Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder are facing some challenges, with two starters out and several other rotational players injured, Mark Daigneault views it as a positive.
“There’s a lot of headwinds in the NBA — scheduling, injuries, refereeing, shot variance, and everybody deals with it at different times to various degrees,” Daigneault said heading into Tuesday night’s home matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. “It just becomes about your ability to see those things as a challenge and attack them and if you do that then you’ll emerge from that mentally tougher and more connected as a team.”
The Thunder come into the game having dropped back-to-back games and three of their last five.
All-Star Jalen Williams, who missed the first 19 games of the season after undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason, has missed the last four games with a hamstring strain, while Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) hasn’t played since Dec. 28.
Alex Caruso (thigh) has missed the last three games, while Ajay Mitchell (hip) has missed the last two.
One of the bright spots in Oklahoma City’s short-handed lineup recently has been Luguentz Dort’s offensive play. Though Dort has remained at the center of the Thunder’s defensive gameplan, he’s struggled to be efficient offensively.
He seems to be turning a corner, though. In his last four games, Dort is shooting 48.6% from the field and 46.2% from beyond the arc. That includes a 1-for-9 overall shooting night in Friday’s loss to Indiana, where he missed all five 3-pointers he tried.
In Sunday’s two-point home loss to the Raptors, Dort was 6 of 10 overall and 4 of 8 from deep for a season-high 19 points.
“He’s done a really nice job,” Daigneault said. “Continues to be an impactful defender. … Glad he’s caught a rhythm with his shooting the last couple of weeks as well. Obviously we’re going to need it.”
While Oklahoma City is riding out a rough stretch, even as it maintains a lead in the Western Conference, the Pelicans — last in the conference — come into Tuesday’s game having won back-to-back games, including Sunday’s 104-95 victory in San Antonio.
New Orleans reserve center Yves Missi tied a season high with 14 rebounds in the win over the Spurs and made several key buckets down the stretch.
With the Thunder limited inside without Hartenstein, Missi could once again play a significant role Tuesday.
“He anchors our defense. He comes in and turns us,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said. “… I love his confidence right now, his energy, his spirit. He’s driving a lot of what we’re trying to do right now.”
The Pelicans lead the league in points in the paint, scoring 58.2 per game, while Oklahoma City is allowing an NBA-low 40.4 points per game in the paint. New Orleans’ Zion Williamson is second in the league with 16.1 points per game in the paint.
The Thunder have won 12 consecutive matchups with the Pelicans, including a four-game playoff sweep in 2024.
Oklahoma City’s last six wins in the series — including two this season — have come by an average of more than 21 points per game.
