals.
He was also effective against the Thunder earlier this season. He delivered 32 points and 15 rebounds in the Pacers’ season-opening 141-135 double-overtime loss to Oklahoma City in Indianapolis.
Bennedict Mathurin was a key player in helping Indiana challenge the Thunder in that opener as well, but he has missed the last 10 games with a thumb sprain.
The Pacers have expressed hope Mathurin will return during their current five-game road trip, which ends Monday in Atlanta.
Indiana could also be without reserve point guard Quenton Jackson, who suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday’s 119-104 loss in Boston.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City will be without at least one key piece against the Pacers.
All-Star Jalen Williams sustained a right hamstring strain early in Saturday’s loss in Miami and is expected to miss at least two weeks. Aaron Wiggins also missed Wednesday’s 122-102 win in Milwaukee due to right groin soreness. Ajay Mitchell left Wednesday’s game with a hip injury, while Isaiah Hartenstein remains out.
The Thunder are still expected to have star man Shai Gilgeous-Alexander available, though.
The Canadian guard scored a career-high 55 points in the opener at Indiana and is coming off a 40-point, 11-assist game against the Bucks.
Though he was 16 of 19 from the field in Wednesday’s victory, he probably remembers the handful of misses more than the makes.
“Every opportunity, every shot I take, every possession, every defensive possession, every missed box out ultimately... is an opportunity for me as an individual and us as a team to get better,” Gilgeous- Alexander said. “You’re not going to succeed in all your opportunities but the ones that you fail in, remembering them and using them as motivation, is how you take steps forward.”
Meanwhile in NBA action on Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 36 points from Tyrese Maxey and a triple-double from Joel Embiid, beat the Houston Rockets 128-122 in an overtime thriller at home.
Cameroonian big man Embiid scored 32 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 10 assists, posting the ninth triple-double of his career to help the Sixers end the Rockets’ three-game winning streak.
Over in Los Angeles, Kawhi Leonard had 24 points as he led the Clippers to a 112-104 win over the Lakers, who had 32 points from Luka Doncic and 23 from LeBron James.
Elsewhere, Naji Marshall posted 30 points and nine assists as the Dallas Mavericks extended their winning streak to four with a 123-115 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors. REUTERS