New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA 2025-26 Season, Today Match Prediction

Teams Preview

New Orleans Pelicans Preview

The New Orleans Pelicans went down 104-118 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, resulting in their tenth loss of the season and second in NBA Cup play. The Pels have made a tumultuous start to the 2025-26 campaign, which has not gone down too well with the top brass. Their poor showing in the early part of the season has already claimed its first casualty as Willie Green was sent packing with James Borrego being named as interim head coach.

New Orleans is now 2-10 on the season, last in the Southwest Division. Trey Murphy III top scored for the Pelicans with 35 points. Jeremiah Fears added 19 points in a losing cause. New Orleans had 20 turnovers while giving up 60 points in the paint.

The Pels are the worst offense in the NBA, averaging 108.4 PPG, shooting 43.7% from the floor (27th in the NBA). They are averaging 41.3 RPG (25th in the league) and are rock bottom in the assists category with 22.8 a contest. On defense, New Orleans averages 8.8 SPG and just 2.2 BPG (30th in the Association). The Pelicans have been no match for the reigning NBA champions in recent times, losing five in a row, going down by an average margin of 22.0 points per game.

Oklahoma City Thunder Preview

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing incredible basketball. They cruised past the Charlotte Hornets 109-96 on Saturday night at Spectrum Center, registering their thirteenth win of the season while having only one loss. By virtue of this amazing record the Thunder have put together, they find themselves atop the NBA.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is living up to the billing of league MVP, carrying his team to stratospheric heights in the process. He led from the front once again on Saturday night, tallying 33 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals, shooting 68% from the field in only 30 minutes of action. This was his 12th thirty point game of the season already. Chet Holmgren contributed 25 points and 8 boards.

OKC held a 22-point lead at one stage, eventually closing out the game by thirteen. The Thunder won the rebounding battle 50-42 and had 58 paint points. They also came up with nine steals and six blocked shots.

Oklahoma City is averaging 121.6 PPG (5th in the NBA) during the 2025-26 regular season, making 47.8% of its shots. The Thunder average 47.2 RPG (5th in the Association) and 25.5 APG. As far as defense is concerned, they are No.1 in steals tallying 10.7 a contest and average 5.2 BPG. OKC has dominated the last five matchups, putting up 122.8 points per game while conceding only 100.8 a contest during this stretch.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Starting Lineups