vs. 
New Jersey Nets (20-24, road 11-10) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (9-35, home 6-17)
TV: FS Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)
Offensive Rating: Thunder: 102.0 (29th), New Jersey: 107.7 (14th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder: 109.2 (20th), New Jersey: 110.9 (27th)
Pace: Thunder: 93.8 (6th), New Jersey: 90.2 (20th)
The Nets should feel right at home tonight. With awful road conditions and the biggest basketball game in the state being played about 60 miles north, the Ford Center may be more empty than Charles Barkley’s wallet after a weekend in Vegas.
But that’s no excuse to not see what we should tonight. We should see a team hungry to erase last Friday’s bad loss to Eric Gordon and Al Thornton. We should see a group of guys that play hard for 48 minutes. We should see a team that takes nothing for granted and plays like it’s got something to prove (again). That’s what we should see.
We all remember what happened last time these two teams met. The Nets won in overtime and the Thunder couldn’t guard rookie Brook Lopez. Devin Harris was just back from injury and Vince Carter hit some big shots down the stretch. But that was in East Rutherford and Oklahoma City plays far better at home – empty or not – having won four of its last seven in Loud City.
The two teams play pretty contrasting style with the Nets being more of a half-court, motion team and the Thunder being more of a fast-paced, but not necessarily fast-break team. OKC rebounds much better than New Jersey and plays better defense. Save Lopez, the Nets are really weak on the inside. But Lopez can dominate, as evidenced by his 31 points two weeks ago. If Russell Westbrook can limit – and I say “limit” because that’s all you can hope for – Harris’ drive-and-dish opportunities, the Thunder can handle the Nets defensively. There’s no secret to what they want to do. They want Carter and Harris to score and Lopez to grab rebounds and give Harris and Carter another shot at it. But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy to stop.
The key matchup is Westbrook vs. Harris for the aforementioned reason. But the Thunder’s going to need the big three to click on all cylinders. In the 103-99 overtime loss, Durant had 26, Westbrook 19, but Jeff Green had just 15 on 4-15 shooting. Also, it would be really nice to see Nenad Krstic finally have a big impact on a game instead of just a 3-7, nine points four rebounds kind of night. He’s fully capable of going off for 20. He’s just got to start knocking down open jumpers.
The Nets ended a five-game skid before now having won four straight. One thing OKC can hope for is a letdown from New Jersey. I feel good about tonight. Losses don’t keep this team down. After Sunday’s practice, players hung around for an extended period of time getting extra work in. You don’t see that from 9-35 teams. These guys are hungry to win and hopefully they’re embarrassed with what happened in Los Angeles and come out fired up and intense. Kevin Durant had a career game in L.A., but he wants the win. And if OKC can give full tilt effort for 48 tonight, I really think the they’ll get it.
Mason +25
Westbrook +19
Collison +23
Durant +26
Green +23
Wonder if we won?... I think those +/- tell you we did.
I don't mind Grant Long one bit. There's better guys out there but Brian Davis just tries to hard to be a great announcer. There's no way that's his normal voice and his overuse of cliche is embarrassing. And he says "down by a stick man" and "triggers" about 3,000 times a game.
I don't think Grant Long is that bad as the color guy. We've certainly had worse, like Lenny Wilkins for example. Something is just not right with Davis, and it's tough to put my finger on. He says a lot of the same things over and over, but that's not it. He just..... I don't know. I hope he is a free agent at the end of the season. :O)
I'm gonna have to site out this game and listen to Brian Lameis. Man, it would be so fun with no one there.
I still remember Vince Carter trying to post up KD in the last game. He almost shot an airball. I think the Thunder would be very close in the odds in this one. I don't know what the official line is, but Lopez will not likely have a game like last time. If memory serves, Carter and Harris didn't shoot that well.
Go Thunder.
I don't know. In Norman, they aren't terrible... right now. But once the sun goes down and it's dark, I'm not sure. I went to a Hornets game when the roads were awful and they were playing the Celtics and it's one of my favorite games ever. I had tons of fun at it.
I'm undecided... how bad are the roads?... I've heard on the radio that they are really slick and dangerous... but sometimes they get a little carried away with themselves...
I plan on being there tonight, despite road conditions. Good Luck Thunder.