PREVIEW: The Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings meet Friday in NBA action at the Golden 1 Center. The Thunder lead the West with a 8-1 record, while the Kings are 10th with a 3-5 start. The Thunder are coming off of a close 121-119 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday after winning the first eight games of the season. Despite the loss, Oklahoma City remains one of the league's most formidable offenses, combining elite efficiency from the free throw line with strong perimeter defense that allows only low-quality three-point attempts. The Kings are coming off of a 121-116 win against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, with Russell Westbrook tallying a triple-double of 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, while DeMar DeRozan had 25 points. Sacramento's midrange-heavy offensive approach ranks first in the league by frequency, though their weak rim defense and poor three-point perimeter defense present significant vulnerabilities against a Thunder team that dominates the glass and forces turnovers at an elite rate. OKC will be without Jalen Williams, Nikole Topic, Kenrich Williams, Wiggins and Thomas Sorber, while Domantas Sabonis is questionable for the Kings with a rib injury. Both squads will operate under injury constraints, but the Thunder's depth and defensive prowess should prove decisive in this Western Conference showdown.