Lakers vs. Thunder: Pregame Primer
vs. 
TV: NBA TV (Cox 256, HD 726); FS Oklahoma (Cox 37, Tulsa Cox 27, HD 722; DirectTV 679, AT&T U-Verse 753)
Stream: Click Here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CST
View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 101.1 (20th), Lakers – 102.3 (19th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 96.6 (5th), Lakers – 101.9 (9th)
Pace: Thunder – 88.0 (28th), Lakers – 96.8 (4th)
Here is crack No. 2 at making a statement. I thought before the season that starting 1-3 was likely, 2-2 would be very nice and anything above that would be excellent. So now we’ve got the chance to be excellent. The thing is, you tell me before the season the Thunder will be 2-2 through the first four and I’d have been happy. But now that OKC has the chance to do more because it won the first two, I’ll feel strangely disappointed. Weird how that happens.
Kobe Bryant is listed as questionable with a sore throat for the game, but Phil Jackson said Kobe normally plays through this stuff. So we’re going to assume he’s going. However, Pau Gasol is still out for the Lakers.
THE MATCHUPS
Two matchups are the main events of the evening: Thabo vs. Kobe and Kevin Durant vs. Ron Artest. KD said Artest would be his “nightmare defender” last year at the All-Star break. Artest plays physical, doesn’t let you run off screens easily and is going to do everything he can to frustrate you. And honestly, Thabo might be Kobe’s nightmare defender. You don’t see very often what Thabo did to Kobe last year when Sefolosha blocked the Mamba not once, but twice. These are the marquee matchups and probably where the game will kind of swing from
Another large duel will be Lamar Odom against Jeff Green. Green has played pretty well thus far this year, and has done much better on the block against other good fours. But Odom abused Green a couple times last year. Odom is a tough match for Green because Odom is really a similar player to Uncle Jeff. But Odom is a bit more physical and a better rebounder. The biggest edge OKC has is at point guard. Russell Westbrook should be able to run around Derek Fisher and create for the Thunder. At least, that’s what the Thunder’s got to bank on.
You’ve got to think Durant will play better. Got to. I mean, you can’t play much worse I suppose. The Ford Center will be excited and I think the Thunder senses games like this as a chance to catch attention. They played very hard against Portland but just didn’t have anything offensively. The Lakers are better and if you shoot 34 percent you WILL lose by 20 tonight. But play the defense you did against Portland combined with a little offense and a good game from your star and well, you might lose by 10 but you’ll likely have at least a chance in the fourth. Which is all you want in these types of games.
Tip at 7:00 CST. Go better offense. Please.
great game – we just need better decision making late . . .
I’ve never seen Kobe defended that well . . .
29 points off of 20 turns for the Thunder..not good.
Great great effort though. The team is growing before our very eyes.
The real question we should be asking is what happened to Durant’s shot? He missed every three pointer he took, and airballed some big time shots. Being a little tired is one thing, being completely off on shots you should make two games in a row is disconcerting.
he should be playing less minutes – Brooks acta like we can’t play without him . . .
@Kev
Kelenna Azubuike, please. He’d be able to play some SF minutes to give Durant some rest.
@Kev
Again, even the minutes isn’t enough to explain this. Something is going on with him and he needs to get it figured out.
Keeping a starter in at all times is getting kind of old. Harden is playing like a starter now, so I hope they can truly rest our guys soon. Maybe they will integrate the rest of the team a little later in the season.
Last possesion of regulation……. PATHETIC. You have a chance to win the game and you dribble around and jack a llooooonnnggg three? Terrible. Go create something or get fouled just ANYTHING… don’t jack a contested freakin long 3!!!!!!!
my sentiments exactly . . . despite what some people think, Durant (as of now) is a mediocre initiator of the offense – right now, you cannot give him the ball like you can a Kobe, a Wade, a Roy, or even a Hedo T. . . . KD’s ballhandling is not there yet . . .
Am i the only one monitoring the Chris Paul situation in new orleans? I swear presti could pick him off for westbrook + filler if only OKC is willing to take back a huge ugly contract back like that of peja
P.S. if i am Brooks I bench westbrook in the 4th and let Harden be the one to initiate and run the offense. I cannot continue watching westbrook running the show down the stretch anymore. I cringe so much watching him that by the all-star break i wil not have teeth anymore
I think it would take a lot more to get the best PG in the league.@The DON
this would require Brooks to show flexibility . . .
and it would damage Westbrook’s ego . . .
sorry – can’t do it . . .
@KB
I can dream can’t i? But the reason i suggested it is because the direction that the CP3 situation is heading I have a feeling he’ll want out, as early as this season. i mean, we could offer westbrook + our two lotto picks next season and take back a big contract from N.O.
I know CP3 has fond memories of OKC and OKC misses him
It’s the perfect fit
@Kev
I agree but for god’s sake winning has to take precedence over a single player’s ego. Seriously, it literally hurts to watch westbrook. He is unbearable to watch. Simply unbearable!
I agree with you – but you know there are politics involved – again, 2 of the big 3 were dreadful offensively down the stretch . . . hopefully its growing pains and we can learn from this . . .
I dont think the Suns pick will be a lotto pick. They beat the Heat tonight and are still unbeaten. Damn the Suns!!!!
@Warren
Shaq is a rusty old boar anchor…. suprise
@B-RY
lmao. Who would have thunk it right. lol
How the heck did we get a lakers troll in here? Lame.
@Kev
i keep trying to cheer myself up over these last 2 games by saying that KD and Westbrook looked absolutely miserable, yet we could’ve won either one of the games with a bounce or two going in our favor down the stretch