The top team in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will host the bottom team, the New Orleans Pelicans, on Monday.
Thunder’s Situation:
The Thunder come into the game with the NBA’s best record and a five-game winning streak. They are navigating the return of Chet Holmgren, who made his first appearance since suffering a pelvic fracture on November 10. In Oklahoma City’s 121-109 win over Toronto, Holmgren had four points, five rebounds, four blocks, and two steals in 22 minutes. He sat out the Thunder’s win at Memphis on Saturday. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned that it would be a process ramping up Holmgren, who was averaging nearly 29 minutes per game before his injury. Holmgren is expected to play Monday.
Pelicans’ Situation:
The Pelicans come into Monday’s game on an eight-game losing streak and are managing Zion Williamson’s workload after his return from a hamstring injury. Williamson has yet to play 30 minutes in a game since his return. He had a standout performance against the Kings, scoring 40 points on 16-of-21 shooting, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals in less than 28 minutes. No other player in NBA history has scored 40-plus points while shooting better than 76 percent from the field with at least four assists and two steals in 28 minutes or less.
Recent Matchups:
Neither Williamson nor Holmgren have played in either of the two meetings between the Pelicans and Thunder this season. Oklahoma City’s All-Stars, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, have, though. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30 points in those games, while Williams averaged 29 in the pair of Thunder victories. Oklahoma City has won eight consecutive games against New Orleans, including the sweep of their first-round playoff series in 2024.
Key Players:
- Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren (returning), Luguentz Dort (out), Cason Wallace (out)
- Pelicans: Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III, Bruce Brown (new addition), Kelly Olynyk (new addition)
The Thunder will look to integrate Holmgren back into the lineup and continue their winning streak, while the Pelicans aim to end their losing streak and get Williamson more comfortable on the court.
