Thunder vs Cavs: Pregame Primer
vs.
Thunder (22-21, 10-14 road) vs. Cavaliers (24-20, 14-9 home)
TV: ABC
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 1300 AM The Buzz Tulsa)
Time: 2:30 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 104.9 (18th), Cavs – 110.0 (5th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 103.2 (8th), Cavs – 108.4 (25th)
LeBron vs. KD at 2:30 on ABC (Let’s keep it 100, today’s primer could end right there).
This is a big one. A big one for the league, and its fans. A big one for both teams after both got off to disappointing starts for different reasons. A big one as both teams are trying to climb the standings before the All-Star break, and both playing really well in its last five games respectively. Let’s dive in.
3 Big Things
1. KD and The King. This game was built up in a similar way on Dec. 11 when the Cavs visited the Thunder, but a last minute scratch due to knee soreness kept LeBron out of that game, making this afternoon the first KD-LeBron matchup since Feb. 20, 2014 (the night Serge broke LeBron’s nose).
I’ve heard a few times on TV and seen a few times on Twitter (tweeps with valuable hoops opinions) that Durant is the clear-cut best player in the league. Usurping LeBron has always seemed like a distant formality that would arrive without warning for Durant. So a changing of the guard in 2015 seems a bit premature, but today’s game could give us a better understanding.
Durant torched James in Miami last season using his speed and ball handling to get wherever he wanted against a locked-in LeBron. It was the game that solidified Durant as the MVP front-runner – a title Durant wouldn’t give up the rest of the season.
LeBron is by no means a lesser player — putting up absurd numbers with brand new teammates — and this Cavs team is coming into its own over the last five games with LeBron doing a lot more ball handling.
The Thunder’s plan in the past has been to start Thabo on James to keep KD out of early foul trouble. If that remains the case Andre Roberson will be under the magnifying glass as he’ll be the one guarding James. He’s a longer, more athletic defender than Sefolosha was, and it’s time he shows his chops against the best.
2. Kevin Love. Love has found a rhythm in the last week and looks his shooting a high percentage. Ibaka has been, to put it nicely, poor defending Love away from the basket. Serge is coming off a game in Atlanta where, poor guy, he just looked confused. Like – when you show and didn’t know there was a quiz today – confused. He can have an enormous impact on both ends in this game, and it starts by slowing down Love.
3. Russ – Kyrie. In the game in OKC earlier this season, Westbrook registered 26 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds with 4 steals to Irving’s 20 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds. Westbrook has been locked in the last few games on the defensive end and it’s contagious. The group goes as Russ goes on that end of the floor, and Kyrie is the next target.
Friday’s COTN: “We are down 1 on the road after leading the entire half to a team that’s going for 15 in a row and all we can do is criticize everyone. Man y’all are tough.” – @DanielLawler
Y’all got all kinds of crazy on Friday night.
Tip at 2:30. Go Brodies.
