It’s a big game whenever the Houston Rockets come to town. Especially when the OKC Thunder desperately need a statement win.
Happy Gameday Thunder Nation! It’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited for an OKC regular season basketball game. Not because I’m exceedingly optimistic with this team at the moment, nor because of the pure talent between these two teams. Nope – I’m simply intrigued to see how this team is going to perform against the second best team in the League. And because of that, we’re going to jump right into today’s posts.
Previewing tonight from the enemy’s point-of-view
We’ll begin by looking at what the opposition has to say. The Dream Shake has a nice, quick preview that brings up solid, well-rounded points pertaining to both teams. If you’re unaware the Rockets are currently on a 15-game win streak. Their offense is simply too powerful for most teams in the League – that means the OKC Thunder defense MUST play at 110% if they want come out of this game with a win.
I won’t spoil the conclusion for you, but you’ll be happy to read their final prediction.
"I expect Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony to take a bunch of shots. I expect Steven Adams to grab offensive rebounds like a crazy man. I expect at least one random player on the Thunder to go off."
The Corey Brewer experiment begins
This is another reason why tonight has me riled up. As Erik Horne notes in his journal, the Thunder’s newest acquisition had a chance to finally practice with the team over the weekend. His role is very much in the air, but tonight will be a good test for both Brewer and Billy Donovan.
The OK4 are desperate to find that fifth piece of their starting/closing lineup. While Brewer doesn’t quite have the offensive game, his defense might be enough to push him into the most important lineup on the team. Check out Erik’s piece for more intel on what to expect both tonight and through the rest of the season.
"Thunder coach Billy Donovan said his goal is to get Brewer more than the 12 minutes he played against Portland, but a determination hasn’t been made on Brewer’s role."
Carmelo Anthony needs a different role
And finally we highlight a third fantastic piece, this time from your favorite OKC website ;). For his latest piece, Thunderous Intentions writer Lawrence George broke down Carmelo Anthony’s play this season and why Donovan needs to consider a role-change. I’m all in on this.
As I’ve said multiple times, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and even Steven Adams provide enough offense. The two and four spot – shooting guard and power forward – should be focused on defense; that’s not Melo.
It’s important to note Lawrence doesn’t bash Carmelo either – he simply thinks Melo’s skills could be utilized elsewhere. The only problem is convincing Carmelo a move to the bench is best for his play AND the team.
"Heading into the season, Anthony needed to evolve into a catch and shoot three point sniper. What’s transpired is a mediocre shooter from distance who offers virtually nothing on defense."
That’s it for today’s issue of OKC Thunder in the News! Make sure to check back with us post-game for our recap and grades. If you’ve got the time you might as well visit our homepage now. We’ve got all the OKC content your heart desires, all in one beautiful place.