The Oklahoma City Thunder have won six of their last seven games.
The New Orleans Pelicans have only won five games this season.
Even so, both teams feel good about their upcoming game on Saturday night in New Orleans for different reasons.
The Thunder, leading the Western Conference, easily defeated Toronto 129-92 on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Pelicans broke a nine-game losing streak with a 126-124 home win over Phoenix on the same night.
“We’re having a lot of fun out there,” said Oklahoma City guard Luguentz Dort.
Oklahoma City won’t underestimate New Orleans, just as they didn’t overlook Toronto, one of the worst teams in the East, or Utah. The Jazz, who are struggling like the Pelicans, were beaten by the Thunder 133-106 on Tuesday.
“It’s the NBA,” said Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 30 points in 30 minutes and didn’t play in the fourth quarter against Toronto. “It’s the best league in the world, with the most talented players.
You can’t take any team lightly because they can beat you. I never play based on a team’s record. I give it my all, and my teammates do the same, which is why we have success.”
The Thunder led the Raptors by 22 points early in the second quarter and by 34 at the end of the third quarter.
“I thought we were really ready to play from the jump,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “The guys really came in with a business-like approach.”
Oklahoma City won the first meeting against the Pelicans 106-88 on Nov. 13. New Orleans was missing four starters and two other key players, but they are healthier now.
Guards CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray missed the first game but have since returned. The Pelicans got a boost on Thursday when leading scorer Brandon Ingram (calf) returned after missing five games, and Herbert Jones (shoulder), their best perimeter defender, returned after an 18-game absence. The win was just the second in 17 games.
“I told my teammates we just needed to get one (win),” said McCollum. “It’s been a long season, with a lot of losses and frustrating games.”
“I know it’s been hard to watch for a while. But we competed and gave ourselves a chance. I liked how we fought. If we play like that every night, we’ll have a chance to win a lot of games.”
Ingram scored 21 of his 29 points in a big third quarter, where New Orleans scored a season-high 45 points in any quarter. McCollum added 13 points and three assists in the fourth quarter, and Jones blocked Devin Booker’s 3-pointer as time expired.
“Herb Jones is a leader,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “Even when he wasn’t playing, he was talking to coaches and teammates. He was watching film, helping others improve.
“He shows what our program is all about. Without him on the floor, we miss a lot. You could feel his presence from the time he stepped back on the court.”
