Oklahoma City looks to bounce back from its loss to Charlotte by hosting Utah. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is questionable to play, while Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams and Ousmane Dieng are ruled out. 

Here are three key matchups that will help determine the outcome of this game. 

Since Walker Kessler’s season-ending injury on Oct. 31, Utah’s defense has allowed opponents to make 61.6% of their shots inside the paint. That’s the second-highest percentage during this span behind only Sacramento. 

Ajay Mitchell is therefore set up for a big night. Of the 178 players with at least 100 drives this season, he ranks 26th in drives per minute according to NBA.com. Look for Mitchell to knife past Utah’s perimeter defense with ease and create excellent shots for himself and others. 

His offensive production becomes far more vital if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winds up missing the contest. Oklahoma City has only scored 111 points per 100 possessions this season when Gilgeous-Alexander is not on the court, so it needs Mitchell to inject life into the offense should the reigning league MVP not suit up. 

Utah is 6-10 with the seventh-best offensive rating since Dec. 1 largely due to its dynamic duo. During this stretch, Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George have combined to average 53.9 points per game on 47.9% shooting from the field and 42% shooting from deep. 

Limiting their scoring is a crucial goal for Oklahoma City, and it has the defenders to accomplish this feat. Cason Wallace and Luguentz Dort will likely defend George for the vast majority of the game, while Jalen Williams and occasionally Chet Holmgren should receive the Markkanen assignment. 

It’s worth noting that in the Thunder’s previous matchup against the Jazz on Dec. 7, it held George to eight points and Utah to 101 points. Markkanen did not play in this game, but Oklahoma City absolutely hounded George. 

The Thunder may need to manufacture points if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out, and turnovers are potentially a rich source in this matchup. Utah’s offense commits turnovers at the 10th-highest rate in the NBA, while Oklahoma City’s defense forces turnovers at the highest rate. 

Keyonte George is especially prone to turnovers. He will be guarded by Cason Wallace for a ton of possessions, and he leads the NBA in steal percentage. It would be a boon for the Thunder if Wallace continues to wreak havoc and routinely strips the basketball or jumps passing lanes.