The Portland Trail Blazers will put their season-high four-game winning streak to the test when they face the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at Moda Center.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are beginning a seven-game homestand with a matchup against the Western Conference-leading Thunder, who are trying to bounce back from a 121-115 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Portland turned in another strong defensive performance on Friday, beating Charlotte 102-97 while holding the Hornets to 37.6 percent shooting. Anfernee Simons scored 27 points against Charlotte, while Jerami Grant added 22. The impressive outing came one night after Portland limited Orlando to a season-low point total in a 101-79 victory over the Magic.
One of the most encouraging elements for the Blazers has been the play of rookie center Donovan Clingan, who had 13 rebounds and four blocks in the win over Charlotte. The Blazers are seeking their first win over Oklahoma City since April 3, 2021. Portland has lost 14 straight meetings since then, including two this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have had a dominant season so far, with a 36-8 record and leading the Western Conference. Despite their recent loss to the Mavericks, Oklahoma City has been a force to be reckoned with. Jalen Williams matched his season high with 33 points in the loss to Dallas, while All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points after scoring a career-high 54 in a home win over Utah on Wednesday. Gilgeous-Alexander is building a strong case for his first MVP Award while averaging 32 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds. He is shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from 3-point range.
The Thunder are also forcing a league-best 18.4 turnovers per game entering Saturday, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the team with 2.0 steals per contest. Oklahoma City won 137-114 at Portland on November 1 and beat the Blazers 109-99 on November 20 to begin their 12-game home win streak.
Key Matchup
This game will be a test of Portland’s defensive resilience against Oklahoma City’s high-powered offense. The Blazers will need to contain Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams to have a chance at ending their losing streak against the Thunder.
