The Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans meet Tuesday night in Oklahoma City in a game shaped by injuries on both benches. The Thunder’s list is long — seven players appear on the final report — yet oddsmakers still make OKC a heavy favorite. The Pelicans, meanwhile, are missing one major piece and have two youngsters on G League duty. With the All-Star break approaching, this matchup is as much about who can suit up as it is about who can score.

Tipoff is listed at either 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. CT depending on the outlet. The Thunder are favored by 14.5 points, with the total set at 233.5.

Thunder’s crowded injury report sets the tone

Oklahoma City’s final injury sheet is the headline. Seven players appear, including two starters. That puts real stress on rotation planning, ball-handling, and rim protection. Reports note multiple designations for a couple of names across outlets, so expect final decisions closer to warmups.

• Alex Caruso — Out (right adductor strain) or Questionable (right groin soreness).
• Isaiah Hartenstein — Out (right soleus strain/right calf).
• Ajay Mitchell — Out (abdominal strain) or Questionable.
• Thomas Sorber — Out (right ACL).
• Nikola Topic — Out (listed as N/A or groin).
• Cason Wallace — Questionable (left hip soreness or left groin). Reports add: “Wallace exited the contest with a left groin soreness, and it is unclear if he will be active against the Pelicans on Tuesday.”
• Jalen Williams — Out (right hamstring strain).

Hartenstein and Williams are starting-level pieces, and their absences hit both ends of the floor. Caruso’s status matters for defense and spacing. Wallace’s availability is a swing factor for on-ball defense and guard depth. As one summary put it: “Pelicans missing Dejounte Murray; Thunder have seven players on injury report. Key Thunder players like Caruso, Williams, and Wallace could miss.”

“Seven names on OKC’s injury list and they’re still -14.5? Wild.”

Pelicans’ update: Murray out, two on G League assignment

New Orleans’ report is shorter but still meaningful at the top. The Pelicans confirmed that guard Dejounte Murray remains out as he recovers from a right Achilles rupture suffered early in his Pelicans tenure. Two prospects are away with the G League.

• Dejounte Murray — Out (right Achilles rupture).
• Trey Alexander — Out (G League assignment).
• Hunter Dickinson — Out (G League assignment).

As one report summarized it: “The Pelicans will be without just three players, two of which are on G League assignment in Trey Alexander and Hunter Dickinson. Guard Dejounte Murray remains out, working his way back from an achilles injury suffered early in his Pelicans’ career.” Without Murray, New Orleans lacks one of its primary creators and on-ball defenders, which can tilt matchups at the point of attack.

“If Cason Wallace sits too, who guards the point of attack?”

Odds and totals: Why the Thunder are still heavy favorites

Despite all the absences, betting markets back Oklahoma City at -14.5 with a total of 233.5. Two notes help explain it:

• Form and talent: The Thunder, even short-handed, lean on star-level production. They’ve lost two close games but showed elite scoring pop, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pouring in 47 points against Indiana.
• Pelicans’ struggles: New Orleans carries one of the league’s worst records (third-worst), and without Murray their margin for error shrinks on the road.

The total at 233.5 hints at pace and shot-making, but it can swing based on last-minute statuses for guards like Wallace and Caruso. If both sit, OKC’s defense could be thinner at the point of attack, while lineups may favor more offense-first units.

Recent form: Thunder seek a reset, Pelicans chase a spark

Oklahoma City is “limping” toward the February All-Star break after two narrow defeats — a three-point loss to the Pacers despite 47 from Gilgeous-Alexander, and a 103-101 setback to Toronto. The scores show they remain competitive even while shorthanded. The focus now is execution late and keeping workloads smart as injuries stack up.

New Orleans arrives hoping to flip momentum. With a bottom-three record, the Pelicans are looking for small wins: clean possessions, fewer turnovers, and getting into the paint without Murray’s rim pressure. The G League assignments thin the depth a bit more, but the Pelicans can still challenge if they control the glass and keep OKC off the line.

“This should be a get-right night, but nothing is easy near the break.”

What to watch: rotations, matchups, and urgency

Thunder rotations: With Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein out, OKC has to re-balance scoring and size. If Alex Caruso and/or Cason Wallace can’t go, that puts more pressure on the remaining guards to manage the ball and defend the point of attack. Expect a blend of defensive looks to protect the paint without Hartenstein and to steer ball-handlers into help.

Pelicans adjustments: Without Dejounte Murray, the Pelicans must create by committee. Simple actions — handoffs, quick screens, and drive-and-kick — become key. If New Orleans can get downhill and draw fouls, it keeps the game in range even if shots aren’t falling early.

Game flow: The line suggests Oklahoma City can build a cushion. But if the Thunder are forced into deeper bench minutes, turnovers and transition defense will decide whether the Pelicans can hang around. Keep an eye on late-clock possessions: the team that wins the final four minutes of each half likely wins the night.

The bottom line

On paper, this is a spot where the Thunder steady themselves at home against a struggling Pelicans team. The injuries complicate everything, but the market’s confidence (OKC -14.5) reflects trust in the Thunder’s top-end talent and in the Pelicans’ thin shot creation without Murray. Final statuses for Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso are worth tracking right up to tip.

However it shakes out, the guiding theme is survival. Oklahoma City needs clean minutes and healthy bodies as the All-Star break nears. New Orleans needs signs of progress and a competitive road showing. The last team standing — literally — should take this one.