Game preview, betting line, key to the game

The Oklahoma City Thunder are off to a 5-0 start for the first time since the 2011-12 NBA season, a season that ended with a trip to the NBA Finals in Bricktown. For the second night in a row, the Thunder will look to keep this lopsided winning streak going against the LA Clippers.

The Thunder enter the day as 6-point favorites over/against the Los Angeles Clippers, and the total over/under is 220 points.

The Oklahoma City Thunder got off to a terrible start from beyond the arc this season, with 3-point percentages that matched those of the Polk administration, the Thunder have been on a roll since their first two games. In the Thunder's last three games, Oklahoma City shot 40 percent from distance, a trend that looks set to continue for the second night in a row.

That will be a difficult task, however, because not only will the Thunder be playing their third game in four nights without legs, but they will also be playing in a brand new arena, one that no one on the roster has ever shot in, with new sight-lines, the shooters can throw around without a full shot to counteract this drawback.

A key for the Thunder in this game will be attacking James Harden in the pick and roll. The turnover-heavy guard will spit out possessions that Oklahoma City will need to capitalize on to remain undefeated.

Chet Holmgren will have to stay out of foul trouble when defending those Harden pick-and-rolls with Clippers big man Ivica Zubac. While Ousmane Dieng has impressed as the Thunder's only big man behind Holmgren, this will be a challenging matchup for the smaller defenders.

Oklahoma City Thunder (5:0) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (2:3)

Oklahoma City Thunder

On the second night of a back-to-back game, the Thunder will not release their injury report until Saturday afternoon. However, here is their injury report from Portland.

Los Angeles Clippers

Check back later today for an updated injury report.

Saturday, November 2, 2024, 9:30 p.m. CT

Intuit Dome – Los Angeles, LA

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Orlando Magic on Monday at Paycom Center; the Magic have already ruled out Paolo Banchero for this contest due to an abdominal injury. This matchup with the Clippers concludes Oklahoma City's second three games in four nights of the NBA season.

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