SB Nation - Etan Thomas

Game 24 Recap: Dallas 100, Oklahoma City 86

Zorgon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:27:18 -0000

More photos » by Larry W. Smith - NBAE/Getty Images

Nick Collison only wishes he had hair like Dirk's!

To an outsider, this game might look like just another Dallas blowout. But, the final score isn't indicative at all of how the game went. It was a close, hard fought battle, with the Thunder keeping a slim lead until the very end of the 3rd, where they went down by 4. But, they battled back and actually gained a 75-71 advantage 4 minutes into the fourth quarter. But then, it all went to pot, as Dallas outscored Oklahoma City 29-11 in the waning minutes of the game.

But, the important question is, are things really going that badly for the Thunder? The answer is no. Are the collapses indicative of the team tiring or tuckering out? Again, no. The simple fact is that we're a young team, and the past 3 games we've played older, more experienced teams. These teams know how to turn on and off the heat at exactly the right times in order to achieve the best results. If they turned it on in the first or second quarter, like we do, then they'd be giving the other team an opportunity to come back. As a young team, we do the opposite. We charge out the gate, even assuming a 17-8 lead at one point, play extremely hard through the 2nd and 3rd, and then tucker out in the 4th when it's showtime. I mean, haven't you ever wondered why, during March Madness, the 14 seed will be leading the 3 seed by something like 60-50 with 10 minutes left? It's because they can't afford to play lackadaisically, and have to try to assume a large enough lead to where they can prevent the better team from coming back. But the better team almost always does come back to win. It's the same principle for the Thunder.

There's really not much else to say about this game. Our Big 3 scored decently but shot poorly, our role players scored decently and shot well, and we have absolutely no interior defense. Dirk, come eat us alive, because we can't stop ya! And no, I don't think Etan Thomas would have done a batter job than Collison or Krstic. Not against such a versatile scorer like Dirk.

On to the awards....

Thunder Wonder: Jeff Green, 15 Points, 7-11 Shooting, 11 Rebounds. Surprisingly, Jeff Green had a decent game against a big Power Forward. Is this the end of the trend of him playing horribly against big men? Nope. Dirk isn't your typical big man. I'll need to see him do well against a legitimate big man first before I shine in any ray of hope.

Thunder Down Under: Serge Ibaka, 6 Points, 3-4 Shooting, 6 Rebounds, and 0 Fouls in 14 minutes. One of his most productive performances yet, and he actually didn't commit a foul! What is this, bizarro world? Many props go out to Ibaka for significantly improving his game throughout the course of the season.

Thunder Blunders: I rarely give out two awards, but tonight, I have to. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. So many missed shots....

Thunder Plunderer: Dirk Nowitski, 35 Points, 11 Rebounds. No question here.

Next Game: Versus the Pistons, Friday, December 18th, 7 PM CST.

Loud Links: 12|16|09

daddydai — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:24:48 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

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2009-2010 Hollinger Projections - All Players - ESPN
[Guys we have a new superstar on our hands. Just click the link above and see how Hollinger's numbers put Kyle Weaver above the league's creme de la creme.] The rookie swingman was a poor man's Thabo Sefolosha, showing an ability to defend and handle the ball but displaying an iffy shooting stroke and generally poor offensive instincts. Weaver wasn't half-bad shooting on the rare occasions he launched, hitting 34.4 percent on 3s and 47.7 percent on long 2s, and he made a stellar 59.6 percent in the immediate basket area. But too often he was a wallflower -- only two shooting guards had a lower Usage Rate and he averaged just 10.2 points per 40 minutes. Additionally, for a guy who spotted up for his rare shot opportunities, he was shockingly turnover prone. Weaver's turnover ratio was the third-worst among shooting guards; normally guys like this are in the top ten because they're required to do so little. Although he seemed a good ball handler, his pure point rating also was poor, coming in at 44th at the position.

Livingston Keeps Moving Forward Without Looking Back -- NBA FanHouse
[It is great to see Shaun Livingston get more playing time. Doesn't Jamario Moon and Shaun look like brothers? I hope Shaun gets those hops back.] "There's certainly things that I lack athletically,'' said Livingston, comparing himself to before the injury, when he was averaging 9.3 points for the 2006-07 Clippers and appeared well on his way to being a fine NBA player after being taken with the No. 4 pick in 2004 directly from high school. "Speed and quickness and the initial burst and a maybe a little bit of jumping. But I'll sacrifice a little bit of that just to be able to play the game. I can still play in this league and make a difference.''

Just seeing Livingston on the court serves as an inspiration to his teammates. Forward Nick Collison said he's "really impressed with him with all that he's been through.'' Ollie feels likewise. "To see him being out there playing, you look at a guy who has persevered and gotten through certain things in his career, and he's not given up,'' Ollie said. "That fires up everybody when you see a player who's going through those things and you know he's a better person for it . ... He's continuing to bounce back and continuing to fight and hopefully he'll have success this season and beyond and get back to the position he wants to be.''

Biggest Story of the Year? SI.com
So as not to bring out the big storylines yet, I'm going to say the Thunder's being above .500. Generally, a young team with one dominant scorer -- Kevin Durant, at 28.3 points per game, is averaging 12 more than the second-highest scorer, Russell Westbrook -- equates to a struggling team. But there the Thunder stand, just one game out of a playoff spot, even as people in Seattle remain angry about a franchise that was hijacked from under them. But "quarter pole" should be in boldface -- it's really early.

Sweat Equity: Arinze Onuaku's path to 1,000 points | Orange Basketball Blog - syracuse.com
[Etan's record in Syracuse is being threatened.] In the past 20 years, 24 players have reached the 1,000-point mark at Syracuse. Of those two dozen, only three were true centers — Otis Hill (1,416 points) and Etan Thomas (1,340)."Over the years, the guards do most of the scoring," said Onuaku. "You have to have the mentality that if you get the ball in scoring position, you have to take advantage of that and you’re going to score." Onuaku’s done that. He reached 1,000 points despite the fact that he’s never taken a 3-point shot. In fact, one could probably count on one hand the number of shots he’s taken outside the free-throw lane. But once Onuaku establishes position close to the basket, he’s nearly unstoppable. He is Syracuse’s career leader in field-goal percentage. His career percentage of 64.3 represents a Bob Beamon-esq leap beyond former leader Etan Thomas’ mark of 60 percent.

CavsHQ Running Thoughts - Cavs v. Thunder - 12/13/09 | CavsHQ - cleveland.com - cleveland.com
[I really need to start giving Krstic more respect.] Shaquille O'Neal looked good on Friday against Joel Pryzbilla, which is why it was a surprise that he would struggle mightily against Nenad Krstic. Shaq had 5 fouls and 3 turnovers in just over 18 minutes of play, and was once again pretty insignificant out there. While Shaq does give the Cavs a consistent plan of attack in the halfcourt, it would be better if that plan was working better.

Thunder notebook: Star search | NewsOK.com
ESPN.com’s John Hollinger, whose computer ratings were plugged in and the rest of the season was played out 5,000 times, attended Monday’s game in Denver. His reaction to his rankings predicting OKC will finish 48-34 and earn the No. 5 seed in the West? "It often changes because there’s so much water that has to go under the bridge," Hollinger said. "You can’t predict injuries or trades. The computer builds in some of that, but can’t (predict injuries). Their blowout win (at home) over Orlando really helped them." Hollinger said fans, coaches and players usually are more emotional about PER (Player Efficiency Ratings) than playoff predictions. In Hollinger’s updated future Power Rankings on Tuesday — projections for the next three seasons after the current 2009-10 season — Hollinger moved Oklahoma City up one spot to third.

Rockets stop slide in Oklahoma City - 100-91

Xiane — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:21:10 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

Houston Rockets guard Aaron Brooks played a solid, thoughtful and effective game, of NBA basketball in Oklahoma City, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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Thoughts on Rockets 100 vs Thunder 91 (Game 17)

Tonight's Episode Sponsored by: Bullet Points - The Lazy Man's Friend^TM

* First order of business - Luis Scola. PF might be the position we can cover fairly well in the short term, but we need Scola, every single night. Let's all hope that Luis comes right very soon after Etan Thomas hurt him on practically the first play of the game. I think we may miss Pops a bit right now. Will we see Joey Dorsey and his wallet full of $1 bills? The fictional side of TDS certainly hopes so. Get well Luis.

* Second order of business. I am heartily sick of the Bill Simmons "Team That Shall Not Be Named" schtick when it comes to the Oklahoma City Thunder. I feel tremendous sympathy for Seattle and its fans. Only a cad wouldn't.

There is no question Seattle was jobbed. But is it really OKC, as a fanbase's, fault? Should the enthusiastic fans watching a good young team bear the wrath of a city, a nation or an internet sports commenting phenomenon with a bully pulpit?

The whole sorry affair appeared to be a combination of bad acts on the part of Seattle's former owner (The Starbuckeroo), the OKC group, dithering on the part of the city of Seattle and an obviously pre-arranged deal with Stern and the NBA owners.

When you've got a buyer who has all along looked like he wanted to move the team to a nice new facility in his hometown, why be surprised when he does just that? We like to think of teams as our own, and God knows, we fund them as if they were, building arenas and whatnot. In the end, however, they are private property, and owners in the USA can generally do what they want with their property. You may say we're foolish to build arenas, and maybe that's true, but tell that to Seattle, where a rather nasty point about new facilities seemed to be made by the NBA.

So while the loss of the Supersonics was a terrible outcome for the loyal and great fans of Seattle who did not deserve anything like that treatment, and there was without question treachery on the part of a number of actors, the fans of OKC are not to blame. Being petulant about a team and city isn't hurting Clay Bennett, Howard Schultz, or David Stern. Let it go, at least when it comes to OKC and its fans - they are 2^nd least blameworthy group in this mess.

* Seeing OKC again, I still think this is a collection of players struggling to become a team. On a talent level, this is an amazing group. From an execution and strategy level, they tend to look flat when playing Houston. Sometimes their massive collection of ability is enough to overcome a very good opponent. But in 11 straight games, that combination hasn't been enough to beat the Rockets.

* Wow. We needed this win. After the Dallas Debacle - Part II, and the Spurs crushing 3^rd quarter, I felt as though doubt was starting to creep in regarding the whole program. This is unnecessary. The Rockets are able to compete with anyone, most nights. But when things go wrong, or when we play a team that's pure poison for us like Dallas, things can get ugly fast. Our big players do make a difference. They bring certain things, every night, and sometimes those things (Defense, insanely efficient shooting from Yao. Explosive scoring, the ability to create good shots, and excellent passing from McGrady.) are vital. There's a reason those guys are considered stars, despite the efficient and strong performance of our "No Stars"lineup.

* I've been accused of jinxing Carl Landry, so I'll try not to do that. But, but... Wow! Right now he's just an amazing force around the basket. If he got some of the calls that "star" big men get, he'd be even tougher. Remember, after the vile Etan Thomas (nice gratuitous shot at Brook's head) lacerated Scola's eyelid, he got 3 quick fouls - so most of his 21pts and 10 rbs came in the 2^nd half.

Three UP

1. Aaron Brooks - 21 pts on 8-15 shooting, 3-3 on 3pts, 4 assits, 5 steals(!), and most importantly, 1 turnover. Yes, the wanton giveaways came to an end tonight, and it made a huge difference. A mature and poised game from Aaron, and despite somewhat similar stat lines - he played much better against Westbrook tonight.

2. The D on Durant. Kevin Durant can make impossible-seeming shots with some frequency. He can make easy shots with even greater frequency. At least 10 of Durant's 25 points came on "how did he make that" shots. That's all you can do, or hope for.

3. Landry is mentioned above, so - David Andersen. The big Aussie is finding his game in the NBA, he's moving much better on defense, and was frequently offering solid help D in the paint. His shot is as smooth as glass - we need to see more of it.

Three Down

1. Trevor Ariza channeling Ron Artest. 7-23 type nights are a problem. I like his aggressiveness, but he's not quite aggressive enough - he can get to the rim, but can't make the shot go - try to dunk more, Trevor. Also, his 3 seems way out of rhythm.

2. Etan Thomas - lacerated Scola's eye, and very nearly connected on a vicious, unnecessary, Karl Malone-style elbow to Aaron Brooks, who was simply standing near him. It's not in character for the Rockets, but a takedown of Thomas by his ridiculous ponytail would have satisfied my unrealistic revenge fantasies quite nicely.

3. A quiet night for Battier, who looked tentative when it came to open shot

Thunder Fans Welcome You To Loud City, USA

Game 16 Preview: Oklahoma City vs. Milwaukee

Zorgon — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:46:20 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

Neither of these guys will be playing tonight, which could, in itself, explain why we lost to the Bucks twice last year.

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This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 8:30 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, ESPN

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): BrewHoop, Bucks Diary, The Bob Boozer Jinx, Bucksketball

Backstory: Well, it's that time of year again. Everybody has loaded up on Turkey, I'm ready to go buy discounted video games like some sort of crazed mad man, and the Thunder are getting ready to take on the hot hot Bucks on National Television. Wait, what was that third one?

That's right, the Thunder are on National Television. After an impressive 8-7 start, ESPN finally considers them to be hot material, at least, hotter than a blowout matchup between the Suns and Timberwolves. And rightfully so. This matchup, in an national perspective, could be seen as a proving ground for both teams. Both are playoff teams right now, which nobody expected at the start of the season. And both are probably not considered to be long-term success teams. That is, most are expecting them to fall into the lottery by the time the season is over. So, who's expected to win?

To be honest, they should expect us to win. The Bucks do have a better record, but their wins have only come over Detroit, Minnesota, Denver, Golden State, New Jersey, Charlotte, and Memphis. Aside from the win against Denver, they've pretty much won against all of the NBAs current doormats. And their losses don't look that much more impressive, with losses to the sub-.500 76ers, Bulls, and Hornets, with the only other losses coming to the struggling Spurs and the rather good Mavericks. Thus, if you put it all together, the only good teams they've played have been Denver and the Mavericks. They've visited almost every non-playoff team in the East (besides the Wizards) and almost every non-playoff team in the West (besides the Clippers, Kings, and Jazz). Now, I'm not saying that the Bucks continuing their run of success in the weaker East isn't possible, I'm just saying that this team isn't the powerhouse we thought they were. Combine that with the loss of Andrew Bogut and possible loss of Luc Richard Mbah A Moute, and you have one giant over-hyped sandwich.

On our side of things, things feel much more real. We're coming off of a huge wins in Utah and Miami, with a more minor win against the Wizards and losses against the Magic and Lakers. All of that doesn't look bad on paper, but it covers up our past losses to teams like the Clippers and Kings. If we can win this game, it will put us at 2 games above .500, and in a very good position moving forward. Thus, this game will decide, on a national stage, whether we are just another bad team having a good early season run, or whether we really are ready for the playoffs.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Dan Gadzuric

Ah, the Bucks resident backup Center, Dan Gadzuric. He could double-double in this game, if he gets enough minutes in which to do so. However, I'm pretty sure Krstic will have the better scoring night, as no one knows Gadzuric as a defensive stalwart or anything.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Ersan Ilyasova

Ilyasova is a rare example of how going back to the Euroleague can help your game, He was drafted in 05, played only in the D-League, and then played only sparingly in 06-07. Since he wasn't happy with his situation, he went to play for F.C. Barcelona, averaged decent stats for two years, improved his game, and then came back to the Bucks, where he's now a rather successful Power Forward, averaging 10 Points, 7 Rebounds, and 1 Assist per game in only 22 minutes. Still, this is weaker matchup for Jeff Green, so if he can stay out of foul trouble, he should manage to put up good numbers, and can probably beat Ilyasova in every category.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Carlos Delfino

You read correctly, Carlos Delfino is indeed playing Small Forward. He went to play in Russia last year and averaged decent statistics, but Delfino is already a known quantity, so that only served to raise his stock and get him decent pay. Nevertheless, even though Delfino is a jack of all trades who will produce in every category, he will almost certainly be overpowered by Kevin Durant and scored upon many times.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Charlie Bell

Charlie Bell, at one point, was the worst shooter in the NBA. He's improved since, but he's not going to be a scoring threat any time soon. He'll fill up the intangibles, just as Thabo will, making this matchup a draw.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Brandon Jennings

And here is the matchup of the hour. Brandon Jennings is the super rookie who decided to play in Europe for a year, and, boy, has it paid off. He has averaged 23 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 6 Assists in his rookie campaign, all while sporting very stylish haircuts (I've seen him with the flat top, the faux-hawk, and whatever you call the badass hair-style he has now). If Scott Brooks is smart, he'll have Thabo defending this guy, because Russell Westbrook doesn't have a chance in hell of stopping him. Jennings wins this matchup easily, and I shudder to think what will happen if Mike Wilks is forced to step on the floor.

Battle of the Benches:

This is a complete waste of time. Even without Mbah A Moute and Bogut, the Bucks still have a much more powerful bench, containing former SuperSonic Luke Ridnour, former Raptors star Roko Ukic, former Grizzlies star Hakim Warrick, and Kurt Thomas. We have Harden, Etan Thomas, Collison.....and Mike Wilks. Oh yeah, they still have Michael Redd off the bench, too. I'd say they get the win.

Coaching and Intangibles:

The one intangible on the Thunders side to pay attention to is Mike Wilks. It's not know if we'll have to play him, but if we do, the situation could get drastic, especially against the amazing Brandon Jennings. On the Bucks side, it's not know if Michael Redd can return to his former scoring form yet. If he can, it would certainly create a dynamic duo of a back court, making our situation even more desperate. Where's Kyle Weaver when you need him?

Bottom Line:

The Bucks are like the Raptors of a couple of years ago. They signed foreign talent, combined it with what they had, and became a threat to win on any given night. But, the team is flawed. If Michael Redd can't find his stride, then Brandon Jennings is the only serious scorer on the roster. If Thabo shuts him down to an extent, we can get an easy win. But, if they can get both of their scorers going and have another X-Factor step up, then we're screwed. Also, watch Mike Wilks. If he plays, he could be a huge liability when defending Brandon Jennings. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 110, Milwaukee 105

Sorry, Bucks fans. I think we've got this one in the bag. Too bad the game is on the worst sports broadcaster of all time.

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I'll be in the Ford Center cheering the team on, but I'll be back to write a recap later tonight. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

The Oklahoma City Thunder

23 votes

The Milwaukee Bucks

7 votes

30 votes | Poll has closed

Game 13 Preview: Washington at Oklahoma City

illfreaky911 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:57:35 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

Etan Thomas goes up against his former team, as well as Arch Enemy Brendan Haywood. Expect the big man to get extra physical tonight when he sees Haywood coming down the lane.

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Time: 7:00 PM CST

Place: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Betting Line: Thunder -4

TV: FSN-Oklahoma; Comcast Sportsnet DC

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Backstory: Like our Oklahoma City Thunder, the Washington Wizards are trying to avenge their disappointing lottery campaign from a year ago. While their 3-7 record isn't particularly impressive, they are only a couple of nights removed from a dismantling of LeBron James and the Cavs at the Verizon Center in DC. To make matters worse, Antawn Jamison is just making his return to the lineup, making this one of the most versatile offenses in the league, despite their lackluster record. Jamison scored 31 points and grabbed 10 boards in his return to action Wednesday night, but it's point guard Gilbert Arenas (another Wizard coming back from a string of injuries) who is the engine that makes this offense move. His (admittedly unorthodox) knack for getting in the lane and making things happen should be our primary defensive concern, and Russell Westbrook will have his work cut out for him trying to keep "Agent Zero" in check. Mike Miller and Caron Butler are also players with all-star caliber seasons in the not too distant past, and need to be watched out for on the perimeter.

As far as the Thunder are concerned, this game marks Etan Thomas' first game against his former team, after 7 tumultuous seasons in Washington. The last few years he spent there were tainted by his very public spat with Center Brendan Haywood over the starting Center position. The two exchanged shots in the media (and allegedly in practice), and it should be interesting to say the least to watch these two go head to head when they're in the game together. Haywood is averaging a double-double this year, but my gut tells me that Thomas' adrenaline will have him up for this game, and he could have his best outing of the year off the bench. We could use all the help we can get after being dismantled by Orlando in our last outing, where everybody on this side of James Harden looked like they couldn't throw the ball in the Atlantic Ocean. Should be a fun one!

Matchups and Prediction After The Jump!

Matchups:

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Gilbert Arenas:

At 6'4, 215 pounds, Gilbert Arenas is used to pushing opposing point guards around. That shouldn't be the case tonight. Russell Westbrook (another one of the bigger point guards this league has to offer) should match up very well with Arenas on the defensive side of the ball, although his unorthodox slashing style could provide some problems early in the game (before we adjust to it). You also never know when Arenas is due for one of his trademark "Hibachi" runs from the outside, when he is capable of stringing together a run of three pointers that can turn a game in Washington's favor. On the other side of the ball, Westbrook's quickness off the dribble should present Arenas and his surgically repaired knee. We should see RW attacking the paint early and often, and he could be in line for a big stat line if he makes responsible decisions with the ball.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Mike Miller

Anybody who's watched Mike Miller knows that he's on a short list of NBA players who's 3 Point Shooting can single handedly alter the course of a game. Miller won NBA Rookie of the Year in the 01-02 season and added a Sixth Man of the Year Award in 05-06, in large part due to his ability to catch fire and score in bunches. Fortunately, we have our top perimeter defender matched up against him in Thabo Sefolosha. Thabo is becoming a fan favorite for his defensive capabilities, and his length should provide a good counter to the 6'8 Miller's outside shooting ability. Keep an eye on this one though, it should be a good matchup.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Caron Butler

Critics have put Kevin Durant's toughness and ability to play physical in question. Tonights matchup with Caron Butler should help provide an answer. The 6'7 Butler is a bull in the paint, and has a non-stop motor, that allows him to clear the glass effectively on both sides of the court. He isn't one dimensional however, and has the ability to knock down the open shot if Durant plays too far off of him. He's also a capable defender who will play Durant very physical when the Thunder have the ball. If Durant is willing to push through his physical off ball defense though, he should be able to rise and fire over the shorter Butler all game. KD could put up very impressive scoring numbers tonight if his mid-range shot is falling.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Antawn Jamison

When the Sonics drafted Jeff Green, I was worried that he would be too small to play Power Forward in this league. When I heard the ESPN crew compare him to Antawn Jamison however, my nerves were calmed. That's why I'm so excited for this matchup, as two great forwards with similar skill sets face-off against each other. Both are dealing with potential setbacks (Jamison's shoulder and Green's ongoing slump from the field), but both are usually the X-factors that decide the outcomes of their teams games. They both hit the glass hard, and have capable outside games to compliment their skill set in the post. Jamison is gonna look to stay hot after his 31 point outburst against Cleveland, so Green is gonna have to play some of his trademark defense tonight to keep the All-Star in check.

Center: Nenad Kristic vs. Brendan Haywood

As excited as I am for the afore mentioned matchup between Haywood and Thunder Center Etan Thomas, it's probably gonna be Kristic who gets the first crack at the UNC Alum tonight. Haywood isn't a particularly skilled big man, but rather just a big, tough, athlete who constantly finds himself on the receiving end of easy buckets courtesy of Arenas. That being said, his success on the offensive end probably depends more on how Westbrook fares against "Agent Zero" than it does on how Kristic handles him in the post. Haywood is also the Wizards leading rebounder, grabbing almost 11 boards a night. Nenad and Etan are gonna have to make him work on the defensive glass, and hopefully open up some second chance opportunities late in the game.

Benches:

With Sixth Man Randy Foye slowed up by an ankle, the immortal Earl Boykins has stepped into the Wizards rotation and produced admirably for 2 games. One of my favorite players to watch in the league, Boykins is a pain in the rear to guard, and could devastate us with his quickness if we don't sub our guys properly. The super-athletic Andray Blatche is an up and coming center in the league, and can put up a decent line off the bench. For Oklahoma City, Etan Thomas should be in line for a good game against his former team (as mentioned above), and James Harden looks to continue his success after a career game in Orlando (24 Points, 6 Three Pointers)

Coaching and Intangibles:

The Wizards are probably gonna try to use their dismantling of the rival Cavs as a catalyst for their thus disappointing season. That makes this game one that they should be particularly desperate to win, as it would deflate all of their momentum should they lose. To go along with Thomas' adrenaline boost, the Thunder should come out ready to play, as they try to avoid dipping under .500 with their hometown fans supporting them. I'd say the intangibles are slightly in our favor.

Prediction:

Westbrook has a good game penetrating the slower Arenas and exploiting his weak knee with his athleticism. We should put a decent number up on the scoreboard, and lacking a serious low post scorer, our perimeter defense will be the key to this game. I think Sefolosha and Green hassle Miller and Jamison from the perimeter all night, and the Thunder stay above .500. Thunder 97, Wizards 88.

Poll

Who Wins Tonight's Game?

Oklahoma City Thunder

24 votes

Washington Wizards

16 votes

40 votes | Poll has closed

Loud Links: 10.11.09

daddydai — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Rich Pedroncelli - AP

about 1 month ago: Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant, right, and Jeff Green walk off the court during a time out in their 101-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings in an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

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Scroll Down for Zorgon's preview of tonight's game

Clippers vs. Oklahoma City - Game Preview - Clips Nation
Oklahoma City lost in Sacramento last night in a game that came down to the buzzer. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green all played big minutes in that one, so the Clippers caught a break there. The Thunder have been pretty solid so far this season. Until tonight, their losses had come against good teams, and they've mostly been close, including taking the Lakers into Overtime. Nonetheless, after winning their first two games of the season, they've lost four out of five. The Thunder are the only team the Clippers beat three times last season - but all those good memories were completely washed away by the 41 point beatdown they put on the Clippers in the final game of the season, on LA's Fan Appreciation Night. I for one did not appreciate it. Kevin Durant has become one of the toughest players in the league to defend, and Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook have talent. But it seems to me these guys are still a couple years away from competing. [Very good preview of tonight's game by Clips Nation. Remember that blow out last season. Be careful Thunder, the Clippers may be out for revenge tonight.]

ESPN's NBA Future Power Rankings: Teams 1 to 5 - ESPN Insider
[ESPN ranked the future of NBA yesterday. Guess where the Thunder landed?] Oklahoma City may not make the playoffs this year, but for the three years that follow, the Thunder's hopes seem as bright as any team's. It starts with a rapidly improving roster that includes star forward Kevin Durant and rising talents like Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Jeff Green, as well as several intriguing prospects -- Thabo Sefolosha, B.J. Mullens, Serge Ibaka and D.J. White among them. Oklahoma City also ranks high in the money category, having more than $10 million to spend this summer on a free-agent splurge to cement its already strong nucleus while maintaining a very good cap situation for future seasons. The only question is whether owner Clay Bennett will commit to spending once the time comes. But thanks to the strong moves made thus far by GM Sam Presti, OKC earned a ninth-place ranking in the management category. The Thunder also scored well on the draft, owning both their pick and an unprotected choice from Phoenix in next year's draft before their likely ascension to the back end of the draft in future seasons. One area in which they didn't fare as well, however, was in the market category. Oklahoma City is the smallest NBA market and plagued by some wild weather, two factors that combine to put it well off the radar for most prospective free agents. But there's hope: The Thunder have an excited fan base, and Oklahoma City might look like a pretty good destination if the Thunder start winning big.

THUNDER: Wednesday Night: Thunder at Clippers
L.A. Clippers center Chris Kaman. This guy gets a lot credit for helping the Clippers to the cusp of .500 through the early season. With the team struggling with injuries, conditioning and chemistry, Kaman has been consistent. The Clippers center posted 20 points or more in six straight games this season. He leads the Clippers in scoring (21.9 points), field goal percentage (57.3%) and rebounding (9.4). Kaman played in just two games against the Thunder last season, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds. Expect to see Nenad Krstic, Etan Thomas and Nick Collison get their crack at Kaman.

NBA PM: All-Star Ballot Debate - Basketball News & NBA Rumors
[Some interesting thoughts about the All-Star ballot. Oh yeah vote!!!] Predictably there is some outcry about players being left off and to be fair there are some notables missing, such as center Chris Kaman of the L.A. Clippers (as noted in yesterday's post, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week). There are also some curious choices, such as picking Chicago Bulls center Brad Miller to be on the ballot over teammate Joakim Noah, since Noah is the starter. [Did you read that? Kaman was the Western Conference Player of the Week. Isn't the American who decided to play for the German national team in the Olympics?]

Kings notes: Nocioni makes Durant work for points | Sacramento Bee
It ended a tiring night for Durant, the Thunder star who was hounded by Kings small forward Andres Nocioni from beginning to end. Durant had 37 points, but he hit just 9 of 23 shots. He had it easy at the free-throw line, though, hitting all 18. "No, he didn't bother me," Durant said of Nocioni, who scored 16 points for the Kings in 35 minutes. "He tried to be physical and push me around, but he got me to the foul line, and I like those kinds of easy points. It was challenging. It was tough. He plays hard, but it didn't bother me at all."

Early in the season, it's important to assess your league's standings and the values of your players - ESPN
[This fantasy B-ball article mentions RW0.] Another interesting example is Russell Westbrook, who was shooting an amazing 48 percent -- just like Roy did last season -- from the field before a rough night Tuesday. It's amazing because as a rookie Westbrook topped 46 percent from the field in just one month and completed the campaign with an embarrassing .398 field goal percentage. Personally, I expected a significant jump in his shooting percentage this season, perhaps to the mid-40s. Considering his history last season, we shouldn't expect his field goal percentage to be any higher than its current 45 percent, although I don't think it will drop all the way to the low-40s.

66ers Team Colors To Match Oklahoma City Thunder - OurSports Central
The team's official website, tulsa66ers.com, will feature a new orientation of the Thunder Blue, Thunder Navy, Thunder Yellow and Thunder Red color combination that will enhance many of the features on the site. The website not only has updated content regarding the 66ers, as the team gets ready to tip off the 2009-10 season, but also ties into many of the great features on the Thunder website at thunder.nba.com. The new home uniform, will be a white jersey and shorts, with navy piping around the neckline, along with navy three-stripe piping down the sides for each. The 66ers wordmark is highlighted on the front with numbers in the light blue and outlined in red. Road uniforms will be light blue, with orange piping around the neckline, and navy three-stripe piping down each side. Tulsa is featured on the front of the jersey in white lettering with navy trim and the numbers will also be white digits with navy trim. Both home and road uniform shorts will feature the 66ers secondary logo on the left thigh and the Thunder secondary logo on the right thigh.

Thunder's All-Star marketing plan: Vote early and often | NewsOK.com
To help push three of the NBA’s rising stars to their first All-Star Game appearance, the Oklahoma City Thunder will encourage fans to "Vote Thunder. Vote Often." It’s a marketing campaign that is in line with the team’s "Rise Together" motto, which avoids putting one player over another even though Kevin Durant is widely considered the league’s next big star and projected by some to earn a selection to this year’s All-Star Game, set for Feb. 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

66ers Announce Bundle Ticket Pack With Thunder-Cavs Game Included - OurSports Central
[For our Tulsa readers, if there are any... Mr. P. you out there?] Tulsa, Okla., November 11, 2009 - The Tulsa 66ers announced today that 10-game ticket packages are now on sale. The 10-game bundles sell for only $99 and include the Oklahoma City Thunder versus Cleveland Cavaliers match up at the Ford Center on Sunday, Dec. 13. Fans can see nine tremendous 66ers games from 100-level seats, in their inaugural season at the Tulsa Convention Center in downtown Tulsa, while also sitting in the "Loud City" section at the Ford Center to see Cleveland's LeBron James, along with Kevin Durant and the rest of the Thunder during the Cavs only trip to Oklahoma this season. Many of the nine select 66ers games will feature extraordinary halftime acts, and amazing entertainment. As a ticket plan holder, any unused tickets can be exchanged for future 2009-10 regular season games.

Winner of the free NBA League Pass broadband account - Ball Don't Lie
"I am a disheartened, disappointed, and disenfranchised (literally) Seattle Supersonics fan. I have been a loyal fan through the high days of the Glove and Reign Man, and the low days of "this might be my last Sonics game ever." However, unlike most bitter Sonics fans I have converted into an Oklahoma City Thunder fan.

Game 7 Recap: Sacramento 101, Oklahoma City 98

Zorgon — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:18:44 -0000

More photos » by Rich Pedroncelli - AP

D'Oh! This pretty much symbolizes the entire game for the Thunder.

Browse more photos »

Wow. what an ugly, ugly game.

After a long fight, the Thunder ended up having the ball 6 points down and with 1:16 to go. Not too bad of a position. Then, the ball was passed in and Russell Westbrook bricked a wide open 3 point attempt, seemingly crushing our hopes. But then, the thunder got the ball back with a bad pass and Jeff Green scored a quick 2. The Kings almost responded with a Cassipi 3, but it missed. Then, Russell Westbrook barely missed a layup to give the Kings the ball and a 4 point lead with 17 seconds to go. But, miraculously, Omri Cassipi missed both of his free throws (after our foul) and we got the rebound and a time out.

So, what happens next? Yes, the obvious heroic Durant 3 Point Shot. After a near miss, Udoka rebounded the ball, got it stolen from him by Sefolosha, and watched Durant hit the 3 pointer that put the thunder within a point with 3 seconds to go. So, it'd free throw time for the Kings. Tyreke Evans up to the line. First free throw up, and it's perfect. Second free throw up, I was afraid it was gonna hit the front of the rim and bounce out, but it was perfect, too.

So, we have the ball with 3 seconds, a 3 point deficit, and a seemingly hot Durant. One can guess what happens here. Durant gets the ball, shoots a line drive 3, aaaand.....it clanks the front of the rim, Thunder lose. We had no business winning that game, as the Kings let the Thunder back into contention, but you hate to see an ending like that one.

Tonight, we were reminded of several things. But, the two most important things we were reminded of were:

1. We're not a playoff team yet.

2. The Kings aren't who we thought they were.

I mean, honestly, who would've thought the Kings could completely dominate us 80% of the time on the floor after losing their best player? Do they play better without Kevin Martin? Who knows? All I know is that we were dominated for a large portion of the game, with almost a third of our points coming from free throws, and our team being locked in scoring droughts for long periods of time.

Below: Analysis, Awards

One reason could be the fact that we played their type of game. The score may not look it, but it was back and forth down the floor all night long, and since we don't have the good shooting rosters of the Suns or Warriors, both teams ended up missing a lot of shots, turning the ball over left and right, and making the game as ugly as possible.

What happened to our rebounding? I've always been of the thought that we were one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, but I guess the Kings are better. It was mostly the fault of our bench, with Nick Collison getting shut out and Etan Thomas limited to just two.

One could also blame this loss on the foul trouble of Jeff Green. He got into foul trouble early, leading Scott Brooks to venture out a lineup of Collison and Thomas as Power Forward and Center. It was horrible. Every time they got handed the ball, they turned it over or missed a shot. Coupled with a couple of missed Westbrook shots, it was the first time in the game where we really fell behind and played catchup.

Don't throw up, KD! You didn't play that bad of a game!

There's many more things that I could point out, but those are the main reasons we lost. So, now lets move on to the good aspects of this game, like Kevin Durant. Please, don't blame him for this loss. You can't expect him to hit a clutch shot every time, and he scored 37 Points while hitting all 18 of his freethrows. His game didn't look pretty, but if you want somebody who can get it done the ugly way, this is your guy. If you add on his 5 Rebounds, 2 Assists, and 3 Steals, this equates to a Thunder Wonder performance.

You've also got to hand it to Nenad Krstic, who had 12 points on 5-10 shooting, and an unusually high 8 rebounds. Also of note is James Harden, who had a solid 9 point game off the bench, and a miracle half-court shot before half time. And what about Jeff Green? He got out of foul trouble, got back on the 'ol horse, and had a solid game. 19 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 2 Steals isn't too shabby. In all honesty, he might have been the right guy to take the 3, since he had 6-12 shooting, and Durant was 1-5 for the night, with his only make coming as a desperation shot. I mean, Durant's had his chance at big shot 3s and failed twice, so why not surprise the other team and give Jeff Green a chance? Maybe Scott Brooks knows something I dodn't know, and it's just a thought, but nevertheless, Jeff green has obtained the Thunder Down Under Award tonight.

It's pretty hard to give a Thunder Blunder, considering the only players with atrocious offensive performances were Thabo Sefolosha and Russell Westbrook. Sefolosha had an amazing 6 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 3 Steals, and 4 Blocked shots. Thus, I suppose the Thunder Blunder performance falls to Russell Westbrook, who had 9 Points on 3 of 13 Shooting, 5 Rebounds, 6 Assists, and 2 Steals. Still, the performance isn't that bad, just the worst when compared to his teammates.

I don't even want to know what's going on here....

Lastly, it's time to talk about the Kings. The entire lineup shot at around 50%, and many of them had excellent numbers. Tyreke Evans was the clear winner of the Russell Westbrook matchup, coming out with 20 Points, 5-16 Shooting, 10-10 Free Throw Shooting, 8 Rebounds, and 8 Assists. His 5 Turnovers are bad, but it doesn't keep him from being the Thunder Plunderer of tonight. Also of note is Jason Thompson, who had 21 Points and 14 Rebounds.

Oh, and, many thanks to the people from Sactown Royalty who came over, pointed out my homerism, and made the comment section much more lively (250 Comments? WOW!). I had a much bigger stake in the game, and I had to admit my complete wrongness in predicting the game. We're a small blog, but hopefully we can get a rivalry going or something. I look forward to our next matchup! Congratulations on being .500!

Next Game: At the Clippers, Wednesday, November 11th, at 9:30 PM Central Standard Time

Now, can we get back to .500?

Game 5 Pre-Game: Oklahoma City at Houston

Zorgon — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:36:35 -0000

More photos » by Pat Sullivan - AP

The Thunder were blown out by the Rockets in the Pre-Season, but does that translate to a regular season win? Rick Adelman doesn't seem to know.

Browse more photos »

This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7:30 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Houston

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): The Dream Shake

Backstory: The Thunder are coming off two close losses to the Lakers and Trail Blazers, and are looking to get back above .500 with a win against the Rockets, which is seeming just as possible now than it was at the start of the season, but in a different way. At the start of the season, I'd think we'd have a chance to win because we were a sub-par team facing a par team, but right now it's looking like we have a chance to win because we're a par team facing a good team.

The Rockets are the NBA's enigma. To the casual fan, losing Tracy McGrady, Ron Artest, Yao Ming, and Dikembe Mutombo while gaining no real talent but Trevor Ariza does not equal a 3-2 start, especially with quality wins at Utah and Portland. But, if you've been following the Rockets all along, you know that they've played without the aforementioned players before. And when they do, their whole game plan changes, but they still manage to win games and play as a .500 team. They score a lot, small balling it up and down the floor. Trevor Ariza has proven himself to be a lockdown defender, Shane Battier is still there providing defense and 3 balls, Luis Scola is one of the best scoring big men in the league, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry can both score well, and Aaron Brooks is quietly becoming one of the leagues better point guards, something the Rockets have been searching for ever since they landed Yao. In reality, this team is no surprise. They've just finally been given a chance to show their stuff.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Chuck Hayes

Chuck Hayes is pretty short for a Center, but that's not a good thing. It means that if Nenad Krstic even tries to make a jump shot, Hayes will be all over him. The only hope for Krstic to win this matchup will be to bang with Hayes inside or out rebound him somehow, but I really doubt that's going to happen. Hayes will easily outperform Krstic tonight.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Luis Scola

Scola will almost certainly out-rebound Green here, but the real question will be who can out score the other. Scola is limited to an inside repertoire, and with Thomas and Collison being able to defend him in the post off of the bench, I think that Jeff Green will have more opportunities to score.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Shane Battier

Shane Battier is a good defender and can shoot a hell of a 3 ball, but I don't think there's any stopping Durant here. Durant will score about the same as normal, so his main concern should be with taking care of the ball and making sure he doesn't leave Battier open for gut-wrenching 3s. Still, Durant is the clear winner here.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Trevor Ariza

Two fierce defenders going at it. Can they combine to score more than 10 points? I have a feeling that Ariza will be all over the floor tonight, so he might be guarded by Durant or on fast breaks at times, so I see him winning this matchup.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Aaron Brooks

At the start of the year, or at pretty much any other time, I'd give the win to Westbrook. But Brooks is looking like a mean, lean scoring and assisting machine right now. And Westbrook as been in a total slump. So, while I think Westbrook's performance won't be negatively affected, I think his numbers will, in the end, be slightly worse than Aaron Brooks'.

Battle of the Benches

For how good the Rockets are, they don't have much of a bench. Kyle Lowry and Carl Landry get heavy minutes, and you'll see dashes of Chase Budinger and/or David Andersen. They're all solid players, but in all truth, they're about the same as our tandem of Kevin Ollie, Etan Thomas, James Harden, and Nick Collison. If our bench plays like it has been recently, then it's a dead tie. But, if they revert back to the way they played the first couple of games, then I say the Rockets win this one.

Coaching and Intangibles

This one's a dead heat too, as we're both coming off a recent close loss to the Lakers, both of us have had surprisingly good starts, and both of us are well-rested. I guess I'll give it to the Rockets though, simply because they're at home and Rick Adelman is a darn good coach.

Bottom Line

This should be a close, high scoring game, the perfect thing for a Thunder or Rocket fan to unwind to on a Friday Night. But, I don't see us slowing it down from the Rockets pace of game, and when we play at their pace and on their floor, they're going to win more often then not.

Prediction:

Rockets 105, Thunder 100

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I might be here during the game to drop my thoughts as well. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

The Oklahoma City Thunder

10 votes

The Houston Rockets

29 votes

39 votes | Poll has closed

Loud Links: 11.06.09

daddydai — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:33:14 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

Browse more photos »

Thunder notebook: Jeff Green's consistency continues to improve | NewsOK.com
[NewsOKC gives more love for the most consistent and overlooked member of the squad, Jeff Green. This article also notes that Brooks may play Livingston tonight. So does that mean there will be no Ollie dribbling marathon tonight?] Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Green’s early production is largely a result of him being in his third season and feeling more comfortable with the league and nightly matchups. "He’s a tremendous talent that plays the right way," Brooks said. "He plays solid, consistent basketball that a coach can count on. And he’s even taken it up to another level."

Kevin Durant is seeing more of the end-game | NewsOK.com
[Durant definitely was feeling the blues after Tuesday nights loss to the world champs. Oddly enough, that game had the opposite effect on me. I was so proud of our team, I wanted to tell the world. Sure a win would have been nice, but to fall by three points to the Lakers in overtime is a respectable loss. Houston better be ready!] Kevin Durant walked out of the Ford Center on Tuesday night, hopped into the back of a car with his father and two brothers by his side and didn’t say a word as the foursome traveled north, from downtown Oklahoma City to his Edmond home. The Thunder’s agonizing 101-98 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers stung too much to speak, and Durant’s two airballs in the final seconds of regulation, and overtime became the inescapable conclusion to his miserable final 24 minutes. "I just kept to myself," Durant said. "People were text messaging me and I just left it alone and went right to sleep."

THUNDER: Friday Night: Thunder at Houston Rockets
[Kristic and Thomas are expected to have a good game tonight against Houston's front court. Let's hope so.] One to Watch: Etan Thomas. The Thunder reserve center has provided a huge spark off the bench for the Thunder. Thomas is averaging 5.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. While the Rockets don’t have a traditional center in the rotation, and they didn’t play anyone taller than 6-9 against the Lakers, it’ll be interesting to see how the Thunder uses Thomas, who’s size and presence alone have done a fine job keeping opponents from getting easy buckets inside.

Thunder-Rockets Preview - Nov. 5, 2009 - NBA - CBSSports.com
[So Houston has beat our franchise the last 10 times we meet. Just like the Lakers.] Both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets are coming off overtime losses to the reigning NBA champions, but while the defeat was somewhat of a moral victory for the young Thunder, it felt more like a missed opportunity for Houston. The host Rockets will have a good chance to get back on track Friday night as they try for an 11th straight win over Oklahoma City, which is trying to avoid a third consecutive loss amid a promising start.

Rockets' new alternate jerseys have look of a champion | Top stories | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Look out, Oklahoma City Thunder: The ketchup and mustard is back.

Okay we will bring the hot dogs. No, that is not right. Oh, they really mean is that the Jonas Brothers have joined the Houston roster. That is not right either. Oh, it must be that the Rocket's new alternative uniform has the look of a McDonalds All-American.

Film Study: A tale of two halves for Kevin Durant | Daily Thunder.com
[Another tape watching session at the Daily Thunder] Let’s take another bite into some film, shall we? This time, we’re going to look at what changed for Kevin Durant between the first half (where he scored 20 points) and the second half and overtime (where he scored just eight) Wednesday night against the Lakers. Roll the video!

Latavious Williams made history last night, but who is this guy? | Daily Thunder.com
[More about Latavious Williams] NBA history was made last night as the Tulsa 66ers selected power forward Latavious Williams with the 16th overall pick in the NBA’s Developmental League Draft, as Williams will become the first player to ever go straight from high school to the D-League (Dan Shanoff was kind enough to write a post for TrueHoop about just how historical the Latavious Williams jump from high school to D-League is.) History-making aside, what are the chances that Williams can develop into a legitimate NBA player who can challenge for a roster spot when he’s taken in the NBA Draft in June 2010? Wait, what? Oh, that’s right, there is a little issue with the rules of this history-making event because a player can’t be taken in the NBA draft unless he is 19 years old and, unless he is an international player, he must be one year past his high school class graduation (remember Brandon Jennings?), thus, the 66ers (and thereby the Thunder) could get to watch Williams develop and stun the D-League with his talent, only to watch him get drafted by another team.

Oh yeah, Kevin seems a little happier

Game 2 Pre-Game: Oklahoma City at Detroit

Zorgon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:02:31 -0000

More photos » by Joe Murphy - NBAE/Getty Images

Hopefully we can stop Ben Gordon's infamous scoring tonight. But, things are looking bad, as even the blindingly light-blue and shimmering "Beale Street Blue" uniforms of the Grizzlies didn't stop him from dropping 22 points.

Browse more photos »

This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, Michigan

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Motown String Music, Need 4 Sheed, Detroit 4 Lyfe

The two undefeated teams of Oklahoma City and Detroit are getting ready to square off in the Palace of Auburn Hills. Both teams have unimpressive resumes. the thunder are coming off of a 23 win season and have beaten the lowly Kings, while the Pistons are clearly waiting for next seasons Free Agency, totally collapsed last year, and have only beaten the lowly Grizzlies.

But, I think the Thunder have the upper hand here. For starters, Rip Hamilton could possibly not play tonight. And even if he does play, he could be slowed down from his usual self. Second of all, their big men don't do a lot of scoring. Charlie Villanueva was sub-par last game, and Ben Wallace, as everyone knows, is not an offensively minded guy. If we can equal their scoring in the back court and drastically out score them in the front court, we can definitely win this game.

Below: Matchups, Predictions

Matchups:

Center: Ben Wallace vs. Nenad Krstic

Ben Wallace isn't want he used to be, but Nenad Krstic definitely can't tango with him in the post. I'll say that Krstic definitely scores and rebounds below average for this game, but Ben Wallaces stats won't be any better. I say Ben Wallace wins.

Power Forward: Charlie Villanueva vs. Jeff Green

There's no question who's going to win on scoring and on defense here. Jeff Green is simply a better player than Charlie Villanueva, and then though Charlie might get a few more rebounds, Jeff Green will have a far better stat sheet.

Small Forward: Tayshaun Prince vs. Kevin Durant

This will be a matchup for the ages. Some might go so far as to say Kevin Durant is a younger Tayshaun Prince. I look forward to an all out battle here that may just become the focus of the game. Tie.

Shooting Guard: Rip Hamilton/Ben Gordon vs. Thabo Sefolosha

It's unclear who will start tonight, but a huge key to the game will be how successfully Thabo can stifle the offense of Ben Gordon and/or Rip Hamilton. If he can hold them to a below average night, we'll stand a good chance of winning. Still, in any case, Hamilton and Gordon will have far better nights.

Point Guard: Rodney Stuckey vs. Russell Westbrook

Stuckey may be a point guard on the rise, but he's no Russell Westbrook, especially in the assist department. Westbrook will score less than Stuckey, but he'll have a better overall stat sheet.

Battle of the Benches

The Pistons have a pretty formidable bench even without Ben Gordon, with Jason Maxiell, Kwame Brown, and even Chris Wilcox. They're pretty thin at the guard spots though, bringing in good 'ol Chucky Atkins and former D-Leaguer Will Bynum. But, as a whole, it's much more powerful than the Thunder bench, which sports names like Etan Thomas and Kevin Ollie.

Coaching and Intangibles

The Pistons have the clear upper hand here. Deeper bench, more experienced and are at their home floor.

Bottom Line

I think the Thunder can pull out the win if the backups can come into the game without screwing it up too much, if our front court outscores their front court, and if we can hold guys like Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon, and Rip Hamilton to sub par nights. It looks like a tall order, but it's really not, and I'm confident we can win this game.

Prediction:

Thunder 97, Pistons 95

A closely contested battle pushes slightly our way.

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. IHopefully I'll be here, commenting while simultaneously watching it on Television. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who is going to win tonight?

The Detroit Pistons

24 votes

The Oklahoma City Thunder

52 votes

76 votes | Poll has closed

SB Nation - Etan Thomas

Game 24 Recap: Dallas 100, Oklahoma City 86

Loud Links: 12|16|09

Rockets stop slide in Oklahoma City - 100-91

Game 16 Preview: Oklahoma City vs. Milwaukee

Who's going to win tonight?

The Oklahoma City Thunder

The Milwaukee Bucks

Game 13 Preview: Washington at Oklahoma City

Who Wins Tonight's Game?

Oklahoma City Thunder

Washington Wizards

Loud Links: 10.11.09

***Scroll Down for Zorgon's preview of tonight's game***

Game 7 Recap: Sacramento 101, Oklahoma City 98

Game 5 Pre-Game: Oklahoma City at Houston

Who's going to win tonight?

The Oklahoma City Thunder

The Houston Rockets

Loud Links: 11.06.09

Game 2 Pre-Game: Oklahoma City at Detroit

Who is going to win tonight?

The Detroit Pistons

The Oklahoma City Thunder

Scroll Down for Zorgon's preview of tonight's game