Thunder vs Timberwolves: Pregame Primer
vs.
Timberwolves (14-49, 5-25 road) vs. Thunder (35-29, 21-9 home)
TV: FS Oklahoma
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 1300 AM The Buzz Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 106.4 (12th), T-Wolves – 102.6 (26th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 103.9 (11th), T-Wolves – 110.8 (30th)
The Thunder is once again looking up at the 8th seed. This time, it’s the New Orleans Pelicans that hold that spot by .5 a game with 18 games to play. Tonight the Thunder hosts the last place Minnesota Timberwolves and will look to pull even with the Pelicans with a win.
The Wolves will be without Anthony Bennett, Robbie Hummel and Shabazz Muhammad due to injury, while center Nikola Pekovic is a game time decision.
3 Big Things
1. Lineup Shuffle. Serge Ibaka is OUT tonight with right knee soreness and is listed as day-to-day. Mitch McGary will start in his place along side Enes Kanter who remains in the starting lineup. The other change is Kyle Singler has been replaced in the starting unit by Dion Waiters. So the starters for tonight will be Westbrook-Roberson-Waiters-McGary-Kanter.
Brooks on Waiters instead of Singler:
“Just gives us another dimension to our starting lineup. We’re just going to have to explore. We’re having some guys out, gives us another ball-handler, another attack player. It’s not what Kyle did not do, it’s what Dion can do. It’s somewhat fluid right now. We’re just trying to see what’s best going forward. We’re going to try to experiment.”
The key sentence in that graph? “It’s somewhat fluid right now.”
If you’ve been calling for Morrow to get some burn with the starters then this is your cue to dance around the room waving your shirt over your head. This is the first sign of Brooks acknowledging that some other options will probably be explored over the final 18 games.
2. #BeefPunch. If you don’t know already, BeefPunch is the official hashtag of brodie Mitch McGary. McGary will be staring down veteran Kevin Garnett in a ‘Welcome to the NBA’ type of game for the rookie. Garnett is known for his over-the-top trash talk on the floor, and will surely give Mitch an ear full. On the flip side McGary has the opportunity to simply run KG right off the floor. Garnett, at 38, can no longer keep up with the motor of McGary and we could see it take a toll on KG early.
3. Defense. The Thunder’s defense, particularly on the perimeter has been plain bad the last couple of games by their standards. This team is so good when rotations are being made in sync and bodies are flying out to shooters. This level of aggression and effort needs to make a return tonight. This is where playoff teams start to dial everything in and manufacture that consistency needed in the playoffs. The Thunder is obviously behind the 8-ball with Durant still out, but scheme and philosophy doesn’t change no matter who’s on the floor.
Wednesday’s COTN: “ryan woods was fired.” – @_justin
LOL.
Tip at 7:00 CT. Go changes.
