Thunder Gameday: Looking to Bounce Back at Home Against Kings

In what will be an interesting back-to-back matchup, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Sacramento Kings tonight and on Tuesday. Both teams have a ton of talent which will make this an extremely competitive contest.

The Kings are coming off of an emotional double overtime win over the LA Clippers, as they continue to emerge as one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City has struggled of late, losing two-straight, but will look to get back on track tonight.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still out of the lineup, who will step up?

ODDS:

The Thunder enter the day as 3-point underdogs to the Kings, and the total over/under is 232.5 points.

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Sacramento is currently third in the West and on a two-game win streak. The dynamic duo of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis has been one of the most impactful on winning all season long. Furthermore, Malik Monk is a microwave scorer off the bench that is a real spark for the Kings.

The Kings are top ten in both 3-point attempts and efficiency, so perimeter defense will be important for OKC. If Sacramento gets off to a hot start, it will be difficult to overcome.

Gilgeous-Alexander is clearly the Thunder's best player, but is working through both an ankle and a abdominal injury. He won't be playing in this contest, which will be a major factor in the outcome. As such, Josh Giddey will need to get back on track with his offensive production if Oklahoma City is going to play at its peak. He's been off since the break and it's certainly lowered the team's ceiling.

RECORDS:

Oklahoma City Thunder (28-31) vs. Sacramento Kings (34-25)

WHEN:

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 at 6:00 PM CT

LOCATION:

Paycom Center - Oklahoma City, OK

TV/RADIO:

Bally Sports Oklahoma, NBA League Pass, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal

FINAL WORD:

Following this contest, the Thunder will once again host the Kings on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. Both teams will look to make adjustments the second time around.

Want to join the discussion? Like SI 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.