Thunder in the News: We finally might be experiencing change

Thunder in the News is an OKC Thunder fan’s dream – a daily post dedicated to finding the best Oklahoma City content around the web.

Happy Gameday Thunder Nation! Tonight’s contest against the Utah Jazz is going to be a tough test for an Oklahoma City team that finally looks to be putting the pieces together. While the last two games have ended with a win, OKC has failed to play a consistent 48 minutes on the offensive end. I don’t necessarily think we see that against a solid-defensive unit in the Jazz. I do believe, however, that we will see better ball movement into the third quarter tonight.

Previewing tonight’s matchup against the Jazz

Today’s preview comes from Thunderous Intentions writer Lawrence George. I like Lawrence’s perspective because he, like me, has been critical of Russ this season. And he, like me, understands how brilliant Russ can be with these weapons around him. I agree with Lawrence that Russ vs. Himself is one of the biggest keys to tonight’s game, simply because the League MVP has the opportunity to overtly control this game. He also has the opportunity to play OKC right out of a third straight win.

"To be fair, its not all Russ. But a lot of it is. If the Brodie can control himself and the urge to launch bad shots, Oklahoma City will beat a lot of teams in the league."

Carmelo’s recent change of heart is a career first

While Russ is still searching for that balance, Carmelo Anthony seems to be embracing a new role. Carmelo has shot a whopping 17 shots in the last two games; he didn’t score double-digits points in either contest. The situation is similar to the Big Three in Miami, where Chris Bosh had to take a huge step back when he teamed up LeBron and D-Wade. It’s possible these last two games are the start of a similar trend for this Thunder team.

"The process has been painful at times, with clear hesitation brewing in Westbrook and Anthony specifically."

Nazr Mohammed is back with the Thunder

Don’t get too excited now – the Thunder still have a void at their backup center position. Nazr Mohammed is a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder once again, this time as a part of the front office. I’ll let him tell his own story and how he already has returned to the game he loves.

"As of November 20, I became a professional evaluation scout/identification and intelligence for the Oklahoma City Thunder. I know it’s a mouthful, but essentially I’m going to get a full education in all of the little details needed to make a front office tick."

Next: Grading Thunder's Sunday victory against the Spurs

That’s it for today’s issue of Thunder in the News! Make sure you check Thunderous Intentions after the game for our recap and players grades, as well as our plethora of features about your favorite team.