Views from OKC is a daily diary about the current state of the OKC Thunder. Today we preview the matchup against the Orlando Magic.
I go into every Oklahoma City game with an idea of how the game is going to play out. I take into account the obvious: recent performances from both teams, the differing play styles and where the game is being held. The problem with that formula is the Thunder only tend to stay true to the “where the game is being held” variable.
Tonight’s game in Orlando is the perfect trap game. The Magic come in “hot,” having won 3 of their last 5. Aaron Gordon switching from small forward to power forward has unsurprisingly helped Frank Vogel’s rotation as they have emphasized small-ball basketball. That style has been the Thunder’s kryptonite all season.
Although Nikola Vucevic is the Magic’s primary center, don’t be surprised if Bismack Biyombo plays a key role tonight. His versatility on the defensive end could cause problems in the Russell Westbrook/Steven Adams pick & roll while his elite athleticism could tire out Adams on offense.
MUST READ: The Kiwi Bible – An ultimate guide to Steven Adams
If the Big Kiwi struggles like we’ve seen recently then Billy Donovan will have to bench him once again. During crunchtime against Dallas we saw OKC’s own version of small-ball; the lineup with Jerami Grant at the 4 and Taj Gibson at the 5 gave up 0 points in nearly two minutes. Although that was the first time we had see the combination play the 4 and 5 together I fully expect to see it again tonight.
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Which leads me to the only other thing I fully expect to see tonight: a Westbrook triple-double.
Russ has hit the mark three games in a row, putting his total at 37 on the season. With only eight games left he has to record five trip-dubs to surpass Oscar Robertson’s elusive record. What happened the first time these two teams met? 41-12-16.
Other than a triple-double and a relatively new lineup, tonight is a mystery. It’s possible that the Magic come out flat like they did against Toronto on Monday. It’s also possible that the Thunder come out flat like they did against Dallas on Monday.
The complete unknown from game-to-game is the beauty of being a Thunder fan this season.