Oklahoma City has advantage inside with Steven Adams against Pelicans

Matched up against rookie Jaxson Hayes on Friday, Adams scored the Thunder’s first three baskets and started the game 5-of-5 from the floor.

There is an obvious benefit to playing the same team twice within a span of three days.

What the Thunder learned from their win over New Orleans Friday night can be directly applied to Oklahoma City’s game against the Pelicans on Sunday afternoon.

One of the biggest takeaways from Friday’s victory is that New Orleans doesn’t have the personnel inside to match up with Steven Adams.

Without Zion Williamson, who is not expected to return until later in December following his October surgery to address a torn right lateral meniscus, and Derrick Favors, the Pelicans were forced to use rookie Jaxson Hayes on Adams.

As noted by Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, Adams has a “45-pound advantage over Hayes and exploited it right away”.

Adams scored Oklahoma City’s first three baskets in their 109-104 win on Friday. He started 5-of-5 from the field but cooled down considerably after the first quarter, finishing the night 7-of-11 for 14 points en route to a double-double as he also grabbed 12 boards.

Adams should have the same advantage on Sunday. Favors is questionable to play, meaning that it will likely be Hayes and Jhalil Okafor splitting time down low.

Look for Oklahoma City to go to the Kiwi early and often to try and establish an interior presence that could subsequently free up some of the Thunder’s perimeter shooters.

OKC will try and complete the home-and-home sweep when they tip-off against the Pelicans inside the Smoothie King Center Sunday at 4 p.m. CT.