The Oklahoma City Thunder head to Los Angeles on Friday night looking to stop a two-game skid when they face the LA Clippers for the second time in the 2026-27 regular season.
Their first meeting was a memorable one for OKC, a season-altering Oct. 25 win that came with three injuries and helped launch the Post-D.C.C. (Dub, Chet, Caso) era. This time around, the Thunder arrive at 8-4 and trying to steady themselves after a rough stretch.
Wednesday’s 118-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers was another one that slipped away late. The crunch-time offense let the Thunder down, even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 31 points and four rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein also turned in his best game of the season, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
The Clippers, meanwhile, are still searching for traction at 2-8 after a 133-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. Darius Garland had 13 points and six assists in that defeat.
Thunder vs. Clippers will air on Thunder+ and KSBI, with tipoff set for 9:30 p.m.
CT. The game will also be available to watch live on Thunder+.
Oklahoma City’s injury list remains long. Jalen Williams (ankle surgery), Cason Wallace (shoulder surgery), Chet Holmgren (knee injury recovery), Jaylin Williams (back spasms), Nikola Topic (G League assignment) and Thomas Sorber (knee surgery) are all out. Ajay Mitchell (ankle sprain) is questionable.
The Clippers are also short-handed, with Brandon Ingram (heel surgery), Bradley Beal (knee injury management), Jordan Miller (torn rotator cuff), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Lisfranc surgery) and Nick Martinelli (G League two-way) all out.
The expected starting lineups feature Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, Kenrich Williams, Aday Mara and Isaiah Hartenstein for the Thunder, while the Clippers are projected to go with Darius Garland, Kris Dunn, Rui Hachimura, Derrick Jones Jr. and Brook Lopez.
The prediction here points to Oklahoma City getting back on track with a 116-101 win, with the over/under set at 222.5. The thinking is simple: this is the kind of game the Thunder need to handle, especially with the margin for error so thin. The Clippers have been one of the league’s weakest teams, and Oklahoma City can’t afford to let a game like this slip.
After Friday, the Thunder’s next three games are Sunday, Nov. 15 at Kings, Wednesday, Nov. 18 vs. Hawks and Friday, Nov. 20 vs. Pelicans.
In Other News...
Clippers Face A Different Thunder Test Depending On One Rising Scorer
Ajay Mitchells status adds another layer to an already thin Oklahoma City backcourt as the Thunder prepare for the Clippers. Mitchell was listed as questionable because of a left ankle sprain, and he already sat out the previous game against Portland. With several other Thunder players out or on assignment because of injuries and surgeries, his availability matters more than usual for a team leaning on depth.
Mitchell has become an important secondary scorer for Oklahoma City, especially with Jalen Williams still sidelined. If he can go, the Thunder get another creator who has helped steady the offense when the rotation has been stretched. If he cannot, the burden shifts again to a group that has already had to absorb plenty of absences, and the matchup with Los Angeles changes with it. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Frontcourt Suddenly Faces A Real Test During Injury Stretch
Isaiah Hartensteins comments after Oklahoma Citys loss to Portland landed with the kind of blunt honesty that usually comes when a team is trying to solve problems on the fly. The Thunder are working through an injury stretch that has forced the frontcourt into constant adjustment, and with key pieces unavailable, the burden has shifted toward finding workable combinations and a little more versatility from the bigs who are still standing.
For Hartenstein, that means adapting alongside rookie Aday Mara while the Thunder keep moving from one game to the next with little practice time to smooth things out. Oklahoma City has leaned on frontcourt pairings before, and the challenge now is finding another one that can hold up quickly enough, especially with the LA Clippers next on the schedule and the margin for error getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Just Gave Thunder Fans A New Look At Him
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is showing a different side of himself away from the floor, stepping in as a guest editor for Spotify and curating a new playlist that reflects his taste beyond basketball. The project, first released on Nov. 12, is built around a hip-hop-heavy mix and pulls from both emerging and established artists, giving Thunder fans a small window into the sounds that shape his world.
The playlist is set to be refreshed monthly, which makes it more than a one-off novelty and more like an ongoing look at the guards musical leanings. Gilgeous-Alexander also opened up about his influences and the way he approaches music before games, adding another layer to the profile of a player whose style and personality continue to stand out in Oklahoma City. [Read more 🡒]