Tag Archives: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder preview (Game 66 of 82)

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  • Denver Nuggets (39-25, 6th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (50-15, 1st in the West)
  • When: Monday, 09 March 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Peacock/NBCSN/FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: DEN: 120.0 (1st) / OKC: 116.8 (8th)
  • Defensive Rating: DEN: 116.3 (22nd) / OKC: 105.9 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DEN: 3.8 (9th) / OKC: 10.9 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DEN: Inconsistent at best; 6-9 in their last 15 / OKC: Winners of 5 straight, 8-1 in their last 9

The Tip-Off

This is the third of four meetings this season between these Northwest Division rivals. After a grueling 7-game series in the second round of last season’s playoffs, these two teams haven’t let off the gas when they meet each other. OKC dominated the first game, winning by 10 points in Denver. The second game was a lot more competitive, with Denver controlling most of the game, but OKC continuously keeping it close until they were able to make it a back and forth affair late in the game and winning in overtime. That game featured some physicality, a Lu Dort flagrant 2, and a kerfuffle that saw Nikola Jokic and Jaylin Williams do the tango at halfcourt.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -6.5
  • O/U: 232.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
  • Alex Caruso – OUT (hip)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (illness)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

DEN

  • Jamal Murray – Questionable (ankle)
  • Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring)

Three Big Things

  1. Playoff Atmosphere – This is the NBA’s only current rivalry that has recent playoff history behind it. The Pacers and Knicks had some sauce behind it after last season, but with the Pacers’ “waiting in the wings” season this year, it hasn’t had the same carry-over effect. And Thunder vs. Spurs has been a thing this year, but we’ll need at least one playoff series before crowning it a true, budding rivalry. But you can see with every game these two teams have played this season, the carry-over effect has been evident and that is a great thing.
  2. Spillage From Last Game – There was a national discourse over a certain play in the last Denver game that seemed to last about a week after the game was actually played. Yes, the Dort hip check/trip on Jokic was dirty. Have dirty plays like that happened in the NBA before? Yes. Were there national discussions over it days after it happened? Usually not. It was a play that went a little over the line. Dort even admitted it himself. But in a annals of dirty plays, it wouldn’t even rate in the top-100. It was much ado about nothing.
  3. History – They say great scorers can jump out of bed and drop 20 like it’s nothing. But apparently, it’s very difficult to do it consistently, game after game. There’s the possibility of injury, where regardless of when the player gets knocked out of a game, if they played and didn’t score 20 or more the streak is over. Then there’s the consistency component. Do anything 125 times straight, and there will be a time or two where you don’t have it that day. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is staring down the barrel of a record that hasn’t been talked about too much in the history of the NBA, but also, hasn’t been talked about a lot because no player has gotten this close to the record. If SGA scores 20 or more tonight, he’ll tie a record that has stood for 63 years. If SGA scores 20 or more tonight, he’ll tie a Wilt Chamberlain record. Wilt Chamberlain, the man who owns nearly every scoring record in the game. Here’s to seeing history tonight.

 

Thunder @ Chicago Bulls preview (Game 63 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (47-15, 1st in the West) @ Chicago Bulls (25-36, 12th in the East)
  • When: Tuesday, 03 March 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: United Center in Chicago, IL
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: CHI: 112.6 (24th) / OKC: 117.2 (6th)
  • Defensive Rating: CHI: 117.0 (25th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: CHI: -4.4 (24th) / OKC: 11.1 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: CHI: Winner of 1, loser of 11 straight prior to that / OKC: Winners of 2 straight, 5-1 since the All-Star break

The Tip-Off

Funny how you get an MVP back in the line-up and all the struggles from the previous 3 weeks are forgotten. When healthy, the Thunder are still the team to beat in the NBA. While this season has been mired by the “potholes in the road” by injuries, they are still arguably the best team in the NBA, by a significant margin. Friday night showed that. Denver gave it their best shot with Nikola Jokic having a monster triple-double and Jamal Murray pitching in 39 points. And yet, even with a chance to win it in overtime with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sitting, the Nuggets looked like they were the team that was suffering from the altitude in OKC. SGA’s time off the floor may have unlocked different aspects of the team that could yield positive returns come playoff time. Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain, and Cason Wallace each were significant contributors to the Thunder beating the Nuggets in OT.

This is the first of two meetings this season between the Thunder and Bulls. OKC has now won 6 straight games against Chicago, dating back to the 2022-23 season, with an average margin of victory of 16.5 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -10.5
  • O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain / injury management)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf strain / injury management)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain / ankle)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

CHI

  • Zach Collins – OFS (toe)
  • Noa Essengue – OFS (shoulder)
  • Jaden Ivey – OUT (knee)
  • Anfernee Simons – OUT (wrist)
  • Jalen Smith – OUT (calf)
  • Patrick Williams – OUT (quad)

Three Big Things

  1. Defending a Hodge-podge – The Bulls currently are just a cobbled up gaggle of undersized point guards, Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and non-center centers. The unusualness of their current line-ups is where they can trip opponents up. The Thunder are made to defend the line-ups of today’s basketball. But if there is no Jokic, Doncic, or Ant Edwards to hyperfocus on, this team’s defense can sometimes be left scrambling, especially against guard heavy line-ups (see Charlotte and Utah).
  2. Josh Giddey revenge game? – We just saw Ousmane Dieng have one of the best games of his career in his return to OKC right before the All-Star break. There were, of course, plenty of variables at play that could have contributed to such a performance, such as not having any play-makers available and the team having a “1-2-3 Cancun!” mentality after a roller-coaster first half of the season. But coming into tonight, there are similar variables at play: No play-makers available to them and the team possibly looking forward to the game on Wednesday in New York. There is trap game potential in this game and it could be spearheaded by Giddey.
  3. Cason Wallace – With SGA, Mitchell, and Dub being out for tonight, the team will likely look to Cason to be their de-facto play-maker. And he’s been great since the All-Star break, averaging 6.5 assists per game, while boasting a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio. In that same span, he’s also averaging 15.3 points on 45/50/90 shooting splits.

Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder preview (Game 61 of 82)

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  • Denver Nuggets (37-22, 4th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (45-15, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 27 February 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: ESPN / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: DEN: 120.7 (1st) / OKC: 117.6 (6th)
  • Defensive Rating: DEN: 115.8 (20th) / OKC: 106.4 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DEN: 4.9 (7th) / OKC: 11.2 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DEN: Alternating W’s and L’s for the last 8 games / OKC: Lost their last game, 5-2 in their last 7 games

The Tip-Off

Next man up. As the Thunder start to get healthier and healthier, the experience garnered from different players being thrust into roles that aren’t familiar to them could serve to be a positive as the Thunder navigate through the last 20 games of the season. The shot-making from Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain, the play-making and scoring from Cason Wallace, the offensive-hubbing from Jaylin Williams, the scoring from Kenrich Williams, etc. All those skills, while mostly not needed when the team is healthy, can serve as difference makers when defenses game-plan entirely against a team’s offense. We saw last season that the shooting can dry up quickly in the playoffs. If the players on the floor present more dynamic games, it allows the team to score in a variety of ways instead of relying entirely on their bread and butter (SGA and Dub).

This is the second of four meeting this season between these Northwest Division rivals. OKC won the first meeting, 121-111, in a game that saw the Thunder lead wire to wire and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander solidify his stamp on the MVP race with a 34 point, 13 assist performance.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -8.5
  • O/U: 232.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

DEN

  • Tamar Bates – OUT (foot)
  • Aaron Gordon – OUT (hamstring)
  • Spencer Jones – Questionable (shoulder)
  • Jamal Murray – Questionable (illness)
  • Jalen Pickett – OUT (knee)
  • Julian Strawther – Questionable (toe)
  • Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring)

Three Big Things

  1. The Thunder offense – While Denver may have the best offense in the league, it’s the Thunder’s offense that may show out in this game. Denver’s struggles on the defensive end have been well-documented this season. Nikola Jokic, while great on the offensive end of the floor, has never been mistaken for being a defensive stalwart on the other end. The Thunder’s ability to put Jokic into action with SGA gives the advantage to OKC. Denver will try to deploy a zone, but don’t currently have the horses (yes, pun intended) to run an effective one, with Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson being out. In addition, Denver doesn’t add too much defensive pressure on the ball, seeing as they are 29th in steals per game, 27th in blocks per game, and last in points off turnovers.
  2. Return of SGA – After carrying the Thunder on his back for most of the season, SGA (and the Thunder) were able to steal 3 weeks worth of rest for the reigning MVP. That could be huge for OKC as they head into their final playoff push. The Thunder went 5-4 in the 9 games Gilgeous-Alexander missed. Abdominal strains have a way of being tricky (see also hamstring strains), so here’s hoping he’s fully healed.
  3. Perimeter Defense – Outside of Jokic, the reason Denver’s offense is so great is their jump-shooting ability. The Nuggets rank 2nd in FG%, 1st in 3pt FG%, 6th in FT%, 1st in Effective FG%, and 1st in True Shooting %. With the gravity that Jokic, and Jamal Murray to a lesser degree, have, it opens up jump shooting opportunities for many of their role players. One of the more effective ways to defend against this is to limit the times you double-team Jokic. And the Thunder have the bodies to defend Joker one on one.

Thunder @ Toronto Raptors preview (Game 59 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (44-14, 1st in the West) @ Toronto Raptors (34-23, 5th in the East)
  • When: Tuesday, 24 February 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: TOR: 113.8 (16th) / OKC: 117.7 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: TOR: 111.7 (6th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: TOR: 2.1 (11th) / OKC: 11.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: TOR & OKC: Both teams are winners of last 2 games and 4-1 in their last 5 games

The Tip-Off

The Chase to the Finish. Oklahoma City put themselves in good position when they started the season 24-1. They gave themselves a cushion that many teams never have the luxury of experiencing that early in the season. And they’ve needed every little bit of that cushion since then. Injuries, fatigue, and general post-championship malaise have plagued the Thunder over their last 33 games since that blistering start. Now the Thunder have to continuously be looking in the rearview mirror at the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, like they are cop cars. Detroit finds themselves a game behind the Thunder in the overall league standings, while San Antonio, who already owns the tie-breaker over OKC, is 2.5 games back in the West standings. The ultimate goal of any regular season is to position yourself to have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs (see the 2024-25 OKC Thunder). But for a playoff-tested outfit like the Thunder, health may be a more important focus as the regular season churns towards it’s final month and a half. We’ll soon find out if that cushion was big enough for the Thunder.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between the Thunder and Raptors. Toronto won the first meeting 103-101 in a game where the Thunder faltered late and struggled on the boards.

Betting Info, provided by FanDuel

  • Line: TOR -1
  • O/U: 216.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (ankle)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (back spasms)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

TOR

  • Chucky Hepburn – OUT (knee/meniscus)
  • Jakob Poeltl – OUT (back)

Three Big Things

  1. Toronto’s poor 3-point shooting – Toronto is 26th in 3-point FGs made with 11.5 makes per game and 26th in 3-point FG percentage per game at 34.4%. This plays into OKC’s defensive ethos of primarily defending the paint and then running out to the open 3-point shooters.
  2. Getting back on defense – Toronto leads the league in fast break points per game at 19.3. Conversely, the Thunder are the best at defending fast break points, allowing only 11.8 fast break points per game. This stat probably comes down to perimeter misses and rebounding. Toronto’s length allows them to recover on to open shooters and disrupt shots. This leads to long rebounds and the ability for Toronto to get out on the break.
  3. Isaiah Joe – Over the last 6 games, Isaiah Joe is averaging 18.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2 steals on 48/56/92 shooting splits. He has a 13.7 net rating over that span to go along with a 73.6% True Shooting Percentage. Many times, he has been OKC’s most dangerous offensive option with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, and Jalen Williams missing much, if not all, of the last 6 games. It is not an understatement that the Thunder go as Joe goes while their three main handlers are out with injuries.

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Thunder preview (Game 56 of 82)

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  • Milwaukee Bucks (22-30, 12th in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-13, 1st in the West)
  • When: Thursday, 12 February 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Prime Video / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: MIL: 113.0 (24th) / OKC: 118.1 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: MIL: 116.7 (22nd) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: MIL: -3.7 (23rd) / OKC: 12.0 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: MIL: Winners of 4 of their last 5 / OKC: Winners of 4 of their last 6

The Tip-Off

Dang it! You write about the man in the last gameday preview. He puts together his best game of the season. And then the Injury Monster rears it’s ugly head again. This has been a miserable season, health-wise, for Jalen Williams. Against the Suns, Dub was out there looking like All-Star Dub for the entirety of the game, putting on a clinic in the 3rd quarter. But on his single miss of the game, a fast-break lay-up attempt where he had to reach for the ball in full stride, he jogged back to the other side of the court and pointed to the bench while grabbing his hamstring. Timeout, Thunder. Dub heads back to the locker room, never to be seen again. Here’s hoping the All-Star break can help heal some of the Thunder’s walking wounded.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between these two bitter rivals (that’s the joke – they were matched up on rivalry week…for why? I don’t know). The Thunder won the first meeting 122-102, in a game where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 40 points, while Ajay Mitchell and Kenrich Williams each contributed 18 points apiece.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -13
  • O/U: 214.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back spasms)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

MIL

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo – OUT (calf)
  • Kyle Kuzma – Questionable (foot)
  • Taurean Prince – OUT (neck)
  • Ryan Rollins – Questionable (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Hot-shooting Team – Both teams come into this game on shooting hot streaks over the past 10 days. Since Feb. 2nd, Milwaukee is 4th in FG% and 1st in 3pt FG%. During that same timespan, OKC is 11th in FG% and 4th in 3pt FG%. Granted, three of the teams that Milwaukee played in that timeframe are in the bottom 10 of defensive rating, but sometimes the opponent doesn’t really matter if you are riding a hot wave.
  2. 1…2…3…Cancun! – The game before the All-Star break has the possibility of being a weird game. Milwaukee comes into the game on a hot streak, with young players that want to prove themselves not only to the Bucks, but also to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Guys like Cam Thomas and Thunder legend Ousmane Dieng are getting the green light to put all their skills on display and it’s resulted in some spirited wins here lately. Meanwhile, the Thunder likely just want to get through this game unscathed, so their guys can get a week’s worth of rest.
  3. Nikola Topic – It’s been a long road, but Nikola Topic will make his professional debut tonight. After rehabbing an ACL injury the entirety of his rookie season to battling testicular cancer in the first half of this season, Topic has traveled a journey that would break many. He made his G-League debut earlier this week and immediately looked like he belonged. He scored 7 points and dished out 7 assists in his first game with the Blue. The next night, he scored 22 points and handed out 4 assists. In the absence of SGA, Mitchell, and now, Dub, having Topic out there to facilitate and play-make will be a gift.

 

Thunder @ Phoenix Suns preview (Game 55 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (41-13, 1st in the West) @ Phoenix Suns (32-22, 7th in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 11 February 2026 at 8:00pm CST
  • Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: PHX: 114.5 (14th) / OKC: 117.7 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: PHX: 112.2 (8th) / OKC: 106.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating: PHX: 2.3 (10th) / OKC: 11.7 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: PHX: 2-3 in their last 5, 5-5 in their last 10 / OKC: 3-2 in their last 5, 5-5 in their last 10

The Tip-Off

Jalen Williams returned for the Thunder in their last game against the Los Angeles Lakers and it was a welcome sight. For most of the season, the team has had at least one of their main ball-handlers on the floor. But the injuries to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell here recently, have thrust OKC into uncomfortable situations without any of their top-3 ball handlers. The results have been as expected: close games because of their defense, but an inability to close games out because of their offensive struggles. It was a little rough for Williams in the first three quarters of the game, as he tried to get his conditioning and rhythm back into form. He was 3/10 shooting in the first three quarters, but offset those struggles by getting to the free-throw line and hitting 7/9 free throws. But then the fourth quarter arrived, and Williams reminded us why he is commonly referred to as “4th Quarter Dub”. When Dub checked in with a little under 6 minutes to go, the Thunder were up by one and riding the seesaw of ties and lead changes. Williams used his ball-handling to get to his spots and destroy the Lakers from the mid-range. In that six-minute span, Williams went 3/6 from the field and 4/4 from the charity stripe to rack up 10 points and outlast the Lakers, 119-110. It’s amazing what having at least one ball-handler out there can do for your late-game offense.

This is the fourth of five meetings this season between the Thunder and Suns. These two teams met twice in the NBA Cup (once in group play and in the quarterfinals), with OKC winning both of those games. The Suns returned the favor early in January on a Devin Booker game-winning 3-pointer in Phoenix.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -7.5
  • O/U: 217.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (G-League assignment)

PHX

  • Grayson Allen – OUT (knee)
  • Cole Anthony – OUT (Not With Team)
  • Devin Booker – Questionable (ankle)
  • Jalen Green – Questionable (hamstring)
  • Isaiah Livers – OUT (shoulder)

Three Big Things

  1. Controlling the Boards – While Phoenix may not be one of the top rebounding teams in the league, currently ranking 29th in defensive rebounds per game and 21st in total rebounds per game, they do rank 5th in offensive rebounds per game at nearly 13 per game. This then fuels their 2nd Chance Point opportunities, in which they rank 7th in the league at 16.1 points per game. Conversely, for the Thunder, while they may rank 29th in offensive rebounds per game, Phoenix gives up a lot of offensive rebounds and ranks 25th in giving up the most 2nd chance points. If Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are able to shake loose and grab some offensive rebounds, it could add another dimension to their offense that isn’t usually one of their strengths.
  2. Looking in the Mirror – Phoenix plays a very similar defensive style to OKC. They like to pressure the ball, play physically, and get into the passing lanes. Both teams rank in the top-4 in steals per game and top-3 in points off turnovers. In addition, they are both in the top-6 in preventing fast break points. Where they differ is in protecting the paint. OKC ranks first in Opponent Points in the Paint and third in blocks per game. Conversely, while Phoenix is the 10th best team in protecting the paint, they are the 29th ranked team in blocks per game.
  3. Jared McCain’s Early Impact – I know this is an extremely small sample size, but Jared McCain’s impact has been almost immediate when you look at line-up data. For 2-man lineups that have played over 10 minutes together, McCain is involved in the top-4 in Net Rating. The best is McCain and Cason Wallace with a net rating of +52.1 in 14 minutes. Next is McCain and Chet Holmgren with a net rating of +50.4 in 21 minutes. The McCain and Isaiah Hartenstein duo comes in at 3rd with a net rating of +45.5 in 22 minutes. And lastly, and the one I’m most excited to see playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and/or Ajay Mitchell when they return, is McCain and Isaiah Joe, with a net rating of +41.8 in 26 minutes. Again, small sample size theater, but it’s been very entertaining to watch.

 

Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 52 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (40-11, 1st in the West) @ San Antonio Spurs (33-16, 2nd in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 04 February 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
  • TV: ESPN / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: SAS: 116.2 (11th) / OKC: 118.2 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: SAS: 111.2 (3rd) / OKC: 105.6 (1st)
  • Net Rating: SAS: 5.0 (6th) / OKC: 12.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: SAS: 3-3 in their last 6 games (alternating W’s and L’s) / OKC: 3-3 in their last 6 games, but have won 2 in a row

The Tip-Off

You know, I used to get pissed off when teams used to sit their stars (or even starters) for nationally televised games. Like, why the hell would I tune in to watch your 12th guy off the bench get starter minutes. But now, I kind of get it. Teams that have deep playoff runs don’t have the same restful offseason as those that don’t make the playoffs or exit early. The Thunder played two more months of basketball than most teams in the Association. And they came into this season with the idea that they would play their same brand of basketball. It worked for the first two months of the season. But their brand of basketball and their insistence to win began to take it’s toll on them. And so, the Thunder are now in a position to try and find respites of rest in the schedule whenever possible, while having it be as legit as possible. Those injuries start to pile on and the best recipe is to find rest. And so now, I get it.

This is the fifth and final meeting of the regular season between these two teams. San Antonio won the first three meetings of the season in December that sent Thunder fandom into a deep, dark depression. The Thunder returned the favor in January, winning 119-98.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC +8.5
  • O/U: 217.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (adductor)
  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (Not With Team)
  • Lu Dort – OUT (knee)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (eye)
  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

SAS

  • Stephon Castle – Questionable (thigh)
  • Dylan Harper – Questionable (ankle)
  • Kelly Olynyk – Questionable (foot)
  • Jeremy Sochan – OUT (quad)
  • Lindy Waters III – OUT (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Injury Bug – While OKC has been dealing with injuries the entire season, the injury bug finally hit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who will miss the next five games before the All-Star break and will also miss the All-Star game with an abdominal strain. The defending MVP has carried a heavy load this season, leading the Thunder to the best record in the league, while having to navigate consistent roster changes and injuries on a night to night basis. While it stinks to not have SGA out there, it is a good opportunity to get 2+ weeks of rest while only missing 5 games.
  2. Good Opportunity – Here I thought the Orlando game was going to be the sacrificial game. Turns out, it’s the Spurs game. I get it. Guys need rest, SGA is injured, and you’ve already played the Spurs four times this season. There’s not much to glean from another battle against a potential 2nd or 3rd round playoff opponent. But it is a good opportunity for guys like Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins to expand their games and try new things. Remember when J-Will got all his triple-doubles last season late in the season when most of the starters were resting. Remember when it was almost guaranteed that Wiggins would get 25+ points when the starters sat late last season. Maybe this can be the Chris Youngblood “5 3-pointers made” game. Maybe Brooks Barnhizer will actually take an outside shot. Lots of opportunity for development.
  3. Welcome, Jared McCain – The Thunder didn’t wait until Thursday to strike on a trade. They made a couple moves that netted them Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 2026 Houston first round pick and three future second round picks. In a lateral move, Ousmane Dieng and a 2029 2nd round pick were moved to Charlotte in exchange for Mason Plumlee, who was subsequently waived to create a roster spot for McCain. Dieng was then moved from Charlotte to Chicago in a separate trade. The idea of Dieng was always more hopeful than the actual production. Every time it seemed like Dieng was starting to carve out a role, an injury usually happened. By the time Dieng looked up, the team was on it’s way to contention and the developmental train had transformed into a hard-charging championship-contending train. But, hey, he got a championship ring out of it and was a Finals MVP for a G-League championship.

Orlando Magic vs. Thunder preview (Game 51 of 82)

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  • Orlando Magic (25-23, 8th in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (39-11, 1st in the West)
  • When: Tuesday, 03 February 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: ORL: 113.9 (16th) / OKC: 117.9 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: ORL: 114.3 (15th) / OKC: 105.8 (1st)
  • Net Rating: ORL: -0.4 (17th) / OKC: 12.1 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: ORL: 2-5 in their last 7 games / OKC: 2-3 in their last 5 games

The Set-Up

The days prior to the trade deadline are always filled with equal parts angst, curiosity, and hope. The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves in a position where they have multiple options. Their most tradeable piece is Ousmane Dieng and his $6.7 million dollar expiring deal. While Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Kenrich Williams also have possible expiring contracts, their importance to this team makes trading them in-season kind of difficult. But this could also be the Thunder’s last opportunity to acquire anything of value before any big deal would need to possibly involve one of the core three. Buckle up…we have two games and a trade deadline in the next three days. Could be fun…or nerve-wracking…or quizzical…or boring.

This is the first of two meetings this season between the Thunder and Magic. Oklahoma City has won that last 4 meetings against Orlando dating back to the 2023-24 season.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -7
  • O/U: 219.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (adductor strain)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Questionable (finger)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – Questionable (calf)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (back)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
  • Jaylin Williams – Questionable (shoulder)

ORL

  • Colin Castleton – OUT (thumb)
  • Franz Wagner – OUT (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Orlando’s lack of shooting – While the Desmond Bane trade went a long way to provide Orlando with a reliable three-point threat, the Magic, as a collective, still lack consistent outside shooting. They rank 25th in 3-point attempts and 3-point makes and rank 27th in 3-point percentage at 34.3%. In addition, they are also bottom 10 in the same categories for total FG’s made, attempted, and percentage. This plays into the Thunder’s defensive ethos of protecting the paint and running out to shooters on the perimeter.
  2. Sacrificial Game – This may be a sacrificial game for the Thunder. It’s the first night of a home/road back to back. The players who have played most of the season are likely tired and suffering from general soreness (shoutout Jimmy Butler). And the players who have come back from injury recently, such as Isaiah Hartenstein, likely can only play in one of the two back to back games. With that said, the Thunder are 2-0 in games in which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sits out this season.
  3. Win the turnover battle – Both OKC and Orlando do a good job of, not only protecting the ball (#2 and #7, respectively), but also, getting back on defense when they turn the ball over (OKC is 2nd and ORL is 4th in Opponent Points off Turnovers). Whoever wins the turnover battle, likely has an advantage in how this game goes.

 

 

Indiana Pacers vs. Thunder preview (Game 46 of 82)

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  • Indiana Pacers (10-35, 15th in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-8, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 23 January 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: IND: 107.8 (30th) / OKC: 118.5 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: IND: 116.0 (19th) / OKC: 105.2 (1st)
  • Net Rating: IND: -8.2 (28th) / OKC: 13.2 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: IND: 1-4 in their last 5 games / OKC: 7-1 in their last 8 games

The Set-Up

It’s amazing how quickly things can change when it comes to sports. Last couple of seasons, we’ve seen a tough bunch out of Indiana led by Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakim, and Myles Turner. That squad, surprisingly, led the Pacers all the way to the Finals last season and took the Thunder to 7 games. Unfortunately, you know the rest of the story. Haliburton tears his Achilles early in Game 7, the Thunder take control of that game in the second half, OKC wins the championship, and Turner walks in the offseason to division rival Milwaukee. What was looking to be a championship contender for the next half decade now has to go back to the drawing board. The move to get their pick back during the Finals is now one of the greatest hind-sight moves ever. With their struggles this season and a record that should allow them to get a high draft pick, the right amount of luck could get them back in the championship mix a lot sooner than later. This should also be a lesson to Thunder fans to live in the moment. A serious injury to the wrong player could throw, not just a season, but an entire run into a tailspin. Appreciate what you are seeing now instead of constantly worrying about what you can’t see (the future).

This is the 2nd and final meeting of the season between the two teams that competed in last season’s NBA Finals. OKC won a double overtime thriller very early in the season, 141-135, in a game that saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get a career high 55 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -16
  • O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (adductor)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Aaron Wiggins – Questionable (groin)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
  • Jaylin Williams – Questionable (glute/back)

IND

  • Tyrese Haliburton – OFS (Achilles)
  • Quenton Jackson – Questionable (ankle)
  • Bennedict Mathurin – OUT (thumb)
  • Obi Toppin – OUT (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Play Your Brand of Defense – The Indiana Pacers are one of the worst shooting teams in the league. They are last in Offensive Rating, FG%, Effective FG%, and True Shooting%. They are 29th in 3-pt FG%. They are 25th in Points In The Paint. In short, they struggle scoring the ball. They rank 5th in the league in percentage of points scored in the mid-range. This plays well into the Thunder’s defensive scheme. If the Thunder can form their defensive shell around the paint and not have to worry too much about jump shots, that usually a recipe for success for Oklahoma City.
  2. Attack Them – The Pacers are 29th in the league in committing fouls. Their perimeter defense is surprisingly porous and center Jay Huff is their only viable rim protector. We may see a double digit free throw attempt game from SGA tonight.
  3. Depth…or lack thereof – I’m really going to need the Thunder to stop getting injured. The depth, which is one of their biggest weapons, is taking hits left and right. And while the injuries are thankfully not of the critical variety (outside of Sorber), they are still becoming very annoying. Here’s hoping for health now and health heading into the playoffs in April.

Thunder @ Milwaukee Bucks preview (Game 45 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (36-8, 1st in the West) @ Milwaukee Bucks (18-24, 11th in the East)
  • When: Wednesday, 21 January 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI
  • TV: ESPN / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: MIL: 113.0 (23rd) / OKC: 118.3 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: MIL: 116.1 (20th) / OKC: 105.2 (1st)
  • Net Rating: MIL: -3.1 (24th) / OKC: 13.1 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: MIL: 2-4 in their last 6 / OKC: 6-1 in their last 7

The Set-Up

Is everyone ready for Rivalry Week? That time where we remember those great playoff series of years’ past between the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder. (?????) Who could ever forget the thrilling 5-OT game in 1989 between Milwaukee and OK(SEATTLE), in which the Bucks won 155-154. Or the epic 7-game series between Milwaukee and OK(SEATTLE) in 1980, where OK(Seattle) won 4-3 and the average margin of victory was 4 points? Many of us weren’t alive for some of those memorable thrillers between those two franchises. Here of late, we have the Giannis Antetokounmpo “foot on the line, botched call” game from 2017 and the NBA Cup blowout from last season. I mean the qualifications are very vague, but I guess there’s a rivalry.

This is the first of two meetings this season between the Thunder and Bucks. The Bucks beat the Thunder in the NBA Cup Final last season. That loss gave Oklahoma City a taste of what was to be expected in the playoffs and they rode that all the way to the championship.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -9.5
  • O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (groin)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
  • Jaylin Williams – Questionable (back/glute)

MIL

  • Kevin Porter Jr – Questionable (oblique)
  • Taurean Prince – OUT (neck)
  • Myles Turner – Questionable (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Three-Point Defense – Milwaukee has been a hodge-podge of inconsistency this year. The one thing that has been consistent, has been their 3-point shooting. They rank 6th in the league in 3-pointers made at 14.7 3-pointers made per game, 2nd in 3-pt percentage at 39.4%, 2nd in Effective FG%, and 6th in True Shooting %. The gravity that Giannis Antetokounmpo has allows players on the team to have OPEN looks from deep. Here’s a list of Milwaukee players who are shooting over 39% and their attempts per game: Bobby Portis (47.7% / 4.1 attempts), AJ Green (43.7% / 6.9 attempts), Ryan Rollins (39.2% / 5.7 attempts), and Myles Turner (39% / 5.8 attempts). Three-pointers account for 39% of Milwaukee’s points per game (5th highest in the league). With the Thunder’s ethos to play defense from inside out, this could be an issue if the Bucks players get hot from the outside.
  2. Play Aggressive, Opportunistic Defense – The Milwaukee Bucks are the worst free-throw shooting team in the league, shooting 73.5% from the line. Of the players who average over two free-throw attempts per game, only Kevin Porter Jr. shoots over 80% from the line. Antetokounmpo averages nearly 10 free throw attempts per game, but only shoots 65% from the line. If a foul prevents an open three-point attempt, take the foul.
  3. Attack the Bucks – The Bucks allow the 6th most free-throw attempts. While the interior defense is good with guys like Antetokounmpo and Turner, their perimeter defense can be very leaky. This should allow guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, and Aaron Wiggins to get into the teeth of the defense and either draw fouls or spray the rock out to open shooters.