OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER AT NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Wednesday, Dec. 12 (7 p.m., ESPN)
Why it’s on the list
The national TV networks that cover the NBA agree: New Orleans vs. Oklahoma City is a matchup worth watching. Both of the Thunder’s visits to the Pelicans’ home floor will be carried across the entire country, with ESPN and TNT splitting the two games.
In addition to boasting three of the NBA’s biggest names – perennial All-Stars Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Paul George – New Orleans and Oklahoma City are coming off nearly identical regular seasons, with both squads going 48-34. However, the Pelicans exceeded expectations, while the Thunder were an overall disappointment, entering ’17-18 with hopes of contending for the Western Conference title, but instead being eliminated in Round 1 of the postseason by Utah.
The three-game head-to-head series vs. Oklahoma City last season proved pivotal in a variety of ways last season for New Orleans, including a February road win at Chesapeake Energy Arena that helped start a midseason Pelicans turnaround. New Orleans bested OKC 2-1, losing only in an April 1 matchup that preceded the club’s regular season-closing five-game winning streak.
Where it falls on the New Orleans schedule
When you play in the West, there are few stretches that can be considered “easy” on paper, but the club’s December slate is perhaps the most manageable of the regular season, at least based on the opponents. Among the Pelicans’ first dozen games that month, only four opponents reached the playoffs in ’18, a quartet that includes OKC, Boston, Miami and Milwaukee (all four games are between Dec. 9-19). However, there is one December matchup apiece vs. the Los Angeles teams, with the Clippers coming off a winning season at 42-40 and the Lakers vastly more dangerous by adding LeBron James. Oddly, three of the four New Orleans meetings vs. Dallas are in December.
What’s new in Oklahoma City
The biggest offseason news involved a departure, as Carmelo Anthony was traded to Atlanta, then waived, after a frustrating one-year Sooner State stint. In the same deal with the Hawks, the Thunder picked up point guard Dennis Schroder, who is projected to back up Westbrook and be one of the NBA’s most dangerous second-unit floor generals. In other summer additions that were much more under the radar, Nerlens Noel (from Dallas) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Philadelphia) could have roles off OKC’s bench.
Other 2018-19 games between these two teams
Monday, Nov. 5, New Orleans at Oklahoma City
Thursday, Jan. 24, New Orleans at Oklahoma City
Thursday, Feb. 14, Oklahoma City at New Orleans (TNT)
