OKC Thunder Make Interesting Starting Lineup Decision vs. Portland
A quick rematch in Portland
The Thunder are playing the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on the second leg of a back-to-back. The teams met less than 24 hours earlier, when Portland handed Oklahoma City a 20-point loss and snapped the Thunder’s four-game losing streak.
The score was tied 59-59 at halftime, but Portland outscored Oklahoma City by 17 in the third quarter. That created a large enough gap to make the fourth period garbage time. This is the second game of the Thunder’s four-game road trip, their longest of the season.
Both teams missing players
Portland will be without Ja Morant, Shaedon Sharpe, Chris Youngblood and Vit Krejci for the rematch. Oklahoma City has a longer list of unavailable players: Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams, Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic.
Mitchell had been a bright spot in the Thunder’s struggling offense the previous night. He now joins teammates who also missed that game with injuries. The article describes Oklahoma City’s season as affected by injuries since Game 3.
Caruso enters the starting five
With the team short-handed, Oklahoma City placed veteran Alex Caruso in its starting lineup. The article describes the decision as a rare sight during his time in Bricktown.
The Thunder face the challenge of recovering from the previous night’s 20-point margin while missing several players. The report says the team may need to focus on getting through the 48-minute game and handling its weekend game before returning home.
Road trip remains underway
A win would let Oklahoma City split its two games against Portland. The Thunder are aiming to finish the four-game trip with a 2-2 record and return home.
The report notes that Oklahoma City has previously produced strong wins, particularly when it avoids falling far behind. Whether the Thunder can keep this game from getting away from them remains to be seen.
Key points
- The Thunder visit Portland on the second night of a back-to-back after a 20-point loss.
- Oklahoma City is without seven players, including Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
- Veteran Alex Caruso is in the starting lineup, a rare move during his time with the Thunder.
- The game is the second stop on Oklahoma City’s four-game road trip.