Thunder at Nets: Game Preview

Coming off of an emotional home win against the Denver Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back on the road to take on the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Monday night.

Once again, OKC will be without a majority of their roster. The one possible return would be in the form of third year point guard Reggie Jackson. Jackson is a game time decision but early signs Monday are that he will suit up and start for the Thunder.

The Nets and Thunder split the season series last year, with each team winning on the road. The Thunder’s win in Brooklyn was the last of a ten game winning streak and was a blowout victory in which Kevin Durant was pulled late in the game and saw his streak of twelve straight thirty point games come to an end.

In that game, the Nets looked completely out of sorts. It was a nationally televised game in the midst of Kevin Durant mania and the eventual MVP did not disappoint. Although he didn’t reach thirty points, he did shoot 10-12 from the floor while also picking up seven assists. The Thunder gave a total team effort and completely ran the Nets off the floor.

Unfortunately for the Thunder, KD will not be able to help them tonight, and they will once again have to depend on a team effort to pick up a win against the Nets. That is exactly how they won against the Nuggets on Saturday night so they will attempt to pick up right where they left off.

The Nets come in to the game with a 1-1 record, losing on opening night to the Celtics before picking up their first victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. Through the first two games, the Nets high profile players have been carrying the team. Joe Johnson leads the team in scoring with 26.5 points per game, Deron Williams leads with 7 assists, and Kevin Garnett leads with 10 rebounds. The Nets will also have Brook Lopez in the lineup for the first time this season.

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Here are some keys to tonight’s game that will be crucial to the Thunder’s chances of victory.

1. Coaching

Possibly the most intriguing aspect of tonight’s game is the coaching matchup. The often criticized Scott Brooks has been silencing those critics over the last two games as he has been superb. Missing his star players, Brooks has done a wonderful job drawing up sets that get his players in the best position to succeed. If there is a coach in the league that can slow Brooks down, it’s Nets coach Lionel Hollins. Hollins was the initial coach of the grit and grind Memphis Grizzlies that have given the Thunder trouble over the last few years. His teams pride themselves on the defensive end and do a good job of controlling the pace. It will be crucial for Scott Brooks to outcoach Hollins if the Thunder want to have a chance at the upset.

2. Perimeter Shooting

With guys like Joe Johnson and Mirza Teletovic, the Nets are a team with plenty of firepower from the outside. The Thunder on the other hand are lacking perimeter scoring in a big way with the injuries to Kevin Durant, Anthony Morrow, and Jeremy Lamb. Because of how good OKC’s defense has been over the last couple games, they will likely make it very difficult for the Nets to get good looks outside. That isn’t enough though. It will be important for Serge Ibaka and Perry Jones to continue their hot shooting from the outside to capitalize on their solid defense. If Reggie Jackson is able to suit up as expected, he should provide some help in this category.

3. Frontcourt Matchup

With the return of Brook Lopez, the Nets now boast one of the most well-rounded frontcourt rotations in the entire league. With the defensive presence of Kevin Garnett, the low-post scoring of Lopez, and the lights out shooting of Teletovic, they have everything you could ask for from a frontcourt group. With Ibaka, Steven Adams, and Kendrick Perkins heading the Thunder frontcourt, they are more than capable of holding the Nets in check and they will need to do so in order to win tonight. Keep an eye on Teletovic when he is in the game. His ability to stretch the floor might be tough on the Thunder big men who usually like to stay close to the basket defensively.

Prediction: Brooklyn 96, Thunder 91

The return of Reggie Jackson will not be enough for the Thunder tonight. Chances are he will be a little rusty after missing the team’s first two games. The combination of their depth and home court advantage will lead to a Nets win in a game that should go down to the wire.