Category Archives: Game Previews

Pre-game post

Thunder @ Sacramento Kings preview (Game 9 of 82 / In-Season Tournament Game #2)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (5-3) @ Sacramento Kings (3-4)
  • When: Friday, 10 November 2023 at 9:00pm CST
  • Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
  • Offensive Rating – SAC: 109.3 (20th) / OKC: 115.2 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating – SAC: 113.4 (18th) / OKC: 113.9 (20th)
  • Net Rating – SAC: -4.1 (21st) / OKC: 1.3 (15th)

The Set-Up

The In-Season Tournament has actually succeeded in making some games matter in a time when regular season games usually don’t. I know. I know. Spare me the “all 82 games of the regular season matter” speech. If you’re a die-hard like me, you truly enjoy all 82 games. But to the lay fan, the only games that matter to them most of the time are the marquee games in the regular season and the playoffs. With this In-Season Tournament though, these four “group-play” games matter a ton if a team actually wants to make it to the elimination round and beyond.

Which is where the Thunder currently find themselves. After losing a heart-breaker to the Warriors in their first In-Season Tournament game, the Thunder now sit behind the 8-ball if their have any aspirations of playing in more than just these four “group-play” games. Two of their next 3 games are In-Season games and these are the two that would likely be considered very winnable.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Kenrich Williams (back) – Out

SAC

  • De’Aaron Fox (ankle) – Out
  • Trey Lyles (calf) – Out

Three Large Items

  1. Darn Injuries – The Sacramento Kings have struggled a bit coming out of the gates this season. While there are more than a few reasons for the struggle, the biggest reason is the absence of point guard De’Aaron Fox. He’s missed the last four games and the Kings are 1-3 without him. He is the engine that made one of the best offenses run last season and his loss has severely affected how Sacramento plays. Last season, the Kings were 12th in pace. This season, 24th. Another damning stat: last season the Kings were 13th in percentage of points off the fast break. This year, dead last.
  2. Attack the Rim – The Kings rank 18th in blocks per game. While not necessarily an indicator of how well a defense plays, Domantas Sabonis has never really been known as a rim protector. With SGA and Chet Holmgren getting more comfortable with each other on the offensive end with every game played together, this may be a situation where the Thunder can generate some easy looks based on the gravity those two players would command.
  3. Little House of Horrors – Sacramento has historically been a tough place for the Thunder to play. I’ve always called their arena(s) our little houses of horror. With what’s at stake with the In-Season Tournament, here’s hoping the Thunder man up a bit and prevent the Kings from lighting the beam.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Thunder preview (Game 8 of 82)

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  • Cleveland Cavaliers (3-4) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-3)
  • When: Wednesday, 08 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – CLE: 107.0 (27th) / OKC: 114.0 (11th)
  • Defensive Rating – CLE: 109.9 (11th) / OKC: 113.6 (20th)
  • Net Rating – CLE: -2.9 (18th) / OKC: 0.4 (15th)

The Set-Up

The NBA is crazy sometimes. You could play a team twice in a span of two weeks and see a completely different team on the floor each time you play them. On October 27th, the Thunder played a Cavs team in Cleveland that was missing both Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. Oklahoma City had to launch an amazing comeback in the last 2 minutes of that game to overcome a 10-point deficit in what was probably their most exciting game of the year.

Conventional wisdom would tell you the Cavs probably stand a better chance today because of the addition of the two starters that were injured in the previous game. But, Cleveland has weirdly not played well this season on the offensive end. They are 27th in offensive rating and have a negative net rating. The twin tower experiment seems to be languishing a bit and spacing for the guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and Garland is severely lacking. That could be something or it could be nothing. Seven games is an extremely small sample size and the Cavs rode this same line-up last season to a 51-31 record. OKC is also getting over an injury bug and may be a little different than the team Cleveland faced with the addition of Jaylin Williams to the rotation.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Ousmane Dieng (wrist) – Questionable
  • Luguentz Dort (hip) – Questionable
  • Kenrich Williams (back) – Out

CLE

  • Ty Jerome (ankle) – Out
  • Sam Merrill (illness) – Out
  • Isaac Okoro (knee) – Out
  • Ricky Rubio (personal) – Out

Three Big Things

  1. Rebounding and the size problem – In the previous game against Cleveland, Evan Mobley and Chet Holmgren essentially negated each other because of their similar size and positionality. But with the addition of Jarrett Allen to the line-up, the Thunder may find themselves staring up at another behemoth in the paint. I love Jalen Williams at the 4, but these are the nights where the height disparity could rear it’s ugly head on the boards. It’ll be interesting to see if coach Daigneault plays bigger line-ups involving Holmgren and Jaylin (J-Will) Williams.
  2. Giddey redemption game – With Isaac Okoro likely being out with a knee injury, there may be a mismatch on the floor for Josh Giddey to take advantage of. He struggled in the previous game against the Hawks, as he never found his rhythm and missed a lot of shots that he normally makes. He was visibly frustrated throughout the night, especially with how great he performed in the 4th quarter of the Warriors game. I could see him taking either of Cleveland’s smaller guards into the post or driving by someone like Max Strus.
  3. The immovable object vs. the unstoppable force – Cleveland’s defense has been great this season. They are 11th in defensive rating and first in scoring. The Thunder have been pretty good on offense this season. They are 11th in offensive rating, first in free throw percentage, 6th in 3pt percentage, and 5th in FG percentage. Cleveland is 20th in pace, while the Thunder are 5th. Whoever exerts their will on their end of the floor will likely win this game.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Thunder preview (Game 7 of 82)

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  • Atlanta Hawks (4-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)
  • When: Monday, 06 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – ATL: 119.3 (3rd) / OKC: 113.2 (10th)
  • Defensive Rating – ATL: 111.8 (19th) / OKC: 114.4 (21st)
  • Net Rating – ATL: 7.4 (6th) / OKC: -1.2 (15th)

The Set-Up

Perspective. We could be 5-1. The Pelicans and Warriors games both came down to the final possession. A change of a call here, a different outcome of a play there, and the Thunder come out victorious. We could also be 2-4. Those final possession games plus the game in Cleveland could have all finished in different ways for the Thunder. But alas, we currently sit at 3-3 and, honestly, it feels about right.

Offensively, the Thunder seems to be right where it needs to be at 10th. They love the transition game and have an improving half-court game. But defensively, is where I thought the Thunder would make their mark. When healthy last season, they were a top-10 defensive team, if not higher. With the addition of Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace, it was thought that this would catapult the team into at least a consistent top-10 outfit. But they currently stand at 21st. If the Thunder are going to improve their record, it’s got to start on the defensive end of the floor.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) – Questionable
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

ATL

  • Kobe Bufkin (thumb)
  • Wesley Matthews (calf)

Three Big Things

  1. Trae Young – Oklahoma doesn’t lay claim to many basketball greats, but since the Thunder have been in town, Trae Young and Blake Griffin have been the top basketball players associated with Oklahoma that don’t wear Thunder jerseys. While Griffin’s time in basketball appears to be nearing an end, Trae’s prime is likely just beginning. Currently averaging 21.7 points and 10.3 assists, Young is the head of what has been an offensive juggernaut here to begin the season. The Hawks boast nine players averaging double figures and are second in the league in points per game at 122.8. Many fans will cheer for Young at the beginning of the game, but may change their tune as the game continues.
  2. Very Similar – In doing my research for this game, I noticed that the Thunder and Hawks were very similar, in terms of stats. They are 1st and 2nd in the league in percentage of field goals from the mid-range. They are 4th and 5th in pace, true shooting percentage, and field goal percentage. They are 1st and 3rd in free throw percentage. They are 15th and 16th in number of possessions.
  3. Rebounding – Where these two teams deviate heavily is on the boards. By all stats, Atlanta is one of the top rebounding teams in the league and OKC is one of the league’s worst. It has actually cost the Thunder some games this season and should be a point of emphasis for the team moving forward.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Thunder preview (Game 5 of 82)

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  • New Orleans Pelicans (2-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-1)
  • When: Wednesday, 01 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – NO: 101.6 (28th) / OKC: 111.1 (12th)
  • Defensive Rating – NO: 105.2 (8th) / OKC: 111.7 (17th)
  • Net Rating – NO: -3.6 (20th) / OKC: -0.6 (15th)

The Set-Up

Flashback to a couple of seasons ago. The New Orleans Pelicans were THAT team for the future. They had Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, some young role players in Jose Alvarado, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III, and a cache of picks from an aging Lakers squad. Let’s also include Memphis when we talk about the window of good young teams, not necessarily closing, but not being as wide open as it used to be. Building a contending team in the NBA is rarely linear. Teams have ebbs and flows as they are being built up to their final form.

The Pelicans and Grizzlies find themselves in sort of a crossroad heading into this season. Both have shaky superstars (for various reasons) and injuries are staring to rear its ugly head on each of these teams’ role players. As we look at teams like this, just know that the road to where we want to go is full of potholes and streaking deers in heat. While we appear to have a young core to build upon, that reality can change on a dime. Here’s to the road being a bit smoother for OKC, but also realizing that these instances are usually par for the course for building a contender.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

New Orleans

  • Jose Alvarado (ankle)
  • Naji Marshall (knee)
  • Trey Murphy III (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Zion – Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, and Nikola Jokic, possibly the hardest cover in the game. The task of guarding Williamson will likely fall on a combination of Jalen Williams and Lu Dort. This is where the loss of Kenrich Williams and Jaylin Williams looms large. Having various defenders that can be thrown at Zion is always more advantageous than just a few defenders.
  2. Use your fouls – The Pelicans are the worst free throw shooting team in the league currently. Over three games, they are shooting just 62.5% from the line. Zion is the main culprit, shooting just 55.6% on 6 attempts per game. CJ McCollum is only shooting 70% from the line this season (while being an 80%+ free throw shooter for his career).
  3. The return of home-court advantage – I don’t know why, but I feel like this game will be the return of Loud City. Remember, Oklahoma City didn’t have a chance to participate in the play-in tournament last season. Both play-in games were on the road for the Thunder. I’m sure this game will have a play-in/playoff atmosphere. Like it’s going to be a close game and the crowd will tip the scales in favor of the home team in the 4th quarter-type of game.

Detroit Pistons vs. Thunder preview (Game 4 of 82)

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  • Detroit Pistons (2-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-1)
  • When: Monday, 30 October 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – Detroit: 111.8 (11th) / OKC: 108.3 (17th)
  • Defensive Rating – Detroit: 102.7 (6th) / OKC: 112.7 (19th)
  • Net Rating – Detroit: 9.1 (6th) / OKC: -4.4 (20th)

The Set-Up

Humble Pie. They say it’s good for you from time to time, but honestly, it tastes like shit. Sometimes the taste lingers for days. Luckily for the Thunder, they get to cleanse their palette of that disgusting Denver game with another game a little over 24 hours later. Thunder fans (and possibly even the Thunder players) were maybe feeling themselves a bit too much after that 2-0 start. But, alas, the highs and lows are usually not reality. The truth usually lies in the middle. And when you look at it from that context, our start to the season begins to make sense.

Now we find ourselves going against these upstarts called the Detroit Pistons. Where Detroit is now is where the Thunder were last season. Chockful of hope and young players out to prove their mettle in the NBA. The return of Cade Cunningham has galvanized this Pistons squad and players like Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren have played better than their age and experience would suggest. The Pistons will be coming into this game looking to make a statement against a team that is on par with them on the rebuilding timeline. The Thunder will be looking to get the taste of that Denver defeat out of their mouth.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

Detroit

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (calf)
  • Monte Morris (quad)
  • Isaiah Livers (ankle)

A Couple Big Things

  1. SGA – It’s been a while since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to single digits in a game. The last time was March 9th, 2022 when he was held to 8 points on 2-15 shooting against Minnesota. About two months prior, he was also to 8 points on 2-14 shooting against Denver. Here’s the thing: for as great as SGA is, some days you don’t have it. Scorers score. Shooters shoot. It’s just sometimes, that defense that is hell-bent on stopping you is sometimes good enough to get it done for a night. I fully expect a bounce back game from SGA tonight.
  2. Duren vs. Chet – Jalen Duran has come out this season with a point to prove and he’s doing it in grand fashion. In three games, the Detroit big man is averaging 18 points, 15 boards, 4 assists, and 2.7 blocks. The last time these two large human beings met was in the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Both players played to about a draw (Duren had 7 points and 7 boards and Chet finished with 9 points and 9 boards), but Chet’s team came out victorious. They play different styles, which should make for a good match-up.
  3. Defense to Offense – The Pistons lead the league in Turnover % (the percentage of possessions that end in a turnover) and are 29th in total turnovers at 19.3 a game. Nearly 20% of their possessions end in a turnover. If the Thunder want to find a quick way to infuse their offense, it’s by creating transition opportunities from turnovers.
  4. Rebounding – While turnovers are an issue for the Pistons, rebounding is not. They lead the league in Offensive Rebound % and Total Rebound %. The Pistons have a lot of size on their team and use that in this facet of the game. While the bigs stick out (Duren, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman, and Marvin Bagley), Cunningham and Thompson are big for their positions and help out on the glass also. Limiting 2nd chance opportunities could be very important for the Thunder in this game.

Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder preview (Game 3 of 82)

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  • Denver Nuggets (2-0) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-0)
  • When: Sunday, 29 October 2023 @ 2:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – Den: 114.6 (7th) / OKC: 113.2 (11th)
  • Defensive Rating – Den: 106.0 (9th) / OKC: 102.5 (7th)
  • Net Rating – Den: 8.6 (4th) / OKC: 10.7 (3rd)

The Set-Up

The home opener. The Paycom/Chesapeake/Ford Center used to strike fear in the hearts of opponents. Loud City was revered and was a part of the lore of Thunder fandom. But over the past few years, the pandemic did a number on us. Bally Sports did a number on us. And the rebuild did a number on us. Now, when the Paycom is full, it’s usually filled with jerseys of the other team.

It’s understandable. The covid years kept people away from the building. Bally Sports not showing on a lot of cable providers prevented families from developing a bond with this team. And rebuilds naturally keep people away. But last season was a little frustrating for someone who remembers “the good ol’ days”. While the Thunder weren’t necessarily playoff contenders, they were blowing past early season expectations and establishing themselves as one of the teams to watch for the future. The Thunder ranked dead last in attendance last season. But this year is supposed to be different. The Thunder are 2-0 and the expectations are a lot higher than they have been over the past few seasons. The expectations should also be higher for Thunder fans. Sunday afternoon, it’s the Thunder vs. the defending champs in a battle for conference supremacy. Okay, it’s not really that important, but the building should be full. Let’s get this season started off right.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

Denver

  • Jay Huff (ribs)
  • Vlatko Cancar (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Jokic – We’re finally here. When people brought up Chet Holmgren’s kryptonite, names like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic always came up. How would Chet defend against these behemoths? These freaks of nature? Well, the time is here. Expect the Thunder to double some, but also expect the Thunder to allow Holmgren to figure it out. There may be some ugly moments, but there may also be some moments of enlightenment.
  2. Pace – The Thunder will want to push the pace in this game. They are currently middle of the road in terms of pace, but they’ve played two teams who love to slow things down. Denver is also one of these teams, but the Thunder will try to turn them over or grab and go as quickly as possible.
  3. Let’s get crazy – I could definitely see coach Daigneault trot out some weird line-ups in this game. Maybe an all bomber line-up with SGA. Maybe a crazy wing-defender line-up with Chet in the middle. Maybe they’ll dust Davis Bertans off and use him. Expect insanity.

Thunder @ Cleveland Cavaliers preview (Game 2 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (1-0)
  • When: Friday, 27 October 2023 @ 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, OH

The Set-Up

When you are a rebuilding team, you tend to latch yourself onto a couple teams in order to track your progress. When this rebuild first started, we usually kept track of teams like the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Detroit Pistons. Those were the teams that were on par with us in terms of where they were in their rebuild. But we also kept track of teams that were seemingly just getting out of their rebuild and looked to them as a sort of the mechanical rabbit in a greyhound race. Those teams, for the Thunder, were the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The game tonight against the Cavaliers can feel like a bit of a measuring stick for this young Thunder squad looking to learn how to win consistently. The Cavs win totals over the past 5 seasons look very familiar for Thunder fans (19, 19, 22, 44, 51). It truly feels like the Thunder are a year behind the Cavs, in terms of development, and are looking to achieve a similar amount of success this season as the Cavs did last season.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

Cleveland

  • Jarrett Allen (ankle)
  • Ricky Rubio (not with team)

Three Big Things

  1. Fun match-ups – Both these teams are chock full of great young talent. Names that will likely be featured on All-NBA teams, All-Star teams, and All-Defense teams for the next decade. With Jarrett Allen being out, the Evan Mobley vs. Chet Holmgren match-up likely becomes a reality. And the SGA, Giddey, and Jalen Williams vs. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell match-up is always an extremely fun one.
  2. Perimeter Defense – A lot like the Thunder has done over the past few seasons with the additions of Isaiah Joe, Davis Bertans, Lindy Waters III, etc, the Cavaliers have added a plethora of shooting to their team in the form of Max Strus, Georges Niang, and, former Thunder legend, Ty Jerome. Their offense is a lot of drive and kick, so the Thunder have to aware of how far they dip into the middle to help defend. The Cavaliers attempted 43 three-pointers in their last game and that trend likely won’t change.
  3. Giddey – Josh Giddey should be in line for a good game. He has shown a knack for taking advantage of smaller guards in the post and Cleveland boasts two of the them who aren’t very good defensively. Look for the Thunder for hunt for these match-ups throughout the game.

Thunder @ Chicago Bulls preview (Game 1 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0) @ Chicago Bulls (0-0)
  • When: Wednesday, 25 October 2023 @ 7:00pm CST
  • Where: United Center, Chicago, IL

Expectations. When this rebuild started three years ago, this is where we wanted to eventually end up. In a place where we look at the betting odds and see our team as the favorite on some night. In a place where teams can no longer rest their superstars when they play against us. In a place where the media outside of Oklahoma City is once again excited for the team that plays in the Paycom Center. We didn’t know how long it would take (Not too long). We didn’t know if it was going to exhaustive (Not really). But we’re finally back to where we were several years ago. Are you ready to have your heart broken? Are you ready for the disappointment? Are you ready to lose years off your life as you live and die with every close game? Are you ready to feel like you’re playing on the floor as the stakes get higher? I know I am. And I can’t wait!

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back spasms)

Chicago

  • Lonzo Ball (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Attack the rim – The Chicago Bulls lack a true rim-protector. In the preseason, they were ranked 28th in the league in blocks at 3.6 per game. Conversely, the Thunder were 4th in points in the paint this preseason at 51.6 points per game. Nikola Vucevic and the husk that was formally Andre Drummond struggle not just with keeping up with guards on the perimeter, but also with recovering back to the rim to protect it. Chicago has great perimeter defenders in Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, and Jevon Carter, but will struggle to keep up with the Thunder’s ball handlers and shot creators.
  2. Monsters of the mid-range – The Chicago Bears were once known as the Monsters of the Midway. The current Bulls squad should be renamed the Monsters of the Mid-range. The Bulls led the league in percentage of points from the mid-range at 11.8%. While most of the league is shooting 3’s and driving into the paint, the Bulls are the old guy at the YMCA that continues to punish you if you neglect to trail him and put a hand up. With that said, the Thunder should feast defensively with this kind of offense. Their length and shot-blocking should make things difficult for the Bulls to operate.
  3. Control the glass – While the Thunder were a bad rebounding team last season, that should change this season with the addition of Chet Holmgren to the line-up. One of the positives for the Bulls this preseason was their offensive rebounding. They lead the league in offensive rebounding this preseason at 15.4 offensive boards per game. One thing to watch on the Thunder’s part: If the Bulls choose to crash the offensive glass, it may open up transition opportunities for the Thunder.

Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves preview (Game 1 of 82)

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okc v min

Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (0-0)

When: Wednesday, October 19th, 2022 at 7:00 PM CST

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

And so it begins. Another season of Oklahoma City Thunder basketball. This is the time of year where hope springs eternal. Can the Thunder make it to the play-in tournament? Sure. Could Shai Gilgeous-Alexander be an All-Star this year? Sure. Will Jalen Williams make some noise in the rookie class? Hell yeah. And for you tank aficionados, can the Thunder lose enough games to get the highest odds for a certain generational Frenchman? In the words of former Thunder legend Russell Westbrook, why not? 

To kick things off, the Thunder open up the season on the road against one of the off-season’s mystery teams: the Minnesota Timberwolves. The all-in trade for Rudy Gobert this offseason catapulted the Timberwolves into the “contender or pretender” narrative for this season. Will Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns be a harmonious twin tower combination or will one of them eventually get played off the floor in meaningful games? 

Injury Report

  • OKC – Chet Holmgren – OUT (R foot – Lisfranc surgery recovery)
  • MIN – Eric Paschall – OUT (L ankle/Achilles tendinosis) 

Three Big Things

  1. Starting Line-ups – Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has made a point this season to be more secretive about his starting line-ups leading into games. Minnesota’s front court may force Daigneault to get a little creative with his starting line-up today. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is likely the starter from the center position. But the options for who starts at the PF position may be a mystery. Does Daigneault want Aleksej Pokusevski going up against Gobert or Towns on the defensive end? Or does Daigneault want to exploit Towns’ issues on the defensive end and go with a small-ball line-up with Jalen Williams starting at the 4? Or maybe we go completely bonkers and start Ousmane Dieng at the 4 to compete with Minnesota’s size up front. Many options and many questions. 
  2.  SGA – The preseason was nullified for Gilgeous-Alexander due to an MCL sprain. Thankfully, the injury will not keep SGA out for any regular season time. Coach Daigneault at practice yesterday confirmed SGA is a full go and has no minutes restrictions heading into tonight’s game. The All-Star campaign for SGA starts tonight. It will be interesting to see how quickly SGA meshes with all the new parts on the team this season. 
  3. Surging Sophomores – The quartet of 2nd year players for the Thunder (Josh Giddey, Tre Mann, JRE, and Aaron Wiggins) have all come into this year with high expectations. Giddey appears to be straddling the line of superstardom with his ability to break defenses down and get into the paint at will. Mann seems well on his way to being one of the premier scoring guards off the bench this season. And JRE and Wiggins have glue guy/key role player written all over them. 

Prediction: Minnesota wins a close one 111-104 as their size proves to be the deciding factor late in the game. 

I’m Terrified of Zion Williamson

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Listen, I sat down to write this blog with the objective of finding any and all statistics against Zion to give OKC fans some hope. We’ve lost two straight and the people are acting like we just traded away our franchise point guard… hypothetically speaking, of course.

I went deep into Zion’s splits statistics. How does he perform on a Thursday? What about when he’s had one day of rest? How does he shoot when guarded by a defender not born in the US? All of these statistics came out remarkably positive for Zion. He’s just so damn good.

We released a preview podcast yesterday with Pelicans color commentator and recurring guest Antonio Daniels which you can find here. When asked who will guard Zion in tonight’s matchup with the Thunder, and what was his answer? Basically, you can’t. But because it would be very bold to not put anyone on Zion, Steven Adams is the best option. Adams is far too slow, but someone like SGA is far too small. It’s terrifying. Thus, I’m terrified.

Episode 211 of Topic: Thunder featuring Antonio Daniels

We haven’t even discussed skinny-wannabe-Paul-George-turned-All-Star Brandon Ingram, who basically already won Most Improved Player. The dude is averaging 25 PPG on 47/40/87 splits, grabbing 6.4 rebounds, and dishing 4.2 assists. He’s become Siakam with more range and that, too, is terrifying. Then there’s Jrue, Lonzo, and crybaby Jaxson Hayes. Combined, there’s lot to deal with here.

That said, Pelicans are -3.5 tonight. I’m putting all my money on OKC covering that spread. Vegas always overhypes Zion, despite his already great performances. Easy money in the bank.