Heat vs. Thunder: Pregame Primer

vs.

Miami Heat (32-14, 15-9 road) vs. OKC Thunder (30-16, 17-6 home)

TV: ABC (Cox 8, HD 705)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 12:00 CT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 109.9 (7th), Heat – 110.4 (4th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 108.2 (17th), Heat – 102.4 (4th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.1 (12th), Heat – 90.8 (22nd)

View from the enemy: Heat Index

It doesn’t count for any extra in the win-loss columns, but boy, this sure would be nice to win. Not only because it’s the Heat and it’s nice to beat good teams, but the whole national TV thing makes it feel a little bigger too.

Miami coming in: The Heat have dropped five of six and are battling some injuries to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. They last played Saturday.

THE MATCHUPS
Kevin Durant and LeBron James. It’s the key matchup and the one to keep an eye all over. There’s not much to say about it other than it’ll be fun.

As of the time of me writing this, Bosh and Wade are game-time decisions. However, Bosh is going to try and play as of now. If they play, obviously the Heat are really tough for the Thunder. With Thabo Sefolosha questionable, it’s hard for me to see James Harden defending Wade all that well. And Bosh ate up OKC in the preseason game.

Without them, it’s Mike Miller and LeBron moves to the 4 with James Jones starting and the Heat are a totally different team.

The trump card OKC has in its pocket is Russell Westbrook. He should overmatch Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo, so Westbrook will be key.

Tip at noon. Go Kevin’s Team.