vs. 
OKC Thunder (13-4, 4-2 road) at New Orleans Hornets (4-10, 2-5 home)
TV: FS OK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 112.5 (2nd), Hornets– 104.3 (14th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 102.7 (9th), Hornets – 110.7 (30th)
Pace: Thunder – 92.6 (12th), Hornets – 88.6 (29th)
View from the enemy: Hornets 24/7
The Hornets were one of the better defensive teams in the league early this season. And then they played the Thunder two weeks ago. The Thunder rolled up the Hornets 110-95 and kickstarted both New Orleans’ downfall as a top defensive team and OKC’s roll of eight straight games with 100+.
The Hornets were completely overmatched that night and with the momentum the Thunder have going right now, you’d think they’d take a similar mindset down there tonight. Then again, the Thunder are coming off a pretty tough battle the night before and are due for a bit of a letdown performance. I don’t think this one will be as easy as the previous one.
New Orleans coming in: The Hornets are well rested having last played Wednesday, losing to the Jazz.
Three Big Things
1. No Brow. Anthony Davis is still out and while he wasn’t a major factor in the first meeting, he’s probably the Hornets’ best player. It changes the Thunder’s matchups a bit as it brings Ryan Anderson into the starting five, a stretch 4 and a tougher cover for Serge Ibaka. Ibaka has had issues in the past chasing perimeter oriented players around, so it’s potentially dangerous.
2. Greiving. Maybe the Hornets best player right now is Greivis Vasquez. He has a little history with the Thunder for hitting this shot. He’s a really mouthy, cocky kind of player, but right now, he’s got the game to back it up. Prepare yourself to say, “Man, I hate Greivis Vasquez” roughly 25 times tonight.
3. Pacing. The Hornets play slow and they’re going to want to keep the Thunder’s tempo in check. Limit transition and try and turn this thing to a grind. Like I said, there could be some heavy legs for OKC and it has the apparent setup for a letdown. Easy buckets on the run could ease some of that.
Tip at 7:00 CT. Go Scorers.
I wish we could get Nancy Lieberman on here--I find her observations to be insightful. She's not the Usual Suspect type of eye candy female analyst we're usually subjected to by the networks. How did we get Nancy Lieberman? She's awesome. I wish she'duse some of my TSN stuff every now and then...I'd be flattered. Our new sideline is doing nothing for me...the questions she asks the players after the games are predictable and pedestrian. You can literally see the players rolling their eyes. Russ last night...KMart last night. In all candor--I would have liked to have seen Thunder Chick get that gig. She understands the soul of the team...as does Nancy Lieberman.
.
I'm very much liking what I'm seeing with Hash's upward TSN surge this week. Starting the season--he would have been the last Thunder player I would have suspected capable of this type of TSN. Keep up the good work, Hash.
Hasheem Thabeet TSN this week 94.3%---for the season 87.7%
WOW Manu. Good grief.
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/12/thunder-roll-over-the-overmatched-hornets-100-79/
@qrex PARTY OVER HERE!!!!
@qrex MOVE IT!
Dang game over Texass
texas defense :/
http://goo.gl/GzS1H
@cemitten cue the AC/DC
CONLEY IS A FLOPPING HOE
@ILikePancakes
http://goo.gl/vwUN7
?
@ILikePancakes fight flopping with flopping
Ginobili is terrible this season.
@Sigmund he was terrible last season, injuries is starting to get to him.
@Sigmund hes old. spurs are starting to go for broke before duncan and him check out
@Legendary_Dork @Sigmund yea they need to retool completely i doubt they are competitive in the playoffs.
This was from yesterday:
"Russell Westbrook has recorded at least 8 assists in 6 consecutive games, which matches his 2nd longest
streak of his career."
So that makes 9 games right? SOON IT WILL BE AT 1 MILLION STRAIGHT GAMES!
@EatSleepThunder Russ coming for Magics streak next!
@EatSleepThunder 'Hunnit million, hunnit trillion, oh Goddamn Basedgod'
@EatSleepThunder RAJON WHO?
@AIaska This guy?
http://goo.gl/GqkUK
@EatSleepThunder @AIaska 'Tis my homeboy
@EatSleepThunder we can only hope! when russ is 85 and still faster than all the current pg's lol
@Legendary_Dork @EatSleepThunder and he still won't have missed a game
Watchin Inception.
Cool movie.
@SilenceTheLambs loved the soundtrack as well
@SilenceTheLambs Mindf***.
@SilenceTheLambs You mean Titanic's sequel
@SilenceTheLambs its a freaking fanTASTIC movie.
lol manu flops even after fouls have been called
@AIaska next play, parker flop
@AIaska respect the master
@AIaska he needs to be suspended.
@AIaska thats his thing man~
Amazing, anyone remember a stretch of games for the Thunder as dominate as we have had lately?
@ThunderWins Nope but i asked for it and we got it.
@ThunderWins We can't remember anything without google
I wish i could view the interviews :(
@Lost Ones listen to the postgame on WWLS
@Lost Ones they play some clips at least.
@Tronchaser @D-MC @Lost Ones it was the am version of the sports animal that played espn radio.
@D-MC @cemitten @Lost Ones Serious.
@D-MC @cemitten @Lost Ones dailythunder.com
@cemitten @Tronchaser @Lost Ones What is the best OKC sports radio station?. Serious question.
@cemitten @Tronchaser @Lost Ones "Why doesn't Willie Warren play for the Thunder anymore?"
@Tronchaser @Lost Ones the callers are probably the ones that send the text questions
@Tronchaser @Lost Ones but you deal with foolish callers
@Tronchaser GOOD IDEA! THANKS
@Tronchaser @Jooseppi @Lost Ones no nonsense?yeah right
@Jooseppi @Lost Ones postgame isnt as bad... no Traber, no Al, no nonsense.
@Jooseppi @Tronchaser :( i have no options once league pass goes off the teams off
@Lost Ones @Tronchaser If you're going to do that, I have some cyanide I can loan you instead. Same result.