Oklahoma City Thunder

at

Los Angeles Clippers

Preview

The History

The Clippers are coming off a loss in Monday night's game versus New Orleans. The Thunder are on the second half of a back to back, the first game last night was a discouraging loss to the Kings. While the Thunder were in the game and even had a good look at a last shot to force overtime they played with little energy. Hopefully tonight they come out with a sense of urgentcy and get back on track.

The Matchups

Baron Davis v Russell Westbrook

A tough matchup for Westbrook, he is going to have to be committed to defense if he wants to keep Davis from having a big night. Against Sacramento Westbrook had a poor shooting night but did have 6 assists. Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans did not seem to have much trouble getting shots off against Westbrook last night that has to improve tonight since Davis can shoot the Clippers into a win if he gets hot.

Edge

Quarter by Quarter observations

First Quarter

15 seconds in and Durant has a steal and dunk.

Green gets the block on Thompson down in the post.

Green takes Thompson down into the low post and uses his athleticism to get a nice look for Westbrook.

Sefolosha has two turnovers already he is trying to drive and kick but it just isn't there, he needs to pull up and drain a couple first before that opens up.

Thabo again with the drive and kick results in another turn over. He is struggling already, trying to do something with the ball.

Westbrook with a nice three, his improved shooting the past couple of games has been a breath of fresh air.

Westbrook with the good decision, he ran the side pick and roll with Krstic and when the Kings chose to deny Krstic the ball Westbrook pulled up and shot the jumper, makes the first and Jeff Green knocks the second off Hawes to maintain possession

Krstic is struggling to find the distance. He is shooting from the side of the basket instead of in front of the basket. Just a thought he appears to miss more from the sides than from in front.

Green makes a great play down low fighting for the rebound and gets the basket.

Thabo is on Evans and he is doing a great job denying him the ball, almost gets the steal but forces the bad shot to beat the shot clock.

Westbrook cuts into the lane and gets to the basket, he just makes it look easy.

Jeff Green is just abusing whoever the Kings put down low.

Harden, Collison, Ollie, Sefolosha, and Thomas are on the court and it looks like they are having issues find shots.

Harden makes a great three off the work of Thabo, Thabo got the ball down low worked it in and passed it to a waiting Harden at the top of the key.

Score to end the Quarter 26-24 Thunder

Oklahoma City Thunder

at

Sacramento Kings

Preview

The History

Sacramento seems like a long time ago now, but just under 2 weeks ago they served as the home opener for the Thunder. In a game that served to energize the Thunder fans and set a new benchmark for success the Thunder claimed victory over the Kings 102-89. This would be the first game Thabo Sefolosha would frustrate and limit an established scorer but it wouldn't be the last. This time around the Kings are in even worse position to get the win as Kevin Martin, who led the Kings with 27 points, will not be playing.

The Matchups

Beno Udrih v Russell Westbrook

With Kevin Martin out the Kings have shifted Tyreke Evans to shooting guard and put Beno Udrih into the starters spot, and he has rewarded them with points and a decent assist to turnover ratio. In the past four games he has put up double digit points and has had more assists than turns in every game but one. Westbrook torched the Kings last time he played them with 13 assists, 14 points, and 7 rebounds. Look for more of the same tonight.

Edge

I want four wins too Scotty

Who would have thought 6 games in the OKC Thunder would be 3-3, and if the season ended today an eighth seed in the playoffs? No one expected this out of the Thunder. Sure they were supposed to get another year under their belt and next year get to the playoffs. But still its early and although the Thunder are off to this surprising start few people are talking about them and few expect them to maintain this success. Here is where it gets interesting, the Thunder's next four games @Kings, @Clippers, @Spurs, and back home for the Clippers again. Four games that the Thunder have a very real chance of winning. Yes they are both back to backs but the hardest game in my opinion, @Spurs, is the front half and the back half is at home. I know it is hard to go on the road and win particularly in a back to back situation but if you have to go on the road and go back to back who would you want to play? The Grizzlies and Timberwolves, okay maybe that would be the best case scenario but Kings and Clippers isn't half bad. Let's take a look at each game individually real quick and see why the Thunder might win and why they might lose.

Quarter by Quarter observations

First Quarter

Westbrook makes a great pass; he got Howard to commit to the block and passed it off to Krstic for the bucket.

Thabo smooth from three, he is really shooting a lot better this year. He is over .500 from the field and better from three than from two.

Good defense by Krstic down low.

KD is going to the Mason move a little too much and refs just aren't biting. Against Houston he wasn't getting the call and that has carried over to tonights game.

Krstic has hit his first two shots, which bodes well for the thunder if they are going to keep Howard out of the paint.

So far on three possessions that have gone to Howard we have Krstic playing good defense on the first two with a make and a miss and on the third Krstic just allowed Howard to get too deep and was forced to foul

Krstic is clearly the focus of the Thunder early on and it is going well

KD with the steal and gets fouled on the finish makes both free throws

Thabo with the steal and gets fouled on the run out.

Howard is coming out to challenge Krstic further from the rim, which should open up the lane for Westbrook.

Krstic again with good defense on Howard forces him out wide and Howard can't find the distance.

Krstic is hitting from everywhere when he catches and shoots in rhythm, when he catches and hesitates his shot looks worse and probably isn't going in.

Green makes a great up and under move but can't get the shot to fall.

Krstic is headed out, he has done a great job so far but he is holding his wrist and is headed back to the locker room.

Etan is doing a good job of denying Howard his spot on the low block, both he and Krstic are really working to deny Howard his spot on the block.

Right now Orlando's outside shooters are ice cold so the Thunder is doubling Howard in the low post when he catches the ball

Thomas can't handle the pass from Westbrook but he had the open lane to the basket when Howard moved to stop Westbrook's penetration.

Ollie makes a nice shot as the shot clock expires. Don't tell anyone I said something nice about him, but he is having a pretty good game.

The Thunder did not get down early for the first time in the past two games, and right now they are up 4.

Livingston makes the hard pass to Etan and he can't handle it.

Harden with the steal, the Thunder are playing some pretty good team defense. This new system they are using has really paid dividends already, I don't know if this is Brook's system or not but it is working.

Right now the Thunder have three steals to zero for the Magic

Krstic is coming back to the bench with tape on his pinky, Brian Davis said he dislocated his pinky, hope this doesn't affect his shooting.

Orlando is not shooting well from the line. They are now 10 of 16 from charity. 

Score to end the Quarter 25-23 Magic

Oklahoma City Thunder

vs

Orlando Magic

The view from the other side

thepunsarestartingtoboreme.com

Preview

The History

Last time Dwight Howard was in OKC he put up a triple double, 30 pts 19 rebounds 10 blocks. When the Thunder went to Orlando he dropped 21 pts and 23 rebounds. So Howard has to be licking his chops for the upcoming matchup. The first game last season Kevin Durant was out and the result was a seventeen point loss. Robert Swift, Johan Petro, Mouhamed Sene, and Steven Hill combined for 35 min. The second game, another 9 point loss, saw Kevin Durant get a double double and Russell Westbrook just miss one with 9 rebounds.

The Matchups

Jameer Nelson v Russell Westbrook

All Star point guard vs hopefully future all star point guard. Nelson started out hot from three but has cooled slightly. When Jameer Nelson has less than 5 turnovers the Magic win the one game, against Detroit, where he turned the ball over 5 times with 6 assists. When Hustle has over 10 assists the Thunder win, it might seem overly simplistic but really when Hustle is setting up good shots for his teammates and they are knocking them down he is getting assists and the Thunder are getting wins. How many more assists does he have if KD can knock down a few more shots against Portland when he went 3-20, or against the Lakers when KD had two chances to end the game but couldn't get his shot to fall, or in any of the three losses when Krstic struggled so much. Westbrooks assists are, like it or not, a barometer for how well this team is shooting.

Edge