Thunder vs Raptors: Pregame Primer

Ryan Woods -

vs.

Raptors (38-24, 17-13 road) vs. Thunder (34-28, 20-8 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 – 106.2 (14th), Raptors  – 110.8 (3th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 103.5 (11th), Raptors – 107.1 (23rd)

The Thunder is back home after a disappointing loss to the Bulls Thursday night in Chicago. The Thunder plays 8 of its next 9 at home starting tonight against the visiting Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have lost 7 of its last 8 but we’ll get to them in a few minutes, and here’s why…

NEW UNIFORMS!

The Thunder will debut these new duds tonight, and boy… twitter will be fun. Look, they aren’t great (and possibly not even good), but you know what they’re for sure not? The Away Blues. IMO, the jerseys power ranking goes:

  1. Home Whites
  2. Sleeved Alternates
  3. Navy Alternates
  4. Away Blues

There are two players that make any kit you give them look good just because — Russell Westbrook (the swag gawd) and Steven Adams because huge, jolly human.

Like em’ or hate em’ should be an entertaining first run in the new threads.

3 Big Things

1. Russ. He’s been the tale of two ends over the last few games: He can record a fourth consecutive 40-point game Sunday night — only Kobe Bryant has scored 40 or more in three straight or more games in the past 10 years. Bryant did it in 2012.

Westbrook has shot 41.5 percent in this four-game span, but OKC is just 1-3. Since Feb. 26, Westbrook’s offensive rating of 103.1 is good, but his defensive rating of 112.9 is the league’s 12-worst over that time. All that to say, Westbrook isn’t playing up to potential on the defensive end, and if you want to nit-pick his play it should come on that end, not shot selection and the like.

Today he’ll face Kyle Lowry — a tough defender who’s capable of taking over games in numerous ways. Westbrook is the superior guard, and as we head for the playoffs Russ will start to take these matchups even more personally as the stakes get higher.

2. The Castaways. The Thunder have been getting hit with big games from fringe players — most recently E’twaun Moore. The defense has clearly been the Thunder’s fatal flaw in these recent losses and they face another team tonight that has balanced scoring including Lou Williams off the bench.

The Thunder has to be sharp on defense tonight at home for four quarters to get this win, despite the Raptors recent struggles. They’ve slipped quite a bit defensively in this slump, but they’re still producing high-percentage looks for their quality players.

3. Scoring. Despite Demar Derozan averaging 30.0 points over his last three games the Raptors continue to struggle. The defense has given up over 108 points per game over its last five games leading to some really bad performances. The Thunder has an opportunity to get out to a fast start and not look back if they come out with the energy and effort that we’ve seen from them over the last couple of weeks. It’s time to get rolling as we head down the home stretch, and OKC is looking at a great opportunity tonight.

Thursday’s COTN: “I’m fairly certain that the only time people intentionally tune into TNT while “Castle” is on is when their TVs remind them to change the channel because an NBA basketball game is about to start.” – @OKCDC

I actually watched the last 10 minutes of it as the deadest hour of TV wrapped up. I was reminded why I don’t watch Castle.

Tip at 6:00 CT. Go State Pride.