OKC Thunder Preview: Depleted Team Looks for 4th-Straight Win
By David Ramil
Early Rumblings is your ultimate OKC Thunder preview for tonight’s game. The Lakers are no longer the team they once were, despite their steady popularity and rich history. This is a struggling team that is lacking an identity – this season has been mostly forgotten by the team’s fans as they look forward to the next one. But the Thunder are still active in the playoff race and looking to win their fourth-straight game.
Los Angeles Lakers (18-50) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (39-30)
7:00 p.m. CST – Tuesday, March 24, 2015 – Chesapeake Energy Arena
Broadcast on TNT, FoxSports
| STARTING LINEUP: OKC | STARTING LINEUP: LAL | ||
| Russell Westbrook | G | Jeremy Lin | G |
| Kyle Singler | G | Jordan Clarkson | G |
| Dion Waiters | F | Wesley Johnson | F |
| Enes Kanter* | F | Ryan Kelly | F |
| Steven Adams | C | Tarik Black | C |
Key Reserves
OKC Thunder: D.J. Augustin, Anthony Morrow, Mitch McGary, Perry Jones III
Los Angeles Lakers: Jordan Hill, Wayne Ellington, Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Jabari Brown
*With the news that Andre Roberson is expected to miss 2-3 weeks with an ankle sprain, it seems likely that Singler will start in his place.
Storm Alert – What to Look For in Today’s Game
Daily Reminder: OKC has a 2.5 game lead over the Phoenix Suns and a three-game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference standings. That’s a nice cushion but not nearly big enough to take it easy, even against a struggling team like the Lakers.
Biggest story: When this game was first scheduled to be broadcast nationally, I’m sure no one expected the matchup of the night to be Enes Kanter versus Tarik Black, but that’s where this season has gone for both teams. But while the Lakers are virtually unrecognizable from just last season and unable to win games consistently, the Thunder have found a way to retool and stay well within the playoff hunt. Their 7-3 record over the last 10 games is tied for the fourth-best over that stretch in the NBA – doubly impressive when you consider that players keep dropping like flies.
Best matchup: It’s not really Kanter versus Black, although that is a battle worth watching as the physical ex-Rocket will try to bully OKC’s big man out of the paint. In reality, the matchup of Westbrook and Jeremy Lin – just inserted into the starting lineup by Lakers coach Byron Scott – is the key to the game. Lin has never matched the expectations placed on him after his breakout season with the Knicks years ago but he’s steadily developed into a solid guard that can produce in bunches. He’s coming off a win against Philadelphia where he dropped 29 points, albeit against a porous 76ers defense. Still, when you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose so Lin could be dangerous against OKC.
Why you should watch: It’s easy to look at this train-wreck of a Lakers season and watch tonight’s game just to enjoy how far the might have fallen. But that’s secondary to the fact that the Thunder have been as enjoyable to watch as any team in the league over the last few weeks. From Westbrook’s ceaseless energy and deserving consideration for the MVP, to watching how any player can – and has – stepped up, even amid all the injuries. On Sunday, it was Kanter (with 27 points), on Friday it was Waiters (with 24 points). Who will step up in tonight’s game for the Thunder?
Current trend: The NBA reviewed Westbrook’s triple-double from Sunday’s win over Miami and changed his rebound total to nine and thereby taking away his league-leading tenth triple-double of the season…The Thunder have won 19 of their last 21 games at home and 26-of-35 overall…Kanter is averaging 21.1 points and 12.1 rebounds in his last seven games…The Lakers have dropped five-straight games on the road, and had lost four games in a row before beating Philadelphia on Sunday…While Lin can boost the Lakers offensively, he’s combined for just 32 points in two previous meetings with OKC this season.
History pattern: Kanter’s career average versus L.A. of 7.2 rebounds per game is his fourth-highest total. Look for that number to increase tonight…Westbrook’s numbers against his hometown team are impressive – in 21 career games, he’s averaged 22.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 8 assists….OKC has won 15 of their last 19 games versus the Lakers.
"*Statistics are provided by ESPN.com or Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted"
Check back with Thunderous Intentions for a full recap, post-game grades, analysis and more.
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