Opinion
3 min read

Smoothie King Center Showdown: New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder

As the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Smoothie King Center, fans are buzzing with anticipation for what promises to be an electrifying matchup. The Pelicans, coming off a nail-biting game against the Rockets on December 24 where they fell just short at 104 points to Houston's 106, are looking to bounce back and solidify their position in the standings.


NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 9: CJ McCollum #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans sets the play as he bring the ball up the court on December 9, 2022 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

The previous encounter was a testament to the Pelicans' resilience. Despite trailing behind in terms of time leading, which was just over 18 minutes compared to Houston's roughly 22 minutes, they managed a higher efficiency rating of 112 and outrebounded their opponents by two. However, turnovers were a thorn in their side as they committed 16 compared to Houston's fewer dozen.


In contrast, when looking at their performance against Cleveland Cavaliers on December 22 where they triumphed with an impressive scoreline of 123-104, it is evident that when NOP finds its rhythm offensively and controls possession effectively – boasting an assist turnover ratio of over three – victory seems almost certain. Their bench depth shone through with a substantial contribution of 40 points.


Against Memphis Grizzlies on December 20th though it was another close shave as NOP scored only two points less than Memphis' total of 115. This game highlighted NOP’s ability to maintain significant leads once established – leading for nearly thirty-eight minutes – but also exposed some defensive vulnerabilities allowing Memphis Grizzlies’ high paint scoring.


The upcoming game against OKC should see NOP focusing on capitalizing on their home-court advantage and harnessing the energy from their fans at Smoothie King Center. The key will be maintaining offensive efficiency while tightening up defense especially around the paint area where opponents have found too much joy recently.


OKC will not make it easy; however, NOP has shown that they can outperform even under pressure and have demonstrated superior ball movement and scoring diversity which could prove pivotal in this clash.


Fans should mark their calendars for January 26th at Smoothie King Center where tip-off is scheduled for January evening local time (8 PM CST). For those unable to attend in person, local broadcasts will be available on BSNO channel number:676-4 or BSOK channel number:675 depending upon your location.

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