OKC Thunder Featured on NBA MLK Day National TV Slate
Starting on Monday afternoon, the NBA will feature four consecutive contests across two TV networks as part of its Martin Luther King Day programming.
The action starts at 12 p.m. CT when the Houston Rockets meet the Philadelphia 76ers on NBA TV, followed by a matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks on TNT.
The Golden State Warriors will take on the Memphis Grizzlies at 5 p.m. CT, also on TNT, with Oklahoma City rounding out the evening at 9:30 p.m. CT against the Los Angeles Lakers on NBA TV.
After back-to-back home games, OKC will hit the road again to take on the Lakers, who the Thunder played less than a month ago in the Modern Frontier. With a 129-120 win on Dec. 23, Los Angeles is one of only three teams to beat the Thunder since Dec. 16.
Since their last meeting, the Lakers have been much more inconsistent than Oklahoma City, dropping games to the Pelicans, Celtics, Heat, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Suns and most recently the Jazz.
With their recent struggles, the Lakers have dropped to No. 11 in the Western Conference. Still, led by LeBron James, the Los Angeles has plenty of talent and will not be an easy team to beat on their home court.
The last time the Thunder and Lakers met, James had an incredible game, tallying 40 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals.
Anthony Davis added 26 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal of his own while Rui Hachimura chipped in 21 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal off of the bench.
Oklahoma City's three-headed monster of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren held their own well against the Lakers in December, but received little help from the rest of OKC's roster last time around.
To come out on top on Monday evening, the Thunder will need to not only slow down James and Davis, but also get more on offense from players like Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins.
Additionally, third-year guard Josh Giddey was injured the last time Oklahoma City took on the Lakers, but will be in the lineup on Monday night.
With OKC playing just a handful of nationally televised contests this season and last, getting the opportunity to play on a holiday on national TV is a big win for the Thunder organization.
Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
