Pelicans at Thunder
Russell Westbrook looks to post his third triple-double in the season series when his Oklahoma City Thunder host the revamped New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. Westbrook is averaging 32.3 points, 13 rebounds and 9.7 assists in three victories over the Pelicans this season, and the Thunder go for the sweep against a new-look lineup that includes All-Star DeMarcus Cousins.
Oklahoma City made some changes at the trade deadline as well, adding forwards Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott, who both made their debuts in Friday's 110-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. “All the guys welcomed us like we were just another guy,” McDermott told reporters. “Felt like we were on the team all year. It felt really comfortable.” Cousins has yet to provide a boost for the Pelicans in his first two games with the team, as the 6-11 power forward was just 3-of-9 for 12 points in a 96-83 setback at Dallas on Saturday. All-Star Game MVP Anthony Davis supplied 39 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to the Mavericks and has averaged 34 and 11.5 in two games since Cousins arrived from Sacramento.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, FSN Oklahoma
ABOUT THE PELICANS (23-36): New Orleans has turned over the ball 20 times – seven by Cousins on Saturday - and shot under 42 percent in each of the last two contests. Davis drained 17-of-34 shots in the loss at Dallas while the rest of the team was 14-of-44 and talented point guard Jrue Holiday scored 18 points while matching Cousins with six assists. Donatas Motiejunas averaged almost 10 points in his last five games of January but is scoring 3.1 per game this month and did not play in Saturday’s loss after seeing 10 minutes of action in a 129-99 loss to Houston on Thursday.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (33-25): Second-leading scorer Victor Oladipo (16.1 points) missed Friday’s win due to back spasms and is not expected to play Sunday, but Alex Abrines filled in with 19 points - his first-double-digit effort since Jan. 25 against New Orleans. Gibson scored 12 points and McDermott added eight in their first game with Oklahoma City on Friday while Andre Roberson was 8-of-9 for 19 points. Westbrook was just 4-of-18 against the Lakers but still managed to record his league-best 28th triple-double.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans F Solomon Hill is 2-of-8 in the last two contests after scoring a season-high 23 points in the final game before the All-Star break on Feb. 15.
2. Oklahoma City C Enes Kanter, who is averaging 14.2 points, returned the lineup Friday after missing 10 games with a forearm injury.
3. New Orleans G Jarrett Jack, who recently was signed to a 10-day contract, recorded six points and four assists in his season debut on Saturday.