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The NBA Summer League 2021's upcoming schedule includes a game between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams will be giving it their all to win this match but in basketball, there cannot be two winners.
The big news coming in from OKC's corner ahead of the matchup is that Tre Mann will not play in the remaining preseason games. The reason for this has been listed as a "personal matter." It would be interesting to see how the Oklahoma City Thunder cope with Mann's absence.
Match Details
Fixture - Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers | NBA Summer League 2021.
Date & Time - Saturday, August 14th, 2021, 6:00 PM ET (Sunday, 3:30 AM IST)
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Venue - Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV.
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
With Mann now not in the tournament, the Oklahoma City Thunder must adopt strategies to nullify the gap created by his absence. Earlier, the team had to bench Josh Giddey after he sprained his ankle during the match against the Detroit Pistons.
With two key players missing, OKC needs its youngsters to step up and take on more responsibility if they want to even have a fighting chance against the Detroit Pistons. They have won a game and lost two games, it is imperative that they win more. They dearly need a playmaker to facilitate scoring.
Key Player - Theo Maledon
It must have come as a surprise to see Theo Maledon tagged as the key player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. We understand your surprise but his performances in the summer league has quite literally mesmerized us.
In the game against the Pistons, Theo scored 15 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds. In their recent loss to the Golden State Warriors, Maledon dropped 18 points, five assists, and six rebounds. The interesting bit about his scores is his versatility. He can feed the ball, become a secondary scorer, and collect rebounds. This cements him as a good connecting link in making their summer league squad win-worthy.
Oklahoma City Thunder Predicted Lineup
G - Rob Edwards, G - Theo Maledon, C - Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F - Josh Hall, G - Aaron Wiggins
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers have played three matches in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, they lost 2 of the three games at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. They won their third game against the Portland Trail Blazers by a huge margin. While some might suspect it to be a fluke rather than an overwhelming upset, we disagree with such suspicions.
First things first, Portland isn't a team that could be defeated on a fluke. Second, the Indiana Pacers are finally in sync and have some resemblance to a team. They are beginning to get in their groove and the next match will be a platform for them to prove their willingness to win.
Key Player - Chris Duarte
Chris Duarte is one of the players in the preseason who are eager to prove their worth game after game. Each of his performances with the Indiana Pacers felt like an open statement to the league, announcing his arrival. We are usually averse to counting the chickens before they hatch but Duarte compels us to admire and appreciate his game against all our logical reasoning.
In the Indiana Pacers' game against the Trailblazers, Duarte registered 19 points, six assists, four steals, and four blocks. In the game against the Hawks, he posted 21 points and seven rebounds. These numbers hint at Duarte's wholesome game. He can be the weapon that decides between winning and losing in the match between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
F - Devin Robinson, G - Chris Duarte, G - Keifer Sykes, C - Isaiah Jackson, G - Cassius Stanley
Thunder vs Pacers Prediction
With two of their decisive point guards out of the tournament, the Oklahoma City Thunder need a playmaker capable of setting up plays and enabling scoring. If Theo can do this, then the Oklahoma City Thunder have a winning chance. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers have looked rusted in the first two of their three games. Their last game had ample flair but they must maintain their groove and coordination if they want to win.
Where to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers game
The game will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN 2 and locally on NBA TV Canada.
