New Orleans @ Oklahoma City preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 14, 2019 ) Oklahoma City 122, New Orleans 131

The New Orleans Pelicans found their first win of the season on Thursday with a complete effort that included the return of guard Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans will try to make it two in a row and earn their first victory on the road when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

New Orleans is still missing No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson (knee) and starting center Derrick Favors (knee) but got Holiday (knee) back from a two-game absence on Thursday and he was one of four different players to score at least 19 points in the victory. "It was by far our most complete game," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "We started the game really good with the right pace. ... I thought we did a good job of staying true to what we were trying to do defensively. We came away with a win - a much needed win." The Thunder dropped four of their first five games as well and are coming off a 102-99 setback at home against Portland that left the team feeling like it was close to a breakthrough. "I think for us we're learning game by game and we're probably at our best when we play with pace," point guard Chris Paul told reporters. "So, when we're moving, ball movement, and we just get a little bit more energy here and there, hopefully soon some of these close games will turn into wins."

TV: 5 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, FS Oklahoma

ABOUT THE PELICANS (1-4): Jahlil Okafor started in place of Favors on Thursday and scored a team-high 26 points on 8-of-13 from the floor while small forward Brandon Ingram continued his hot start with 25 points on 7-of-12 from the floor. Ingram, who was one of the key players New Orleans received in the deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, is averaging 26.8 points while shooting 50 percent from 3-point range. Holiday, who went 5-of-9 from 3-point range in Thursday's win, helped solidify a defense that allowed an average of 130 points in his absence.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (1-4): Oklahoma City failed to reach 100 points in three of the first five contests and was 4-of-27 from beyond the arc in Wednesday's loss. "We got to the free-throw line quite a bit, which kept it close, but the 3-point line probably was the difference, and we just did not shoot it certainly as well as they did or as timely as they did," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told reporters. Power forward Danilo Gallinari began the season 8-of-17 from beyond the arc in the first three games but slumped to 5-of-16 in the last two contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Thunder C Steven Adams (knee contusion) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

2. Favors missed the last two games and remains day-to-day.

3. The home team took each of the four meetings last season.

PREDICTION: Thunder 106, Pelicans 101