Thunder vs Raptors: Pregame Primer
vs.
Raptors (4-0, 2-0 road) vs. Thunder (3-1, 2-0 home)
TV: FS Oklahoma
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 1300 AM The Buzz Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 111.8 (2nd), Raptors – 107.1 (4th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 105.2 (22nd), Raptors – 95.3 (6th)
The Thunder took its first L of the season in Houston and officially will not be the first team in NBA history to go 82-0. Sorry, y’all. After building a 14 point lead early in the third, foul trouble sent Westbrook to the bench and the game into a frenzy. Houston pounced on the Thunder reserves and Harden closed the deal for a 110-105 win over big blue.
Sidenote: Did anyone else feel like they were watching Billy Donovan’s best Scott Brooks impression or was that just me? Let me know.
Now it’s back to the Peake to take on a team that still has a shot at history, the undefeated Toronto Raptors. This is the first 4-0 start in franchise history and it’s on the line tonight against the Thunder (to be read in your best Mike Tirico voice).
3 Big Things
1. Turnovers
The Thunder offense, including the highest-scoring duo in the league, faces a really skilled defense tonight. The Raptors are holding opponents to an Eastern-Conference best 38.7 percent from the field. Toronto is coming off a game last night in Dallas where they held the Mavericks to 38.4 percent shooting and blanked them for four solid minutes in the fourth quarter.
The Thunder offense has been scoring at an elite clip so far this year, but has also turned the ball over way too much for Billy Donovan’s liking.
“I thought our turnovers tonight, 25 is too much and we’ve really got to try and make some strides and get better in that area.” said Donovan.
Durant-Westbrook-Augustin combined for 18 of those 25 and will all match up against good defenders tonight (Lowry, Carroll and Joseph). Cutting down on turnovers and controlling pace starts with these three.
2. The Search for A-Mo
Billy Donovan loves space, and ball movement. Anthony Morrow creates space, and crushes teams as the recipient of good ball movement. Which begs the question… “WHERE HE AT THO?”
There’s just no reason for Morrow to not see the floor with Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka in the second half of games. None.
3. Westbrook
Kyle Lowry has had a great offseason and start to this regular season. He continued last night with 27-10-5 against the Mavericks. With Westbrook’s defense up and down to begin the year this could be a very entertaining duel.
Westbrook has been fantastic offensively and flashed some incredible passing ability Monday night. When he went out of the game in the third, the turnovers piled up and the offense stalled. When he returned in the fourth the Thunder made its run. A gentle reminder that Russ the Creator can change a game as much as Russ the Scorer.
The Thunder need two-way Russ to make an impact tonight to get to 4-1.
4. Bonus Thing
Monday’s COTN: “Thats twice that the Rockets have “stolen” the ball with good solid form tackles that force a fumble” – @Zach99
J.J. Watt looked on with pride.
Tip at 7:00 CT. Go bounce back.
