The Oklahoma City Thunder face a crucial two-game homestand in their quest for a playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference race after splitting a four-game West Coast road trip.
Beginning with the Charlotte Hornets’ visit on Tuesday, the Thunder will play back-to-back games against the two teams in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference.
Over the last two games, the Hornets have helped the Thunder by knocking out Dallas twice and moving Oklahoma City ahead of the Dallas Mavericks for the 10th spot in the Western Conference.
Over the course of the last few seasons, as they have undergone a significant rebuilding process, the Thunder have been the outnumbered but determined underdog.
Presently, Oklahoma City winds up on the opposite side of things as it hopes to knock off certain groups that aren’t in that frame of mind for a season finisher spot down the stretch.
In Portland on Sunday, the Thunder defeated the Trail Blazers 118-112 to end a two-game losing streak and maintain their position in the Western Conference as a play-in team.
Following its meeting with Charlotte, Oklahoma City will play the Detroit Pistons, and the Thunder (37-38) would rise above.500 for the first time since early November if they win both games.
The defense of Luguentz Dort has been a major factor in Oklahoma City’s recent success, as evidenced by the Thunder’s nine victories out of their last thirteen games.
In the Thunder’s 101-100 victory over the Clippers on Tuesday, Dort prevented Kawhi Leonard from making a last-second shot. On Sunday, Dort secured the victory when he stole the ball from Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe and dunked in the final seconds.
Coach Steve Clifford of the Charlotte Hornets announced on Monday that he would use centers Mark Williams, Nick Richards, and Kai Jones in a three-way rotation for the remaining six games.
Clifford predicted that Williams would be the odd man out on Tuesday and stated that it would make more sense to divide the minutes between just two of the three players rather than all three.
Williams scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the Mavericks’ defeat on Sunday.
The teams will play each other for the second and final time this season on Tuesday.
On December 29, the Hornets (25-51) prevailed in Charlotte with a score of 121-113. In the entire history of the series, Charlotte has won four games in a row.
Since November 23, 2018, the Thunder have not defeated the Hornets in Oklahoma City.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (shoulder) and Terry Rozier (foot) of the Hornets have both missed the last two games. Oubre is in doubt, and Rozier will not play against the Thunder.
In the victory on Sunday, Oklahoma City was without Lindy Waters III because of plantar fasciitis.
