Two of the teams chasing a playoff spot in the stacked Western Conference square off when the New Orleans Pelicans host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. It's the first game of a home-and-home set that will conclude Friday in Oklahoma City. The Pelicans are a game behind eighth-place Phoenix and two games ahead of the 10th-place Thunder in the tight playoff race.
New Orleans has looked the part of a playoff team recently, winning six of its last seven with victories over contenders Dallas, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Clippers. "We just need to continue to do what we've been doing," Pelicans star Anthony Davis told reporters. "The past couple of games, we've been rebounding, defending, sharing the ball. We don't care who scores. That's what we have to do." Oklahoma City has dug out after a 3-12 start while stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook battled injuries, but Durant is banged up again and is listed as questionable with a sprained toe.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE THUNDER (24-24): Oklahoma City has lost four of its last six but is coming off a 104-97 home win over Orlando in which Westbrook (24.9 points, 7.6 assists, 6.1 rebounds) notched his second triple-double of the season and the 10th of his career to help the Thunder survive without Durant. Dion Waiters started in place of Durant against the Magic and scored 24 points, his highest total since joining the Thunder last month. Oklahoma City has struggled on the road, losing four straight and averaging a meager 89.3 points during the skid.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (26-22): New Orleans has won three straight against the Thunder including the first two of three meetings this season. Davis (24.6 points, 10.5 rebounds) has averaged a whopping 31.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3.5 blocks against Oklahoma City this season, and Tyreke Evans (17 points, 5.8 assists) has hurt the Thunder, averaging 21 points and six assists in the two meetings. The Pelicans are without point guard Jrue Holiday (15.2 points, 7.1 assists), but Eric Gordon has averaged 16.4 points in the 11 games Holiday has missed with a stress reaction in his right leg.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Davis has scored at least 20 points in 11 straight games and Gordon has recorded at least 20 points and seven assists in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
2. The Thunder have not been swept in the season series by a Western Conference opponent since losing all three meetings with San Antonio in 2010-11.
3. The Pelicans are 23-2 when shooting for a higher percentage than the opposition and 3-19 when they are outshot.