vs. 
Philadelphia 76ers (2-5, 1-3 road) vs. OKC Thunder (3-2, 1-2 home)
TV: FSOK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 753)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 103.9 (21st), Sixers – 104.5 (19th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 109.5 (23rd), Sixers – 104.2 (8th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.3 (17th), Sixers – 95.9 (11th)
View from the enemy: Philadunkia
Not many games are important to win in November, especially against a lower level team. But this one tonight, is important. It’s big. A loss here, and you might be able to worry some with my permission. The Thunder needs to really rise up and play like it means something tonight. They’ve had a few days to think about this one, so it’s time to show up.
Philadelphia coming in: The 76ers will be without Andre Iguodala in this one, so really there’s no excuse. The Sixers last played Sunday against the Knicks in New York.
THE MATCHUPS
Jeff Green is out for this one so Serge Ibaka is starting again. On the inside the 76ers are decently strong with Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes. They aren’t that deep though, so it’ll be key for Ibaka and Nenad Krstic to play strong minutes.
Andres Nocioni will be checking KD most likely so that should be a mis-match. Jrue Holliday and Russell Westbrook will be a fun head-to-head of former UCLA guards. Thabo should hold Evan Turner in check but at the same time, Turner is one of the Sixers relied upon scorers, so we’ll see.
For once this year, it would be nice to see something big out of James Harden, Eric Maynor or maybe even Cole Aldrich.The Sixer bench isn’t deep so this is somewhere OKC should hold an advantage.
The Sixers are a surprisingly solid defensive team, but struggle scoring. And with Iggy out, they’re going to suffer on both ends more than usual. This isn’t a must-win because there’s no such thing in November, but OKC needs this game.
Tip at 7:00 CT. Go Thunder Team.
James Hardin looks like he could care less about playing bball. No matter what he does on the court he still gets a big paycheck. I think he's terrible. He just stands around, he leaves his man wide open and he needs to stop trying 3's and move in and shoot. Making 2 would be alot better than missing 3. duh Read his tweets.
larry :If DJ White can’t find minutes now, he never will.
Pretty much.
If DJ White can't find minutes now, he never will.
On Kevin Durant: Last season after seven games he was scoring fewer points per game on slightly worse efficiency (51.9% TS vs. 53% TS). The main issue so far this year has been the turnovers and the huge focus on him as an offensive threat. He's taking more shots and playing more minutes.
I'm not really concerned about Durant's scoring at all, except in the context of our offensive game plan in general. The defense is the main issue for me...
Why does Presti never try to sign Dampier?
@BrettM2
I think you could make a decent case that it's not just a matter of waiting for Durant's shot to click, but rather that it's just the poor offensive execution of the team that's resulting in Durant taking more poor shots than usual; whether or not his shot is 'clicking', it's going to be hard to get shots to fall when you're forced to, or just attempt more poor shots.
@Anonymous
He shouldn't be starting at PF but if the choice is between Jeff Green and 10 extra Krstic minutes + 20 extra Thabo minutes I'd take Jeff Green.
@PNT
That would have been blasphemous but I'm starting to wonder if it'll take something that drastic. Maybe his headband is on too tight.
@CenOK
Dude.. I said by February.. Winning some games and confidence can be a cure for so many issues the players are having.. Think about all the pressures these young nba players have on their shoulders this year.. Its not like last year where they came from nowhere. They are on everybodies radar and are getting everybody's best. Having no shooting by Durant and others are the reason why we lost the la game. Its a season of how many games?? 82.. not 20 or 30. We sucked it up the first of last year. If we can do better than last year we will be on a good pace to do just as good.
@PNT
Haha. That would be very dramatic.
@BrettM2
Harden needs to lose the beard. Needs some new mojo.
If this is the way the season goes on, Durant should win MVP. Because every time he steps out of the game, we start to lose.
I think the start to this season is beginning to prove that we should try to re-sign Collison and not trade him because of his expiring contract.
justin :
A win is a win! Please get healthy Nick Collison and Jeff Green.
I did not realize until the last few games. how important both of these players are.. Especially Collison!
I can't wait for Durant to find his shooting touch. If he can get 31 on bad shooting, what will he do when it starts to fall? I hope that'll solve some of our offensive woes (or at least mask them). I wonder what is going on with Harden though.
@Jared M
Kind of like the way we played down to the Clippers? And no I don't think the Sixers are tougher than Portland, Miami, Boston, and LA, what kind of dumb ass question is that? I'm just saying that the way we're playing now you shouldn't expect us to be able to roll over anyone and have a "fun month" of running up scores and clicking on all cylinders.
I am trying to have a realistic scope for our team and a win is a win.. is a win.. There are some games last year that we would have let this win slip by.. even though we did not play the best.. it wasnt bad.. If Harden can find a place on the team.. and we can find someone else to make some shots. I would hope we would be okay.. We got two players in durant and westbrook that are playing fairly well. Not perfect but well.
justin :
A win is a win! Please get healthy Nick Collison and Jeff Green.
Somebody bookmark this!
A win is a win! Please get healthy Nick Collison and Jeff Green.
@CenOK
Nice.. Sarcasm.... You can't judge by tonight.. Are you thinking that the sixers are more difficult than a schedule of portland, heat, boston, la, and such... No i don't think. Even though we had to play our starters a lot this game.. The game was never out of our hands. We played down to our competition tonight. It is still the first of the year.. Hopefully with some breaks and learning in December we will be bangin on all cylinders at least by Febuary.
Serge Ibaka says fool me once...
@justin
Krstic will never again have fresh legs.
@CenOK
Thabo shouldn't be playing 40 minutes a game, and 30+ for Krstic isn't good either. There's something to say for fresh legs...
@Jared M
As tonight was perfect evidence of the way we'll demolish powder puff teams...
Anybody see the schedule for december.. We have about ten powder puff games that month.. that should be a great month for us!
@justin
I agree that I'd rather see our starters play less minutes, but I don't understand this logic. The only starters' minutes I'm worried about is Ibaka, Durant, and Westbrook, and Ibaka was limited. So are you suggesting that we should take away minutes from our big 2 in exchange for White? We barely won this game with KD and Westbrook playing huge minutes, do you honestly think we could have done better if we played those 2 less?
@Deseps
Yeah, I heard it but it was hard to tell if that was someone on the bench or a broadcast tech.
Nick Collison needs to come back :(
Anyone watching on CSN hear someone on the sixers bench complaining about the call on Turner? Man, was he angry.
Another huge minute game for our starters. DJ White should be playing some!
justin :
Russ passed that one up too late. Harden was open!
I know! He was looking for Durant but Harden had a great opening then he got stuck in no man's land.
I based my assessment on Harden the last 6 games
God. Durant is incredible.
Harden... goddamnit play better. Where is your aggression???
Osano-Whoa :Now you can judge.
Those are the kind of looks Harden has been getting most of the time, on the perimeter with a short shot clock... not high percentage looks for anyone.
Now you can judge.
Russ passed that one up too late. Harden was open!
I wish White could get some minutes.
@okc baby
He was 50% on the night before that shot. You can't judge his shot based on 3 shots.
CenOK :@justinFor all that talk about improved passing and defense, we sure are struggling AT HOME against a very sub-par team.
For the offense we do miss Jeff Green a lot. His minutes seem to be going to Krstic and small ball with Thabo (37 minute sin this game). Green's a better offensive player than both those guys.
You have to hit that Harden.
Harden misses when he gets it
Somehow I knew Philly was going to play them tough. The Thunder aren't surprising anyone anymore.
@justin
For all that talk about improved passing and defense, we sure are struggling AT HOME against a very sub-par team.
Even if we pull this out I'm not sure how I'll feel. Still so many of the same problems, it's just this is a horrible team with their best player out.
Sammy :I put that last three on RW. That was a terrible TO. He’s getting away from what we were doing the first three quarters and looking for his shot exclusively unless it’s blocked at the last moment, when he’ll try to make a desperation pass.
It's a problem for RW and KD both... when the game is close they just keep it.
KD hasn't looked to motivated on D.
I put that last three on RW. That was a terrible TO. He's getting away from what we were doing the first three quarters and looking for his shot exclusively unless it's blocked at the last moment, when he'll try to make a desperation pass.
Still no legitimate reasons to worry about KD's shooting? He's barely shooting over 33%.
KD has made four defensive mistakes by my count in this quarter alone that have resulted in Sixers baskets.