The New Orleans Pelicans face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. OKC has the league’s best record at 37-10 but is missing multiple rotation players. New Orleans is 12-36 and finally healthy. The schedules aligned at an interesting time.
The Herb Jones splits are stark
Herb Jones is available for Tuesday’s game. The Pelicans are 9-16 when he plays and 3-20 when he doesn’t. That’s a 23-game sample showing how much his defense changes the team’s competitiveness. Saddiq Bey has also been consistent. When both Jones and Bey are on the court together, the Pelicans are 7-0 in their last seven games.
OKC is missing Caruso, Hartenstein, and Jalen Williams
The Thunder have the best record in the league but are shorthanded for this matchup. Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jalen Williams are all out. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been carrying the offense, averaging 6.2 assists per game. Without his typical supporting cast, the Thunder’s depth is being tested.
The no-point guard lineup has worked
Head coach James Borrego shifted to a no-point guard lineup, and the Pelicans have won back-to-back road games against Memphis and San Antonio. The approach is unconventional, but it’s produced the best stretch of the season. Tuesday’s game will show whether it works against a top team, even one playing without key pieces.
12-36 against 37-10, but the rosters don’t reflect the records
New Orleans has the worst record in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City has the best. On paper, this is a mismatch. The injury reports tell a different story. The Pelicans are as healthy as they’ve been all season. The Thunder are missing three rotation players. If New Orleans is going to prove the recent wins weren’t a fluke, this is the matchup to do it.
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