Highly compelling matchup tonight at the Chesapeake Energy Arena as the 4-0 Toronto Raptors visit the 3-1 OKC Thunder. Toronto comes off a win in Dallas last night on the second night of a back to back. OKC comes back home to lick their wounds from not only a disappointing loss, but one in which they scored only forty points in the second half and brought back to light the warts which have kept this team from realizing its championship potential… namely turnovers and a lack of a commitment on the defensive end.
Toronto has its own demons though in being a first round exit two years running in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Through four games Toronto’s team differential is +11.8 and there is optimism Demare Carroll might be the missing piece as far as adding defensive toughness and a more blue collar look to the team as a whole. Kyle Lowery leads the team from the point guard position and is undeniably the glue of this basketball team. Starting five will be Lowery, Carroll, DeMar Rozan, Jonas Valanciunas and Luis Scola. Potentially-Toronto should be one of the clubs challenging for a top three seed in the Eastern Conference.
For OKC, it’s the first night of a back to back which concludes tomorrow night in Chicago. OKC comes off its worst half of basketball this season, one in which they lost the second half by 19 points in route to a 110-105 loss to the struggling Rockets It wasn’t pretty. Twenty-five turnovers, a lack of the ability to stay on their man, and in the end, not finishing and answering James Harden.
For OKC to have any illusions of hanging near Golden State in the regular season and beyond, these two team focal points must be cleaned up by first year coach Billy Donovan. Basketball is not as highly complex as some would suggest it is. If you defend, take care of the ball, and have a finisher you win a lot of games.
Bigger game for OKC than Toronto. For OKC to stake the claim they could be a legitimate contender to Golden State–the subtraction of bad turnovers and soft defense have to be instilled in the team as a whole from top to bottom. There–I’ve said my piece…somewhat.