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The San Antonio Spurs will meet the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on Sunday for the first time this season. The hosts of Sunday's game are 2-6 on the season, while Spurs are 3-6.
The Thunder are 1-1 in the month of November. They are coming off a 107-104 win over the LA Lakers, only their second win of the season. With San Antonio their next opponent, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault needs to reevaluate his strategy.
The Thunder team have scored only 98 points per game while allowing their opponents 109.1. They only have one player who is averaging 13+ points, and the team needs more firepower to even be considered a threat to opponents. The Thunder defense is also a cause for concern, with no impactful interior or exterior defenders in their ranks.
San Antonio Spurs Injury Report
The San Antonio Spurs will enter Sunday's game with two players on the injured/illness list. Zach Collins, who is recovering from a left ankle stress fracture, will continue to miss games. He is expected to return after Christmas, as per reports, and will therefore miss the game against the Thunder.
The other player on the Spurs' list is Jakob Poeltl, the preferred center in Gregg Popovich's squad. Poeltl is not only the third-best scorer in his squad but also the best rebounder. He is absent due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. The exact timeline for his return remains unclear at the moment.
Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report
Luguentz Dort, who was questionable for the game against the Lakers, is not in the list of injured players for this game. Dort's right shoulder contusion seems to have healed well, and he is available to play against the San Antonio Spurs.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Deck has been marked as questionable as he is recovering from a left heel contusion. The 6' 8" power forward has only played three games this season, and is averaging three points per outing.
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Predicted Lineups
San Antonio Spurs
Without Poeltl, the Spurs need to start an able center who can not only score but also snatch key rebounds. However, due to a lack of depth in this position, Popovich is most likely to play Drew Eubanks instead of the veteran Thaddeus Young. Keldon Johnson and Doug McDermott should resume their duties as the team's forwards.
In the backcourt, Popovich will most likely start his best scorer as point guard. Dejounte Murray, who is averaging 18.4 points, 8.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds, could be key in helping his team win. He should be joined by shooting guard Derrick White.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an absolute menace on the court. The manner in which he bullied the Lakers squad on Thursday was magical.
He erupted for 28 points in 39 minutes while knocking down four of his seven shots from downtown. He will, without a doubt, be the point guard for the Thunder in their upcoming game against the Spurs.
He should play alongside Josh Giddey on the backcourt, while Luguentz Dort starts on the frontcourt alongside Darius Bazley and Derrick Favors.
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Predicted Starting 5s
San Antonio Spurs
Point Guard - Dejounte Murray | Shooting Guard - Derrick White | Small Forward - Doug McDermott | Power Forward - Keldon Johnson | Center - Drew Eubanks.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Point Guard - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Shooting Guard - Josh Giddey | Small Forward - Luguentz Dort | Power Forward - Darius Bazley | Center - Derrick Favors.
