Oklahoma City @ New Orleans picks

The Thunder have been the 2nd-worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 5 games while on the road (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them may therefore lead to fewer opportunities for scoring and assists). Jaylin Williams will likely suffer a drop-off in performance across the board in light of playing away from home in this contest.

The Thunder have been the 2nd-worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 5 games while on the road (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them may therefore lead to fewer opportunities for scoring and assists). Jaylin Williams will likely suffer a drop-off in performance across the board in light of playing away from home in this contest.

The Thunder have been the 2nd-worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 5 games while on the road (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them may therefore lead to fewer opportunities for scoring and assists). Jaylin Williams will likely suffer a drop-off in performance across the board in light of playing away from home in this contest.

The Thunder have been the 2nd-worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 5 games while on the road (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them may therefore lead to fewer opportunities for scoring and assists). This year when they are on the road, the opposing team's starting SGs have attempted 1.0 free throws per game (fewest in the league) vs. the New Orleans Pelicans, struggling to get to the free-throw line. Aaron Wiggins will not possess the home court advantage in this contest. Playing without the home court advantage usually lowers player performance for all stats.

The Thunder have been the 2nd-worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 5 games while on the road (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them may therefore lead to fewer opportunities for scoring and assists). Aaron Wiggins will not possess the home court advantage in this contest. Playing without the home court advantage usually lowers player performance for all stats.

Jose Alvarado has tallied 4.7 assists per game this year, ranking him in the 90th percentile -- among the league's best by this metric in recent games. The New Orleans Pelicans have played at the 9th-speediest pace in the league over the last 5 games. The Oklahoma City Thunder have played at the 3rd-speediest pace in the NBA over the last 10 games, which should raise plays for the Pelicans. Offensive rebounds lengthen possession and produce bonus opportunities for scoring and assists, and the New Orleans Pelicans rank 4th-best in in the league while playing at home with 12.6 offensive rebounds per game this year. Jose Alvarado should see a spike in effectiveness in all stat categories as a result of controlling the home court advantage in this game.

Dillon Jones has averaged 0.7 assists per game without the home court advantage this year, placing him in the 22nd percentile -- among the NBA's trailers by this standard. Out of all players in the NBA, Dillon Jones lands in the 15th percentile for playing time, tallying only 9.7 minutes per game this year. The Thunder have been the 2nd-worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 5 games while on the road (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them may therefore lead to fewer opportunities for scoring and assists). Dillon Jones figures to experience a decrease in performance in all stat categories in light of being on the road in this game.

Kenrich Williams has posted 1.6 offensive boards per game over the last 5 games while playing away from home, 0.6 higher than he's posted in all games this year on the road. The Thunder have played at the 3rd-fastest tempo in the league over the last 10 games. The Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to see a rise in plays in this contest from being pitted against the 9th-quickest tempo offense in the NBA over the last 5 games (the Pelicans).