OKLAHOMA CITY – Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder are facing some challenges, with two starters out and several other rotational players injured, coach Mark Daigneault views it as a positive.
“There’s a lot of headwinds in the NBA – scheduling, injuries, refereeing, shot variance, and everybody deals with it at different times to various degrees,” he said heading into Tuesday night’s (Wednesday morning, Singapore time) home matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans.
“It just becomes about your ability to see those things as a challenge and attack them and if you do that then you’ll emerge from that mentally tougher and more connected as a team.”
The NBA champions come into the game having dropped back-to-back games and three of their last five.
All-Star Jalen Williams, who missed the first 19 games of the season after undergoing wrist surgery in the off-season, has missed the last four games with a hamstring strain, while Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) has not played since Dec 28.
Alex Caruso (thigh) has missed the last three games, while Ajay Mitchell (hip) has missed the last two.
One of the bright spots in Oklahoma City’s short-handed line-up recently has been Luguentz Dort’s offensive play. Though he has remained at the centre of the Thunder’s defensive gameplan, he has struggled to be efficient offensively.
He seems to be turning a corner, though. In his last four games, Dort is shooting 48.6 per cent from the field and 46.2 per cent from beyond the arc. In Sunday’s two-point home loss to the Raptors, he was 6 of 10 overall and 4 of 8 from deep for a season-high 19 points.
“He’s done a really nice job,” Daigneault said. “Continues to be an impactful defender. Glad he’s caught a rhythm with his shooting the last couple of weeks as well. Obviously we’re going to need it.”
While Oklahoma City are riding out a rough stretch, even as they maintain a lead in the Western Conference, the Pelicans – last in the conference – come into Tuesday’s game having won back-to-back games, including Sunday’s 104-95 victory in San Antonio.
New Orleans reserve centre Yves Missi tied a season high with 14 rebounds in the win over the Spurs and made several key buckets down the stretch – so he will be one to look out for.
With the Thunder limited inside without Hartenstein, Missi could once again play a significant role.
“He anchors our defence. He comes in and turns us,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said. “I love his confidence right now, his energy, his spirit. He’s driving a lot of what we’re trying to do right now.”
The Pelicans lead the league in points in the paint, scoring 58.2 per game, while Oklahoma City are allowing an NBA-low 40.4 points per game in the paint. New Orleans’ Zion Williamson is second in the league with 16.1 points per game in the paint.
The Thunder have won 12 consecutive matchups with the Pelicans, including a four-game playoff sweep in 2024. Oklahoma City’s last six wins in the series – including two this season – have come by an average of more than 21 points per game.
Meanwhile in NBA action on Monday, Luka Doncic produced a 46-point masterpiece as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Chicago Bulls’ four-game winning streak with a 129-118 victory on the road.
LeBron James chipped in with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Rui Hachimura delivered an eye-catching cameo off the bench with 23 points from 9-of-11 shooting.
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics led from start to finish in a 102-94 defeat of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Payton Pritchard (23 points) and Jaylen Brown (20) led the Celtics scoring as second-placed Boston improved to 29-17 to remain in pursuit of conference leaders Detroit (33-11). REUTERS