It figures to be a shootout when the Oklahoma City Thunder (8-12, 3-7 Away) are on the road to face the New Orleans Pelicans (11-8, 6-3 Home) on Monday. Oklahoma City was beaten by the Houston Rockets 118-105 at Toyota Center on Saturday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way in the loss with 32 points. The Thunder are the 12th seed in the Western Conference.
New Orleans lost in blowout fashion on Friday at FedExForum, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies 132-111. Trey Murphy III had 21 points in the loss, carrying the team. The Pelicans are the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams. Oklahoma City won two out of three games between the teams last season, including a 117-112 triumph in their last meeting at Paycom Center in December 2021.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points and three blocks. Josh Hart had 29 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points per game, best in the league, to lead the Thunder in scoring this season. Gilgeous-Alexander also has dished 6.2 assists per game, most in the NBA. Meanwhile, Josh Giddey is grabbing 7.2 rebounds.
Zion Williamson (22.4 ppg) and Brandon Ingram (20.8) have been the primary providers of the Pels’ offense. Williamson leads the league in scoring, while Ingram is first. Jonas Valanciunas is pulling down 9.0 rebounds per game, most in the league, and CJ McCollum is tallying 6.1 assists (1st).
The Thunder and the Pelicans are the top two scoring teams in the league with 116.6 points per game on average. The Thunder are 7-3 in the last 10 trips to Smoothie King Center. Oklahoma City is 4-6 in the last 10 games with an average margin of -1.3 (123.5-124.8). For the season, the Thunder are averaging 116.6 points per game, compared to 118.3 for opponents.
New Orleans has gone 6-4 over the last 10, scoring 116.5 points per game on average while allowing 110.6 (+5.9 margin).
THUNDER HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Tre Mann: 7.5 | 14.3 | -6.8
Points per game:
Jalen Williams: 12.8 | 9.9 | +2.9
Rebounds per game:
Aleksej Pokusevski: 2.8 | 4.9 | -2.1
PELICANS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Assists per game:
Brandon Ingram: 6.4 | 4.7 | +1.7
CJ McCollum: 4.3 | 6.1 | -1.8
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Under 232.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
