OKC’s Thunder in Dallas tonight to begin a four game road swing which will take them to play the Knicks, Nets, and Timberwolves in the coming days as well. On paper, the Mavs and Knicks look like challenging games in which OKC will need to be ready to play with some energy and focus. OKC will be a solid to prohibitive Vegas favorite in all four games. Tonight, OKC is a six point road favorite against the Mavs.
Dallas has been a pleasant to mild surprise this season standing at 25-19 and is the current No. 6 seed in the West. Which means this could very well be a preview of a first round No. 3 vs. No. 6 series.
Dirk is questionable for tonight last I checked. Which means Matthews and Parsons will have to light it up tonight if Dallas is to score with the Thunder.
Russell Westbrook should have something to prove after being suckered by pesky J.J. Barea into a second period ejection last time these two teams met back in OKC. Westbrook went scoreless for the only the second time in his NBA career. Putting that aside–Westbrook should be able to get to the rim and his mate Kevin Durant should have space and time whenever he really wants it tonight.
Serge Ibaka as OKC’s third option needs to begin a string of solid games. What I mean by a string is I’d like two straight weeks where Ibaka plays assertive, confident basketball. The level of basketball he’ll have to perform at if OKC is to beat Golden State and San Antonio. Draymond Green is Golden State’s third option, LaMarcus Aldridge is the Spur’s third option. Both All-Star caliber players. To be blunt…Serge Ibaka needs to either shit or get off the stool with his game from this point forward. Being the third best player on a team with the likes of Durant and Westbrook means you have to show up every night.
Rick Carlisle’s teams swing the ball as good any team in the NBA. OKC’s perimeter defense will be tested tonight and special attention will need to be paid to Wes Matthews and Chandler Parsons. This will give us a read if OKC’s defense has really made any progress of late or if it’s just been a mirage due to the recent inferiority of the opponents.
OKC comes in hot with a six game winning streak and 21-4 in their last twenty-five games.
Kyle Singler and Enes Kanter both come in off solid bench nights. Dion Waiters is in a recent string of two straight poor shooting performances. Rookie Cam Payne has been up and down of late–more like a rookie than a seasoned pro. But since he’s a rookie it’s to be expected.
Vegas has OKC at -6, but I’m more inclined to have OKC at closer to -3.5. Should be an interesting game with runs from both teams at various stages of the game.
Getting the pizza and California red ready. Time to get by the fireplace for what should be an entertaining Friday night game in Dallas.
LET’S GO THUNDER!