Horrible weather in Oklahoma City currently. Cold, icy, and windy. Just horrible weather. I’ll be sitting behind the OU bench tomorrow at the Bedlam football game with some O State friends. Might actually include a Bedlam recap tomorrow night with the Thunder being idle till Monday after tonight’s game against the Pistons. Big sports week-end in Oklahoma. A Bedlam game with OU literally playing for its first appearance ever in the relatively new Final Four Tournament format. Plenty of hot coffee and Jack Daniels to be consumed tomorrow night. Look forward to having a conversation with Joe Mixon. OU a seven point road favorite in a rivalry game which has had spectacular finishes of late.
But tonight it’s Thunder basketball in Oklahoma City as the Detroit Pistons and Reggie Jackson make their only appearance this season at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
OKC enters as the three seed in the West with a 10-6 mark. Detroit as the eighth seed in the East with an 8-7 mark. Both teams coming off mid week wins, both teams rested. Detroit coming off a nice win over the Miami Heat. The Thunder in the midst of their third three game winning streak of the season in search of their first four game winning streak of the season.
Reggie Jackson matchup against Russell Westbrook will get the pregame noise, but what I’m going to be looking at is whether OKC’s bigs can handle Andre Drummond in the paint. Drummond comes in averaging 18 points and 18 rebounds a game with a current PER of 25.2. He’s a load who should give Ibaka, Adams and Collison all they want and more.
Detroit with coach Stan van Gundy have a fairly nice roster with Jackson, Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ersan Illyasova, Marcus Morris Stanley Johnson, Aron Baynes, Anthony Tolliver, Spencer Dinwiddie, Steve Blake and Reggie Bullock.
Pistons enter tonight averaging 97 points a game while giving up 96 points a game. OKC at 109.8 and 103.8 respectively. Pace will favor OKC if they can get out in transition with Westbrook leading the break.
OKC with Kevin Durant back in the lineup these last two games has scored 110 both games.
Several things I would look at tonight…1 Westbrook vs Jackson matchup, 2 can OKC’s bigs hold their own against Andre Drummond, 3 will Kentavius Caldwell – Pope light up OKC’s still suspect perimeter defense, 4 will OKC be able to dicate a faster pace which is more in their offensive comfort zone, and 5 will Serge Ibaka continue to play better since Durant’s return to the lineup.
Waiters and Morrow’s combined efficiency is something else I have circled to keep track of as the night moves along. Plus, will Billy D be trotting out that small ball lineup of Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Waiters and Morrow.
Should be a good game