The New Orleans Pelicans seek their third straight win against the elite, but injury-plagued Oklahoma City Thunder.
The New Orleans Pelicans enter Tuesday's match against the Oklahoma City Thunder with the teams essentially swapping recent resumes. The Pelicans are on a two-game win streak while the Thunder have lost their last two.
Oklahoma City's depth is being tested, and right now, they aren't passing. With New Orleans finding a groove with their new all-big lineup, perhaps they can pull off yet another shocking win.
The truth is, the Pelicans are a hard team to judge right now because they have been switching things up. It has been their best basketball of the season, but is that just because teams haven't been able to adjust?
This game will be a true test to see if New Orleans has truly turned a page, or if it was just a fluke.
Here is a quick rundown of important information to know before the game tips off on Tuesday:
When is New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder?
Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, OK)
How to Watch New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder
Streaming: Pelicans+, NBA League Pass, NBA TV
TV Channel: Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network
Local Radio: WWL 870 AM
New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Lines
Moneyline: OKC -850
Spread: OKC -14.5
Over/Under: 233.5
New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Updates
The Pelicans are as healthy as they have been this season. Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado are back in the groove of things and off the injury report. The lone injured New Orleans player is Dejounte Murray, who still has no timetable for a return.
The Thunder have actually been hit pretty hard by an injury bug. Several major contributors will miss this game. Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Ajay Mitchell, Jalen Williams, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber have all already been ruled out. Cason Wallace is listed as questionable with hip soreness.
Of course, Oklahoma City is an absurdly deep team with a ton of talent left, but they will be without a few important names.
Key to Victory for New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder
Focus on the boards.
Since the latest injury to Isaiah Hartenstein last month, the Thunder have been a different team. Missing his 10.4 rebounds per game has been a big hit. They are 10-5 in those games, still good, but far from the pace they had set prior. They rank No. 29 in rebound rate in the league during that time (the Pelicans rank 10th).
In Oklahoma City's last two losses, to the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, the Thunder lost the rebound battle by at least 10. New Orleans isn't great at taking advantage of second-chance points, but right now that seems like the path to beating OKC.
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