Game Preview: Thunder Take On Pacers In Fourth NBA Summer League Matchup
After their second-straight loss on Friday, the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to take on the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. In their final game of tournament play, the 1-2 Thunder will look to pull back to an even record ahead of their final NBA Summer League game.
With Tre Mann out for personal reasons and Josh Giddey being day-to-day with an ankle injury, a few guys will need to step up for OKC in their absence. For many players on this roster, this may be the difference between them getting signed to a G League contract with the OKC Blue or not.
Full Schedule: Thunder Summer League
The Pacers are extremely talented, led by their lottery pick in Chris Duarte. Although they have the same record as Oklahoma City, they’re extremely competitive and will be a tough challenge for the Thunder.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
The Thunder are without their two first-round picks and their summer league head coach at this point, so coming out of Saturday’s matchup healthy is of the upmost importance. Outside of that, the main key will be someone stepping up in the scoring department, as the Thunder have struggled to put up points in recent games.
Full Roster: Thunder Summer League
Once again, OKC could have trouble with in the paint without a legitimate center. While they were able to win the rebounding battle in their lose to the Warriors on Friday, teams have shown the ability to exploit the Thunder’s lack of size.
READ MORE:
OU Assistant Breaks Down Josh Giddey's Game
Projecting the Thunder's 2021-22 Starting Lineup
RECORDS:
Oklahoma City Thunder (1-2) vs. Indiana Pacers (1-2)
WHEN:
Saturday, August 14, 2021 at 5:00 PM CT
LOCATION:
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
TV/RADIO:
NBA TV
FINAL WORD:
Although both teams are 1-2, there’s no question each roster has a ton of talent. While one squad will fall to 1-3 through their first four games, the other will get back to .500 before their final game of summer league.
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