Tag Archives: Tobias Harris

Detroit Pistons vs. Thunder preview (Game 76 of 82)

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  • Detroit Pistons (42-33) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (63-12)
  • When: Wednesday, 02 April 2025 at 8:30pm CSTS
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – DET: 114.6 (12th) / OKC: 119.2 (3rd)
  • Defensive Rating – DET: 112.0 (10th) / OKC: 106.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating – DET: 2.6 (11th) / OKC: 13.2 (1st)

The Set-Up
Greatness. It’s a combination of many variables that allows a team to be called great. The Oklahoma City Thunder had a previous iteration that many people considered great. The Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka teams may have been great, talent-wise, but did they lack that greatness mindset that other teams may have possessed. Think about the Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson Warriors. Great team, but a greatness mindset to match. The Jordan, Pippen, Rodman Bulls. Same thing. I think this is where we stand with this current iteration of the Thunder. A great team with a mindset to match.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between these two teams. The Thunder won the first meeting in Detroit, 113-107. It has been one of the more tighter games for the Thunder after the All-Star Break.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -13.5
  • O/U: 232.5
  • Injury Report

    OKC
  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (ankle)
  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (calf)
  • Alex Ducas – OUT (quad)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (toe)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)
  • Aaron Wiggins – OUT (Achilles)

    DET
  • Cade Cunningham – OUT (calf)
  • Tobias Harris – Questionable (Achilles)
  • Ron Holland II – OUT (suspension)
  • Jaden Ivey – OUT (leg)
  • Marcus Sasser – OUT (suspension)
  • Isaiah Stewart – OUT (suspension)

Three Big Things

1. Take Care of Business – The Pistons are likely going to be missing key pieces of their rotation in this game. Isaiah Stewart and Ron Holland II are out after their suspensions from the fracas against the Timberwolves a couple of nights ago. Cade Cunningham is likely out due to a calf issue. If the Thunder play their game, this baby may be over by halftime.

2. Rebounding – Probably about the only statistic where the Pistons have a leg up on the Thunder is rebounding. But that’s with a full roster. With Cunningham and Stewart out, the responsibility of manning the boards may fall solely on Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, who is coming back from injury. The Pistons may not have the personnel to exhibit dominance in this area tonight.

3. J-Dub, All-NBA? – With this game, Jalen Williams officially reaches 65 games played for the season. He’s already seen his first All-Star game appearance this season. Is he now in line for a spot on one of the three All-NBA teams? It’ll be close and he may literally be the first guy outside of the 15 players on the All-NBA teams. But his play on both ends of the floor may be the determining factor that gets him on one of the All-NBA teams. His versatility on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor may get him the nod over someone who may only play one end of the floor.

Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder preview (Game 66 of 82)

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magic thunder

  • When: Friday, 15 March 2013 at 7:00 PM CST
  • Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

If you are an established small market team that builds through the draft and smart, cost-effective moves, you are said to be using the San Antonio model of team building. But if you are a rebuilding team, collecting draft picks and young players, you are said to be using the Oklahoma City model of team building. The Oklahoma City Thunder are using the San Antonio blueprint, while battling the Spurs for Western Conference supremacy. The Orlando Magic, on the other hand, are using the OKC model to rebuild after Dwight Howard napalmed the team for two consecutive seasons.

Two years after making it to the Finals, the Magic were struggling to remain relevant in an Eastern Conference that now boasted a super team in Miami, a wunderkind point guard in Chicago, and a scoring title threat in New York. Howard could see the writing on the wall, but waffled between staying with the team and wanting to be traded. The indecision on the part of both parties (Howard and the Magic’s) delayed the inevitable, frustrating both the Magic front office and the fan base for 2 seasons. Howard was eventually traded this past offseason to the Los Angles Lakers in a four team deal that included 12 players and 5 draft picks.

Orlando Magic v Los Angeles Clippers

Heading into this meeting with the Thunder, the Magic find themselves at 18-47, good for 14th in the Eastern Conference. After surprisingly starting the season with a 12-13 record, the Magic proceeded to lose 34 of their next 40 games. This will be the first of two meeting between these two teams. The Thunder swept the season series last season in two tightly contested games.

Probable Starting Line-ups

Orlando Magic

  • PG – Jameer Nelson
  • SG – Arron Afflalo
  • SF – Moe Harkless
  • PF – Tobias Harris
  • C – Nikola Vucevic

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Thabo Sefolosha
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Kendrick Perkins

3 Keys to the Game

Protect the ball – Orlando is an extremely young, athletic team that feasts on turnovers. If the Thunder get too careless with the ball, the Magic will make them pay in transition. There’s no need to give a young team momentum to think they can win at your place.

ibaka and perk

Rebounding – The Magic are 15th in the league in rebounding, but have a double-double machine in athletic center Nikola Vucevic. With Vucevic patrolling the paint and Mo Harkless/Tobias Harris keeping Serge Ibaka outside of the paint, it will be up to Kevin Durant and the guards to help out in the rebounding department.

durant posting

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook: Post up offense – Both Westbrook and Durant will have significant height advantages on their defenders. Look for them to post up early and often.