What to Watch For in OKC Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the New Orleans Pelicans as they look to stay unbeaten. What should you be watching for in this contest?

Nov 13, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) gestures from behind New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) after a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are aiming to stay undefeated on Sunday afternoon as they welcome in the win-less New Orleans Pelicans to the Paycom Center. This has been a tale of two seasons for the respective squads. The Thunder are riding high as they have overcome plenty of adversity to still sit at the top of the NBA landscape. The Pelicans suffered through a poor summer of transitions and are now being placed in the middle of a disasterous start to the season that features talks of their bench boss being fired.

Oklahoma City still has to continue to overcome adversity. All-NBA forward Jalen Williams remains sidelined with a wrist injury - and will be re-evaluated in 10-14 days - As Chet Holmgren is tabbed as out with a lower back sprain. Missing two of their top three threats for this matinee tip will put a lot of the shoulders of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to keep up his dazzling dominance to start this season.

Dec 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) steals the ball from New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

What to Watch For?

Which side starts the fastest? This is an awkward tip time for an otherwise mundane game. The contest is smack in the middle of an NFL Sunday slate, though not part of the NBA's National TV package. This is also on the heels of the clocks falling back an hour. Typically, a matinee on the hardwood leads to some sloppy basketball for one side, if not both. Who can handle the early rise and lack of routine the best?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to keep the New Orleans Pelicans on the skid. The Bourboun street ballers have lost their first five games of this season, and Oklahoma City is going to need to turn the Pelicans over fast and in a hurry to shut down any hopes of New Orleans snapping this streak.

Can the OKC Thunder continue to find enough offense while shooting the ball so poorly from beyond the arc? Whose 3-point luck turns first in this game? The Thunder and Pelicans are the two worst team's in the NBA from downtown, they clash today in a vital game for theri respective streaks.

Game Information

• Date: Nov. 2
• Matchup: OKC Thunder (6-0) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (0-5)
• Time: 2:30 PM CT
• Location: Paycom Center –– Oklahoma City, OK
• TV: FanDuel Sports OK
• Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM)

Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder jet out to the West Coast to start another road trip. This time tipping off inside the Intuit Dome as part of NBC Peacock's Tuesday coast-to-coast lineup, with a rare 10 PM CT tip-off in store.

Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of this game and the entire season for the Oklahoma City Thunder.