The destinies of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers are deeply intertwined, both in the present and the future.
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The destinies of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers are deeply intertwined, both in the present and the future. This connection is set to endure, as the full implications of the teams’ 2019 trade, which brought Paul George to the Clippers and sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with numerous draft picks to the Thunder, continue to reverberate.
On Thursday, George and the Clippers will face off against Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in Oklahoma City as both teams resume play after the NBA All-Star break. While Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, all drafted by Oklahoma City in 2022 with a pick obtained in the 2019 trade, continue to be the focal points for the Thunder, they will also introduce at least one new addition on Thursday.
Gordon Hayward, who was acquired from Charlotte in a trade-deadline transaction earlier this month, is anticipated to make his debut appearance with Oklahoma City.
For the Thunder, Biyombo (coach’s decision) and Hayward (calf injury) will not be playing the game. As for the Clippers, no such injuries have been reported.
After a challenging start to the season, the Clippers have made a significant turnaround, winning 19 of their last 24 games leading up to the break.
A key factor in the Clippers’ resurgence has been the performance of former Thunder guard James Harden, who was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia on Nov. 1. Harden is currently shooting a career-best 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and is averaging 8.4 assists per game.
While Harden, George, and Kawhi Leonard are the driving forces behind the Clippers’ success, it’s another former Thunder player who is likely to receive the most attention from the crowd. Russell Westbrook consistently receives a warm welcome on his returns to Oklahoma City, where he spent the first 11 seasons of his career.
The present Thunder squad is evoking memories of the building process that Harden experienced alongside Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Thursday’s matchup marks the final of three regular-season games between the teams. The teams have each won one of their initial two encounters, and Oklahoma City has emerged victorious in five consecutive home games against the Clippers.
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