Paul George out for play-in game vs Pelicans, OKC lottery pick on the line

The NBA Playoffs are right around the corner but first, the league must wrap up the NBA Play-in Tournament. Tonight the Cleveland Cavilers will take on the Atlanta Hawks and the L.A. Clippers will play the New Orleans Pelicans to decide the final seed in each conference. For the Thunder, this goes way deeper than just seeing the NBA Playoff field get set. With a Clippers loss, the Oklahoma City Thunder will earn an additional lottery pick. Today, it was announced Paul George will miss today’s play-in game.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be glued to the television tonight as the Clippers host the Pelicans with tip-off slated for nine central standard time. A lot is on the line in tonight’s play-in when it comes to the NBA Draft.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will take home with the projected 12th pick (via the Clippers) if the Pelicans win, the other fallout from a New Orleans win would be the Hornets grabbing the 15th pick from New Orleans, the New York Knicks moving to the projected 11th pick, and Portland’s draft picks falling to 25th.

New Orleans knocking off the Clippers in the NBA Play-in would give the Thunder two Lottery Picks, and the best chance between the two slots, at leaping up in the lottery for the top overall pick.

If the Clippers survive without Paul George, which is not impossible as L.A. has thrived without their two superstars all year long, the Thunder will receive the 15th pick (via L.A.), Portland gets the projected 11th selection (via New Orleans), and the Hornets only get a pair of second-round picks from the Pelicans.

The winner of tonight’s game will advance to take on the Phoenix Suns, in what many expect to be a short series no matter the outcome of this play-in tilt. While the OKC Thunder technically will not play a game until July at NBA Summer League, this certainly feels like one final tank battle for the 2021-22 NBA season.