Thunder at Pelicans
Their winning streak is a thing of the past, but the Oklahoma City Thunder can count on their dominance over the New Orleans Pelicans to start another one on the road Friday. Oklahoma City has won eight straight and 12 of 13 in the series and claimed four meetings last season by an average of 21.3 points. The Pelicans saw their three-game winning streak end with a 100-97 home loss to Dallas on Wednesday and have to try to get back on track against a team they haven't beaten since January 2011.
The Thunder have split the first two contests on their three-game road trip after a 111-104 loss at Portland on Wednesday snapped their eight-game winning streak. While Oklahoma City has been dominant at home (9-0), it carries a pedestrian 4-4 road mark. The Pelicans are already on the wrong side of the playoff cutoff and have to survive the next four to six weeks without one of their best players as second-year big man Anthony Davis sits out with a broken hand.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE THUNDER (13-4): Oklahoma City leans on its veteran duo of Kevin Durant (28.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists) and Russell Westbrook (20.6 points, 5.6 assists). Big man Serge Ibaka (14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds) continues to develop into a strong post presence and has eight double-doubles, matching Durant for the team lead. For all their offensive prowess, though, the Thunder are tough on the defensive end, holding opponents to 42.7 percent shooting.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (9-9): New Orleans also feeds off its defense, ranking near the top of the league in steals (9.45) and points off turnovers (19.2). The Pelicans will have to find a new source for post production with Davis out, and his replacement, Al-Farouq Aminu, provided it against the Mavericks. The fourth-year forward is coming off perhaps the best game of his career, as he collected 16 points and 21 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Oklahoma City is an NBA-best 34-8 in games following a loss since the start of the 2011-12 season.
2. New Orleans PG Jrue Holiday is averaging 10.8 assists in the last four games.
3. The Thunder lead the league from the foul line, shooting 81.5 percent.