New Orleans @ Oklahoma City preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 2, 2019 ) New Orleans 104, Oklahoma City 115

The New Orleans Pelicans look to halt a three-game slide when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday in the first of a home-and-home set between the teams. The Pelicans have allowed an average of 125.3 points during their skid, which includes Wednesday's 114-110 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

New Orleans dealt with a lot of emotions in the game against NBA-best Los Angeles with former team standout Anthony Davis scoring 41 for the Lakers but the Pelicans were in the game to the finish. "We learned that we can compete with anybody in the league, no matter if it is one of the teams in the league with the best record, or anybody," New Orleans guard Kenrich Williams told reporters. "We can compete." The Thunder weren't able to compete well enough against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday as they succumbed 136-119 and allowed more than 40 points in two different quarters. "We play so many games in this league that you can't dwell on a bad game or a good game," guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said afterward. "You always gotta put the game behind you and get ready for the next one."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS New Orleans, FS Oklahoma

ABOUT THE PELICANS (6-12): Point guard Jrue Holiday had 29 points and a season-best 12 assists against the Lakers and also knocked down 4-of-6 3-point attempts. "He played well," Williams said of Holiday. "He's our leader, so he gives us something to build off of. When he plays aggressive like that, we just follow in his footsteps, so that was good." Forward Brandon Ingram was just 4-of-21 shooting against his former club but had 23 points and 10 rebounds and has topped 20 points in eight straight appearances.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (6-11): Veteran point guard Chris Paul wasn't happy with the club's defense against Portland as the point total represented the most Oklahoma City has allowed this season and the second time in three games that it gave up at least 130. "They just never felt us defensively. We were just letting them get just about anything they wanted," Paul told reporters. "We were sort of just scrambling. We gotta do better. We gotta communicate better." Forward Abdel Nader scored a career-best 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench against Portland.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points as the Thunder recorded a 115-104 home win over the Pelicans on Nov. 2.

2. New Orleans SG JJ Redick made five 3-pointers against the Lakers and is 41-of-81 from behind the arc over his past nine appearances.

3. Oklahoma City F Danilo Gallinari is 15-of-38 shooting over the past three games.

PREDICTION: Thunder 122, Pelicans 120