OKC Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns: Two of the best teams out West dual it out in Loud City

Following a great win against the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night headed by Jalen Williams as the starting center, the Oklahoma City Thunder look to face yet another Western Conference rival who just so happens to be closely behind them in the standings.

With multiple star players out for both teams, the Thunder's game plan will shift once again in hopes of adding another win to their record while also staying atop of the conference.

Time and Place

The OKC Thunder will host the Phoenix Suns at the Paycom Center tonight, Nov. 15, at 8:00 PM EST/7:00 PM CDT and on FanDuel Sports Network - Oklahoma.

Lineups

Head coach Mark Daigneault continues to keep opponents on their toes by running a different lineup each game. For this one, here is what it could potentially look like:

For the Suns, this is the lineup the used in their last game:

Injuries

For the Thunder, Chet Holmgren (hip), Isaiah Hartenstein (hand), Jaylin Williams (hamstring) and Nikola Topic (ACL) are all still out. Alex Caruso, who had hip soreness last game, is currently listed as day-to-day.

As for the Suns, Kevin Durant (calf) and Collin Gillespie (ankle) are out for tonight's matchup. Bradley Beal (calf) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) are listed as day-to-day.

What to know

The Thunder have been absolutely electric on the defensive end so far this season. Averaging the most steals in the NBA while also placing as the number one team when it comes to defensive efficiency, OKC has been causing tons of turnovers and pressure defensively.

Being able to keep up that type of intensity will be crucial for winning tonight's game and future games. Due to the team not having any centers back until early December, forcing opposing guards to make mistakes and bad decisions while also preventing paint scores will be keys to games.

Moreover, JDub will need to continue his tremendous play on both ends of the floor while Shai keeps up his consistent scoring. The past couple of games, however, it has appeared that SGA has been forcing the three ball; almost as if he is trying to shoot himself out of a slump. While it is not necessarily a bad thing given the snipers OKC has, playing against an offensive threat with the likes of Booker could cause problems if Thunder shots aren't falling.

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