Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction: Thunder is going to have a hard time

The Thunder, against all odds, continue to fight for a playoff spot. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not play again, but Oklahoma faced not the most challenging opponent on the road - Indiana. Will the visitors beat a team with almost no chance of making the Eastern Conference top 10?

Tyrese Haliburton has rarely played lately, and Myles Turner has health problems, but the Indiana offense still looks interesting. It's not without downs, but scoring 130 points against playoff contenders without their two leaders is pretty cool. But even that might not be enough to win. For example, the Pacers recently lost on the road to Atlanta 130:143. They also failed to be the Eastern Conference leader (136:149). Perhaps Turner will return to the floor for Oklahoma State and improve his defense - his participation is questionable now.

Bennedict Mathurin played the role of the first option on offense for 29 points against the Bucks. Andrew Nembhard had a double-double of 15 points and 15 assists, and Aaron Nesmith made all five three-pointers. On offense, Jalen Smith, Jordan Nwora, and T.J. McConnell looked good, but on defense, they could do nothing against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday.

The Thunder could win all 3 of their last three regular-season games. The Oklahoma City Thunder do not have the most challenging calendar: Portland is without their entire starting five, Charlotte has suffered multiple losses, and Detroit is in last place in the Eastern Conference for a reason. The team lost by 3 points against the Hornets. Of course, in the absence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder does not have much margin of safety, so the fact that the team remains in the top 10 should be taken as a credit to the club.

Newcomer Jalen Williams has been a big-time second star for Oklahoma over the last month, averaging 20.2 points. Josh Giddy has had a nice stretch, and Isaiah Joe has become the team's leading scorer, taking over that role from Lugenz Dort.

In the game against the Pistons, Jalen Williams' shot in the final seconds helped Oklahoma win by a narrow margin, 107:106. Williams was the most prolific scorer for the Thunder with 27 points. The players played more than 30 minutes while the rest played less than 10. Aaron Wiggins, who came off the bench, was in the top six. He made 8 of 11 shots from the field, making him the 2nd most productive Tander behind Williams and Dort.

Oklahoma has looked good on both ends of the floor this season, but in their recent game against a markedly weakened Charlotte, the team fell apart on defense. Indiana can pressure the Thunder's weaknesses, and the Pacers' lineup could get significantly stronger by the next game. Buddy Hield has recovered, and Myles Turner is questionable. If both appear, the home team will have a chance to win.