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Thunder @ Sacramento Kings preview (Game 23 of 82)

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (15-7, 2nd in the West) @ Sacramento Kings (13-9, 6th in the West)
When: Thursday, 14 December 2023 at 9:00pm CST
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Offensive Rating – SAC: 114.5 (14th) / OKC: 117.8 (6th)
Defensive Rating – SAC: 115.0 (20th) / OKC: 110.2 (5th)
Net Rating – SAC: -0.5 (20th) / OKC: 7.6 (3rd)

The Set-Up

On Tuesday, the city of Oklahoma City voted on whether to continue a one cent sales tax to pay for a new arena to essentially keep the Thunder in the Great Plains state for the foreseeable future (25+ years). The result: A 71-29 landslide victory for those in favor of the city paying for a new arena. The noise about whether the city would be able to keep the team has now been deemed null and void. OKC did what Seattle couldn’t do: which is keep their team via arena vote.

With that out of the way, it is now time to fully focus on this team. The vote nullified an air of uncertainty that had been around since OKC Mayor David Holt first suggested this situation would be decided by a vote. A surprising start has fueled the idea that this team could possibly do things come playoff time. With the worry of the unknown out of the way, could this pave the way for the team to start using their sizeable asset chest to bring in star talent/veteran role players? I would say “hold off on that thought”. The organization seems content on seeing how this current squad plays out. They have the makings of having three bonafide stars and could see a Durant/Westbrook/Harden-type situation happening a lot sooner than later. Only time will tell. But the good thing is that we have plenty of time now.

This is the second of four meetings between the Thunder and Kings. Sacramento won the first meeting 105-98.

Betting Info

Line: SAC -1.5
O/U: 244.5

Injury Report

OKC

None

SAC

Alex Len (ankle) – OUT
Trey Lyles (illness) – Questionable

Three Big Things

Attack the paint – In their last meeting against Sacramento, the Thunder settled way too much for mid-range jumpers. They were outscored in the paint, 46-58, and shot only 42% from the field. The Kings do not have a rim-protector and rank near the bottom of the league in blocks and points in the paint allowed.
Little House of Horrors – It does not matter what the building is called (Arco, Golden 1, etc), the arena in Sacramento always seems to be a little house of horrors for the Thunder. Since the rebuild started in the 2020-21 season, the Thunder are 0-7 in Sacramento. In fact, over that span, that team is 1-10 vs. the Kings. For some reason, this team has the Thunder’s number. Which is a little worrying because I could definitely see the Thunder facing someone like the Kings in the first round of the playoffs this season.
Play your game – The Kings are elite at defensive rebounding and getting back on defense. They lead the league in defensive rebound percentage and are 2nd in opponent fast break points. The team leading the league in allowing the least amount of opponent fast break points: the Houston Rockets. And we saw how well we fared against their defense. The Thunder have got to find a way to enforce their will on the Kings. Whether that’s turning them over to get into transition or running the break off a defensive rebound, the Thunder will have to get on the break to establish their game.

Utah Jazz vs. Thunder preview (Game 22 of 82)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Alex Roig

Utah Jazz (7-15, 12th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (14-7, 2nd in the West)
When: Monday, 11 December 2023 at 7:00pm CST
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Offensive Rating – UTA: 109.4 (26th) / OKC: 117.3 (8th)
Defensive Rating – UTA: 118.0 (25th) / OKC: 110.1 (6th)
Net Rating – UTA: -8.6 (27th) / OKC: 7.2 (3rd)

The Set-Up

That signature win at home. That win that made the Paycom feel like it was the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Where the thunderous drum guided the chants of defense and the crowd chanted “O…K…C!” when the team was on offense. We finally got that with the game against the Warriors. That feeling like we’re finally back. Walking back to my car that evening, the crowd was still in a fervor, chanting “OKC” as we crossed the underpass on Reno. It felt like the good ol’ days. Hopefully more of those days are forthcoming, because it was a great feeling.

As we head to a vote on Tuesday, December 12th, to determine if the city will continue the $0.01 cent tax in order to pay for a new, state of the art arena, remember that feeling. Remember what it feels like to have Oklahomans cheering for the same team, not divided by crimson and orange. Remember what it’s like to have Oklahomans coming together to enjoy something like the Thunder, instead of coming together in tragedy. This is what the MAPS program has created. And this is what can continue if the vote is YES on Tuesday, December 12th. Go vote! and vote YES!

This is the first of four meetings this season between these Northwest Division rivals.

Betting Info

Line: OKC -12.5
O/U: 234.5

Injury Report

OKC

Lu Dort (ankle) – OUT

UTA

John Collins (illness) – Questionable
Walker Kessler (foot) – OUT
Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) – OUT

Three Big Things

Rebounding – Utah is one of the best rebounding teams in the league, especially on the offensive end. While I know that two of their bigs are out, rebounding is still that much of an issue for OKC that I feel it needs to be addressed. Utah is down two of their best players in Kessler and Markkanen. They don’t need any motivation/incentive to remain in striking distance in this game. Offensive rebounding could give them that.
Turning them over – The Jazz are the fumbliest team in the league, leading the NBA in total turnovers and turnover percentage. Consequently, the Thunder are one of the best defenses and can turn defense to offense on a dime. It’s not that difficult. If both teams play their games, the Thunder will be more advantageous.
Trap game potential – Great win at home the previous game. Some players a little banged up (SGA, Dort). Utah kinda sucks. This has trap-game written all over it.

Golden State Warriors vs. Thunder preview (Game 21 of 82)

Posted on December 8, 2023 by okctopicthunder

Golden State Warriors (10-11, 11th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (13-7, 2nd in the West)
When – Friday, 08 December 2023 at 7:00pm CST
Where – Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Offensive Rating – GSW: 113.6 (15th) / OKC: 117.2 (6th)
Defensive Rating – GSW: 113.2 (16th) / OKC: 109.5 (3rd)
Net Rating – GSW: 0.4 (17th) / OKC: 7.6 (2nd)

The Set-Up

Yesterday, I was busy. So busy, in fact, that I didn’t have time to do my favorite “work, but not work” activity, which is to scroll through my Twitter timeline. When I did finally have some time to myself, I went to my adult pacifier and opened up my Twitter app. And, my word, was it a shit show. Listen, I get it. Sometimes a passionate fanbase can lend itself to hyperbolic statements from time to time. But, in the words of the youths: Bruh…stahp!. It was one bad game. Yes, it was against Houston. The team we’ve formulated this weird Twitter rivalry against ever since the James Harden trade. The team that probably killed the Thunder’s best chance at winning a championship (I’m looking at you, Pat Bev). But it was, honestly, just a weird vibes game. The Thunder had no energy from the start and Houston had a player that went supernova (Aaron Holiday). In an 82-game season, it’s going to happen from time to time.

The picture of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looking disappointed on the bench was turned into a call for the GM’s job, the coach’s job, and the trading of every player not named SGA. Building a contender takes time (years). The Thunder are 2-3 over their last 5 games. They lost to the No. 1 seed in the West by three points, the No. 4 seed in the East by 4, and then to Houston. In the process, they beat the In-Season tournament finalist Lakers by 23 and the Mavs in Dallas by 6. This team is honestly ahead of schedule and progressing just fine. Patience in a virtue, not just in life, but also in fandom. Woo-sah, people.

This is the fourth and final meeting this season between the Thunder and Warriors. The Warriors won the first meeting in Oklahoma City, while the Thunder won that last two in the Bay Area.

Betting Info

Line: OKC -2.5
O/U: 236.5

Injury Report

OKC

None

GSW

Gary Payton II (calf) – OUT

Three Big Things

Rebounding – The ugly rebounding monster is rearing it’s ugly head again. After a couple of weeks of improved rebounding, the Thunder fell off the wagon, losing the rebounding battle 30-53 on Wednesday. Every attempt for OKC to come back in that game was thwarted by a back-breaking offensive rebound by Houston and by Super Saiyan Aaron Holiday. The Warriors are one of the better rebounding teams in the league, so the Thunder will need to be hyper-focused on making sure the rebounding battle isn’t too unbalanced.
Tre Mann – I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the minutes Mann gave the Thunder on Wednesday. Thought to be lost to the abyss that is lack of developmental minutes, Mann came in and performed extremely well on both sides of the court. If teams are going to completely slack off of Josh Giddey, this may be the opportunity for the Thunder to try a new look at times in the game with Mann in as the de facto point guard. Orrrrrr, he could go back to the bench and play “victor cigar/blowout loss” minutes. It’ll be interesting to see how Coach Daigneault moves forward in this situation.
Chris Paul – As we head towards an important arena vote on December 12th, I just want to give my flowers to the man who was OKC’s first professional superstar…even as a rookie. Paul’s rookie and sophomore seasons were played in OKC as a member of the OKC/NO Hornets and his passion for the game spilled over into the fan base pretty quickly. We’ve all had a love/hate relationship with CP3 over the years, but there’s no doubt the importance he’s had on Oklahoma hoops.

Thunder @ Houston Rockets (Game 20 of 82)

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (13-6, 2nd in the West) @ Houston Rockets (8-9, 10th in the West)
When – Wednesday, 06 December 2023 at 7:00pm CST
Where – Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Offensive Rating – HOU: 112.6 (20th) / OKC: 117.9 (5th)
Defensive Rating – HOU: 110.0 (5th) / OKC: 109.5 (4th)
Net Rating – HOU: 2.6 (12th) / OKC: 8.4 (2nd)

The Set-Up

The come-up has been something to marvel for these teams that were bottom feeders just a few seasons ago. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder were bottom 5 in the league just a couple of seasons ago. Now, all three of the teams listed are either at the top of their conference or in second place. In addition, teams like Houston and Indiana have become extremely competitive and have the possibility of moving up in the standings as the season progresses. The cycle of change in the NBA is as consistent as the four seasons. Teams at the top now will inevitably be at the bottom in a couple of seasons. And visa versa. So here’s to the upcoming era of these teams for the next couple of seasons.

Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the Rockets and Thunder this season.

Betting Info

Line: OKC -2.5
O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

Ousmane Dieng (G-League assignment) – Not Available

HOU

Jock Londale (illness) – Questionable
Victor Oladipo (knee) – OUT
Amen Thompson (G-League assignment) – Not Available
Cam Whitmore (G-League assignment) – Not Available

Three Big Things

Giddey – Our point guard is averaging 1 assist per game over the last 3 games. He played a season low 16 minutes in the Thunder’s last game and seems to be struggling with his confidence. I know he has a lot going on in his personal life, but he has to play better. While the team has been successful despite Giddey’s erratic play, a normal Giddey type game could boost this team up even more. Maybe Mark Daigneault will find a line-up that can fit more to Giddey’s strengths when SGA goes to the bench. Maybe something like Giddey, Chet, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins/Kenrich Williams. Shooters and defenders around Giddey.
Pace – Houston is one of the slower paced teams in the league, while OKC is one of the higher paced teams. Both teams also do a good job of limiting turnovers. That said, if OKC can play their brand of basketball and cause Houston to turn the ball over, it should help facilitate their transition opportunities and shift the game towards their style of play.
Big man battle – The match-up we’ve all been waiting for. Chet vs. Sengun. On Twitter, Houston and OKC fans can be a bit contentious towards each other, and one of the main sticking points is Alperen Sengun. Houston fans love to point out the fact that OKC gave Sengun up in a draft day deal and that he is going to be one of their core pieces moving forward. OKC loves to point out the fact that Sengen is a traffic cone on defense and the Thunder still own the Rockets’ future for the next few seasons. The reality, as always, is somewhere in the middle. Sengun has been great this season, leading the Rockets in scoring (21 ppg) and rebounding (9.2), while being on a team that is 5th in defensive rating. But the Thunder have a better record, are further along in their rebuild, and still have a ton of assets (to include multiple first and second round picks from Houston). In addition, while channeling my inner Iron Man from the first Avengers movie, “We have a Chet”.

Thunder @ Dallas Mavericks preview (Game 19 of 82)

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (12-6, 3rd in the West) @ Dallas Mavericks (11-7, 4th in the West)
When – Saturday, 02 December 2023 at 8:00pm CST
Where – American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Offensive Rating – DAL: 117.5 (5th) / OKC: 117.6 (4th)
Defensive Rating – DAL: 117.0 (23rd) / OKC: 109.1 (5th)
Net Rating – DAL: 0.5 (17th) / OKC: 8.5 (2nd)

The Set-Up

The I-35 rivalry. The rivalry that is created because of location. Because of distance. But, luckily, for us fans, this rivalry has usually been a good one. The KD game-winner in the playoffs. Dirk completely decimating the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals on his way to his only championship. The various playoff match-ups. The Lu Dort defense on Luka. The Isaiah Joe game.

Luckily for all of us, there appears to be another rivalry budding with this current iteration. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have given the Mavs two superstar players that have performed at the top of their profession in every scenario possible in their careers. Luka finally has a collection of players around him that seem to complement his style of play. But Lu Dort awaits….

And Isaiah Joe.

Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the Mavericks and Thunder this season

Betting Info

Line: OKC -4.5
Spread: O/U 235.5

Injury Report

OKC

None

DAL

Dante Exum (personal) – OUT
Josh Green (elbow) – Day to Day
Tim Hardaway Jr (back) – Day to Day
Kyrie Irving (foot) – Day to Day
Maxi Kleber (toe) – OUT

Three Big Things

Luka Doncic – Luka is having another amazing season. Of the 5 players in the league that are averaging over 30 points per game, Luka and SGA are two of them. In games past, though, Luka has struggled with efficiency when playing against the Thunder. A lot of that can be attributed to Lu Dort’s defense. Doncic’s physical style suits Dort’s defense more than a fast, twitchy offensive player.
Rebounding Battle – Neither of these two teams are good at rebounding, with both being at or near the bottom of most rebounding categories. But the Thunder has shown improvement and effort in the rebounding department over the past week or so. It has allowed them to blow some teams out that were also near the bottom of those statistics with them.
Chet – For some reason, I feel like this is a game where Chet can dominate. Not just in the scoring department, but also in all the things big men are supposed to do well (rebounding, interior defense, etc). The Mavs will be trotting out rookie Derrick Lively and Dwight Powell. Lively has been a lot better than I expected this season. And Powell is a good, aging veteran. It just feels like Chet will dominate over these two tonight.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Thunder preview (Game 18 of 82)

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Alex Roig

Los Angeles Lakers (11-8, 7th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-6, 4th in the West)
When – Thursday, 30 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
Where – Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Offensive Rating – LAL: 111.3 (24th) / OKC: 117.0 (8th)
Defensive Rating – LAL: 111.7 (9th) / OKC: 109.4 (5th)
Net Rating – LAL: -0.4 (19th) / OKC: 7.6 (3rd)

The Set-Up

Expectations. The curse of becoming good. The “rebuilding team” narrative that plagued OKC for the past three seasons is now being replaced by the complaining culture when a team isn’t winning every game that it plays. “Josh Giddey doesn’t fit with this team.” “Mark Daigneault doesn’t know how to coach in close games.” “Is Lu Dort an anchor on the offense when he isn’t hitting his 3-point shot?” Et cetera. Et cetera.

But this is the natural progression in the NBA. If you are building through the draft, the progression is usually a couple of seasons of bad basketball, which gives you the young players you need to build off of. Then you have a couple of seasons of figuring out how to win consistently in the regular season (This is where we’re currently at). Then you hopefully have a couple of seasons of playoff experience. Then, if you’re lucky, you become a contender. It’s a process. People look at the finished product that is the Denver Nuggets, but forget that Aaron Gordon is in his 10th season, Nikola Jokic is in his 9th, and Jamal Murray is in his 8th. It takes time and it takes patience.

Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the Lakers and Thunder this season

Betting Info

Line: OKC -5.5
Spread: O/U 233.5

Injury Report

OKC

None

LAL

Rui Hachimura (nose) – OUT
Jaxson Hayes (elbow) – Questionable
Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) – OUT
Gabe Vincent (knee) – OUT

Three Big Things

Protect the paint – The Lakers are one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league. They are dead last in 3-point attempts and 3-pointers made and are 28th in 3-point percentage. They get most of their points in the paint (49.4%, which is 2nd in the league). This will be a game where Chet Holmgren’s defense may have a huge impact in how the Thunder do.
SGA – The lights normally shine brightest when the Lakers are playing and that’s when SGA shines. Even when the Thunder were rebuilding, the Thunder (and SGA) would usually have great games against the purple and gold.
LeBron – We rarely get to see LeBron in OKC. Over the past few seasons, he’s either been hurt or he’s been “hurt” when the Lakers make their trip to OKC. I’m glad the Thunder are now relevant enough to the King to grace us his presence in OKC.

Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves preview (Game 17 of 82 / In-Season Tournament Game #4)

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (11-5, 2nd in the West) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (12-4, 1st in the West)
When – Tuesday, 28 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
Where – Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Offensive Rating – MIN: 113.2 (13th) / OKC: 117.9 (6th)
Defensive Rating – MIN: 106.8 (2nd) / OKC: 109.6 (7th)
Net Rating – MIN: 6.4 (4th) / OKC: 8.3 (3rd)

The Set-Up

If you are writing a story about the come-up of a great young team, you always have to have the protagonist. The rival the team has to overcome to make it to the top of that mountain. For the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls, it was the Detroit Pistons. For the Kobe/Shaq Lakers, it was the Sacramento Kings. For the Curry Warriors, it was Mark Jackson. For this iteration of the Thunder, we still don’t know who that team is. It could be the Orlando Magic. The San Antonio Spurs. Maybe the Houston Rockets.

Or it could be the team that we’ve already faced in a non-regular season scenario. These two teams faced off in the 2nd round game of the Play-In Tournament last season, with Minnesota out-dueling the Thunder on their way to a 120-95 victory. The Wolves were very physical and bested the Thunder in points in the paint, 58-30. The frontcourt tandem of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns combined to score 49 points and grab 19 rebounds, while shooting 19 free throws.

Season Series – This is the first meeting this season between these division rivals.

Injury Report

OKC

None

MIN

Jaylen Clark (Achilles) – Out
Jaden McDaniels (ankle) – Out
Jordan McLaughlin (knee) – Out

Three Big Things

High stakes – Okay, so these may not be huge stakes. No one really cares about who’s number one in their conference 17 games into an 82-game season. I get it. But, man, would it feel good to be conference king for a day. If nothing else, a win gives you a leg up on a division/conference rival for future playoff seeding and knocks Minnesota out of the In-Season Tournament.
Big rotation – It’ll be interesting to see how head coach Mark Daigneault handles the big rotation tonight. We saw in the Philly game his willingness to play two bigs in Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams. What could be most interesting is the Naz Reid vs. Kenrich Williams match-up that I think we’ll see some tonight.
Shooting – I’ve got a secret for you guys. The Thunder, now hear me out, tend to do better when their 3-point shot is falling. I know, I know. Shocking! All kidding aside, the Thunder have turned into the quintessential modern NBA team. Most of their shots come from the 3-point line and in the paint. Only 7.6% of their points come from the mid-range. And while the Thunder do lead the league in 3-point percentage, when that shot isn’t falling, the offense can get very clunky. Players like Lu Dort and Cason Wallace, who started the season off hot, have now regressed to where they likely will be for the rest of the season. And if Isaiah Joe isn’t completely flame-throwing from deep, the offense looks even worse.

Chicago Bulls vs. Thunder preview (Game 15 of 82)

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Alex Roig

Chicago Bulls (5-10) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-4)
When: Wednesday, 22 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Offensive Rating – CHI: 108.5 (27th) / OKC: 116.9 (8th)
Defensive Rating – CHI: 113.0 (16th) / OKC: 108.4 (4th)
Net Rating – CHI: -4.5 (23rd) / OKC: 8.5 (2nd)

The Set-Up

Breaks can act like momentum killers during an 82-game season. Over the past five games (since November 12th), the Thunder have been 4th in Offensive Rating, 1st in Defensive Rating, 1st in Net Rating, 2nd in Field Goal percentage, 3rd in points, 1st in 3-point FG percentage, 1st in steals and 1st in plus/minus. During that time, they had nothing more than a day off between games. Momentum can be like muscle memory to athletes. So when there is an unfamiliar amount of time off, it can throw a player’s (or team’s) mojo off.

After playing nearly every other day for the better part of a month, the Thunder now find themselves with some time between games. In the last 8 days, the Thunder played 5 games. It’s going to take them 13 days to play their next 5 games. Five days may not seem like a huge difference to you or I. But to an athlete, having that much time between games can disrupt their timing.

Season Series – OKC leads 1-0, having won 124 – 104 on 25 October 2023

Injury Report

OKC

Jalen Williams (hip) – Out

CHI

Lonzo Ball (knee) – Out
Alex Caruso (toe) – Probable
Zach Lavine (foot) – Probable
Patrick Williams (finger) – Probable

Three Big Things

Chet – It will be interesting to see the duality of how Chet played in his career opener versus how he plays in this game. In that game, Chet scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting, grabbed 4 boards, dished out 3 assists, and got a steal. But all anyone focused on was on the couple of plays where Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond used their strength to score some points against Chet. Fast-forward nearly a month later and Chet looks like an entirely different player. All the nerves have been shed and the player that was the 2nd pick in the 2022 draft is showing why he should’ve likely been drafted No. 1 in that draft.
Take Care of Business – The Bulls just aren’t a very good team. They are inefficient offensively and mid-tier defensively. But when you look at the players on the team, you know that any one of them can go off at any moment. Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan have all had 50 point games in their careers. Vucevic was once one of the premier offensive centers in the league. And guys like Alex Caruso, Jevon Carter, and Coby White can all microwave enough to become big distractions. If the Thunder can focus in and play their game, the result should be similar to the one procured in the first game of the season.
Coach Daigneault – It’s a little jarring how quickly the student has become the master. Chicago coach Billy Donovan did not want to go through a rebuild when he decided not to re-sign with the Thunder after the 2019-20 season. The Thunder signed Daigneault to take over the reins that offseason. While the results have been as expected when it comes to the rebuilding part of the equation, the bearing of fruit has come along much quicker than thought. And a lot of that success is due to the leadership under Daigneault. The Bulls have lost three straight to the Thunder over the past two seasons, including this one.

Thunder @ Golden State Warriors preview (Game 12 of 82)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (7-4) @ Golden State Warriors (6-6)
When: Thursday, 16 November 2023 at 9:00pm CST
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Offensive Rating – GS: 112.5 (15th) / OKC: 113.9 (9th)
Defensive Rating – GS: 110.5 (9th) / OKC: 109.2 (7th)
Net Rating – GS: 2.1 (11th) / OKC: 4.7 (6th)

The Set-Up

Catching breaks. In an 82-game season, there are times where you just catch a break. Maybe you catch a team where you are their 5th game in 7 nights. Sometimes you catch a team that is resting their (“injured”) star(s). Sometimes you just catch a team on an off-night. But there’s a duality in catching a team in a bad state. The other part to the equation is you have to come out and take advantage of the situation. When the Thunder played the Sacramento Kings nearly a week ago, they faced a Kings team that had lost 3 of their last 4 previous games and was without their star guard in De’Aaron Fox. The Thunder came out and completely laid an egg and lost, not just a regular season game, but an In-Season Tournament game.

The Thunder come into this game facing a Warriors team that is missing Steph Curry and Draymond Green. With all that said, this is still a dangerous squad. Game 6 Klay is always lurking, Andrew Wiggins used to be one of the biggest thorns in the Thunder’s side back a couple of seasons ago, and Chris Paul can always conjure up magic from time to time. The Thunder need to take advantage of the circumstances that have presented themselves and win these next two games.

Injury Report

OKC

None

Steph Curry (knee) – Out
Draymond Green (suspension) – Out

Three Big Things

Rebounding – I know this has been an issue all season. But rebounding is one of those things that can equalize a game for a team that is missing some of their key rotational pieces. Allowing a team like the Warriors extra possessions is not a recipe for success. The Thunder have done a better job of gang rebounding, but still rank near the bottom in every rebounding statistical category.
SGA – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t play in the last Warriors game due to sprained knee. Even with his absence, the Thunder nearly won their last meeting against Golden State. Oklahoma City did a great job of attacking the lane and looking for the open shooter. It was almost Golden State’esque. With SGA in the line-up, the Thunder should be able to do even more damage on the interior, especially with the absence of Draymond Green.
Limit the Others – This feels like the type of trap game where someone like Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga could go off for their career highs. Or someone like Dario Saric could have a “Wow that’s what he looked like before all the injuries” kind of game. The Thunder cannot be lulled into a false sense of security with Curry and Green out for the game.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 11 of 82 / In-Season Tournament Game #3)

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Alex Roig

San Antonio Spurs (3-7) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-4)
When: Tuesday, 14 October 2023 at 6:30pm CST
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Offensive Rating – SA: 108.4 (26th) / OKC: 113.6 (8th)
Defensive Rating – SA: 119.8 (29th) / OKC: 112.0 (15th)
Net Rating – SA: -11.3 (30th) / OKC: 1.7 (12th)

The Set-Up

Some rivalries form naturally over time. Take for instance the rivalry between the Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies in the late 2000s to early 2010s. That was more of a clash of styles that turned in some highly entertaining playoff games and series. The Grit-N-Grind Grizz vs. the superstar-laden Thunder. Defense (Grizz) vs. Offensive (Thunder). It made for a good rivalry. Nothing necessarily great, but entertaining, nonetheless.

Some rivalries, though, you see them coming from a mile away. Chamberlain vs. Russell. Magic vs. Bird. Jordan vs. the Bad Boy Pistons. There’s a greatness component involved in all of this, but there’s also a sense of inevitability. Like, this was meant to happen. What we see tonight may be the next evolution of an expected rivalry. Chet vs. Wemby. The Spurs may not currently be good and the Thunder may just be beginning their rise, but it is almost the expectation that these two teams will be battling for Western Conference supremacy for the next decade. And the match-up at the forefront of all games will likely be focused in on the two 7-footers who play the game in a way that has never been seen from players that height. A lot of people will tell you this is part 3 in their rivalry (U19 and then the preseason this year). But no. This is part 1. The beginning. The genesis of what could be an intense rivalry. And to top it off, it’s occurring during an In-Season Tournament pool play game. Bring on the high-stakes play!

Injury Report

OKC

None

Keldon Johnson (knee) – Questionable
Tre Jones (hamstring) – Questionable
Jeremy Sochan (groin) – Questionable

Three Big Things

Spurs aren’t terrible – Despite what the record and stats show, the Spurs are not a terrible team. Now, will they finish with a bad record? Yes, likely. But, a lot like the Thunder in recent memory, the Spurs will hang with teams for most of the games. It’s the end of games that tend to trip the Spurs up. That experience in late-game situations is something they are severely lacking. If you allow them to stick around, though, they can be a problem. Just ask the Suns.
Pace/Turnover Battle – This should be a barn-burner of a game. Both teams are top-10 in pace and they both like to get out in transition. Both teams average about 15 turnovers per game. It feels like the team that limits their turnovers will prevent the other team’s main offensive engine from getting started up.
Play to your strengths – While the Spurs have good defensive players in Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio, as a team, is probably the worst defensive outfit in the league. They give up a league-worst 124.2 points per game. Meanwhile, the Thunder are one of the more efficient offenses in the league, coming in at 4th in 3-point percentage (37.5%), 1st in free-throw percentage (85.8%), 5th in effective field-goal percentage (55.7%), and 3rd in true-shooting percentage (60.1%). If the Thunder play their brand of basketball, they should win.