The Oklahoma City Thunder were able to knock off the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night in the Paycom Center. It was a clash of NBA Titans as the top team in the NBA traveled to take on the second-best team in the Western Conference, and the young OKC Thunder squad prevailed.
Their celebration had to be short-lived as the Oklahoma City Thunder hopped on a bird and jetted down to Atlanta. The Thunder hit a bit of a hiccup and did not land in Atlanta until 4:44 in the morning.
Now, the OKC Thunder sit at 22-9, with the second-best record in the Western Conference, and own the longest winning streak in the NBA. The Thunder have won eight of their last ten games, a 9-4 record on the road, and a 14-5 record at the Paycom Center.
The Atlanta Hawks soar into this game with a disappointing 13-19 record, 4-6 in their last ten games, and just a 4-9 record at home. The Hawks have a huge rest advantage in this game, having not played since their New Year's Eve win over Washington on Sunday.
OKC Thunder vs Atlanta Hawks Inactives: January 3rd, 2024.
The Atlanta Hawks list Muhammad Gueye (back), De'Andre Hunter (Knee), and Vit Krejci (G League) as OUT. The team has upgraded Kobe Bufkin (G League) and Seth Lundy (Ankle) to available for this tilt against the Thunder.
Meanwhile, as the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off an epic win over the Boston Celtics less than 24 hours ago and had a whirlwind of a travel day, the Thunder are still heading into this matchup fully healthy.
Keyontae Johnson and Ousmane Dieng are the only two players listed on the OKC Thunder injury report, each currently on assignment to the OKC Blue, the Thunder's NBA G League affiliate, that will take on the South Bay Lakers at 7 p.m. in the Paycom Center tonight while the varsity club is in Atlanta.
This stretch in Atlanta tips off a four-game East Coast road trip that sees the OKC Thunder heading to Atlanta, Brooklyn, Washington, and Miami. After playing seven of their last eight games at home, the Thunder will be on the road for their longest trip away from home to date.
The Thunder will be tested against the Hawks as one of the youngest teams in the NBA will have to flush their biggest victory within 24 hours and refocus on the task at hand.
For complete game coverage, check out Thunderous Intentions post-game for game grades, takeaways, recaps, and more.