Two-big lineup gives OKC momentary spark
NEW ORLEANS – The wave of fashionably late fans hadn't yet arrived, so a person halfway up the lower bowl could yell in the sparse crowd and be understood from the court.
The Thunder's energy on the floor wasn't much better. Then in came center Nerlens Noel.
In the Thunder's 131-122 loss Thursday, Noel, who Thunder coach Billy Donovan experimented with playing alongside fellow big man Steven Adams, sparked a first-quarter comeback after the Thunder fell behind by seven points.
Between New Orleans star Anthony Davis requesting a trade and then returning from injury, it had been a tumultuous month for the Pelicans. To add, well, injury to insult, Davis sustained a left shoulder injury, according to the Pelicans, and did not play in the second half Thursday.
But in the first quarter, the Pelicans took a 22-15 lead with a free throw by Davis just after Noel replaced forward Patrick Patterson.
In a two-big lineup, Noel scored eight points before Adams subbed off three minutes later. The Thunder tied the game at 31 apiece at the end of the first quarter. However, OKC would fall into an even deeper hole in the third quarter.
New faces
The Thunder announced Thursday that it had signed guard Scotty Hopson and center Richard Solomon to 10-day contracts, pulling the pair from OKC's G League affiliate. Both traveled with the Thunder to New Orleans for its last game before the All-Star break.
“Coming out of the AllStar break it gives us some more bodies and numbers for practice and gives them time to get caught up to speed with what we're doing,” Donovan said after shootaround Thursday. “So it's been two guys that I think are really good additions to our team.”
Their signings temporarily bring the Thunder's roster up to 14 players, plus two two-way contracts, after dropping below the 13-player NBA minimum with the waiving of Alex Abrines last week.
Hopson averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 25 games with the Blue this season. In 31 games, Solomon put up an average of 13.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and one block.
“Scotty's a very gifted offensive player, a wing player, 6-7,” Donovan said. “He can put it on the floor and create, shoot, really good one-on-one player. Richard is 6-11, terrific big man on his feet, can do a lot of different things in pick-and-roll coverages, can switch, can be in coverage, terrific roller to the rim, long, blocks shots, tough guy.”
Tip-ins
With forward Jerami Grant (right ankle sprain) and guard Dennis Schroder (personal reasons) out for the Thunder, two-way player Donte Grantham also was active for the Thunder in New Orleans. … Andre Roberson (left patellar tendon) continues to progress in his injury rehab but has yet to return to oncourt activity, according to Donovan. Donovan said the team still hopes he will be able to return this season.