Thunder vs Nuggets: Pregame Primer

vs.

Nuggets (1-1, 1-0 road) vs. Thunder (2-0, 1-0 home)

TV: FS Oklahoma
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 1300 AM The Buzz Tulsa)
Time: 6:00 CT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 112.2 (2nd), Nuggets – 93.6 (27th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 108.2 (24th), Nuggets – 92.1 (2nd)

The Thunder needed 58 minutes to take down the Orlando Magic on Friday night and secure the first 2-0 start since the 2011-12 season (the year they went to the Finals). Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have now combined for 146 points and 31 rebounds to start the year, but these first two games have been anything but perfect. It took a 33-point fourth quarter to beat the Spurs on opening night, and a Westbrook 3-pointer from 40 feet to force an extra frame against the Magic.

The good news? The Thunder is winning with its “B” game.

OKC kicks off their first back-to-back of the season tonight against the Denver Nuggets. These two teams met back on October 18 — OKC won 111-98. The Thunder open up as 12.5-point favorites, but this Denver team has already taken down the Rockets in Houston (by 20) and have shown strong defensive potential.

3 Big Things

1. Getting Stops

No secret, the Thunder’s defense has been bad — allowing 121 points per game (second worst in the league out of the gate). Obviously this is no time to panic or start throwing blame, but each game presents another chance to iron out wrinkles on that end of the floor.

“We’re still a work in progress,” Billy Donovan said. “We need to keep getting better and improving. The biggest thing I’m looking for is if how we’re playing is sustainable.”

That last sentence presents a great question: Can this team consistently win games by simply outscoring opponents?

We’ve watched the Thunder (when fully healthy) under Scott Brooks be an upper echelon team on defense, while having the offensive sophistication that left us scratching our heads down the stretch of close games. This team is leaning the other direction and it will be interesting to see where this team shakes out defensively with rest of the league. Obviously this team won’t give up 121 a game for any significant amount of time, and tonight is a great opportunity to force a rookie point guard, Emmanuel Mudiay into turnovers that lead to buckets in transition.

2. Assist/Turnover Ratio

Against San Antonio: 21/19

Against Orlando: 19/20

Donovan’s offense has looked fluid, spacious and flat-out gorgeous. Like, so good you just want to take it out for coffee. It’s creating a lot of open looks and the Thunder just simply aren’t hitting enough of those looks to get that assist number where Donovan expects it to be. In the first two games Serge Ibaka is 8-21 from the field and 0-2 from beyond the arc. This offense will continue to set him with open looks, it’s just a matter of seeing a few more of them fall to get Ibaka back on track.

The turnovers. Oof.

So. Many. Turnovers.

Westbrook has 11 through the first two games, and tonight he’s going up against a feisty rookie in Mudiay who has the size to give Russ problems if he decides to be loose with the ball.

If OKC can cut those down to 10-12 range tonight they can blow this team out — they are that good on offense.

3. 3-Point Shooting

The Thunder is shooting 15-46 (30.6 percent) from beyond the arc so far this season. Not a bad mark as a team, but this number could go up. There have been a few instances where the ball is getting swung to Dion Waiters (who’s been good), when they could be going to Morrow or even Augustin.

If Donovan can get Morrow a couple more open looks per game along with Serge finding his shot, this team could start to excel from a spot on the floor that they’ve been pedestrian from since 2012.

Friday’s COTN: “How many birds live in Elfrid Payton’s hair nest?” – @KindaScottish

Honestly thought he was just prepping his “Weekend” look for Halloween.

Tip at 6:00 CT. Go stay unbeaten.