A week after the OKC Thunder began training camp the squad begins preseason action playing host to the Detroit Pistons.
Fans got their first glimpse of the OKC Thunder training camp roster in the Blue and White scrimmage. Tonight, the team will finally officially begin the preseason as OKC play host to the Detroit Pistons at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Russell Westbrook and Andre Roberson remain out and aren’t expected to play at all this preseason. Neither Alex Abrines (back spasms) or Abdel Nader (knee soreness) who missed the Blue and White Scrimmage are expected back this evening. Making it a handful of missing players Richard Solomon (left knee sprain) is also listed as out.
Update as of 5:37 CT: Paul George is out for personal reasons and Abrines has been upgraded to play.
As for the Pistons this is one of the few Eastern Conference foes with a rich rivalry against the OKC Thunder. This mostly due to the presence of former disenchanted Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson, who like Westbrook may not play. In addition, Blake Griffin may be wearing a Piston jersey now, but memories of his time with the Clippers are too recent to have left our subconscious. Moreover, Griffin is a native Oklahoman, so expect him to be suitably pumped to play in front of family and friends.
Steven Adams also gets a prototypical center matchup in the form of Andre Drummond. Although rumor has it the Pistons’ big man has worked on his range all the way out to the perimeter this offseason. The other new twist comes via the reigning Coach of the Year Dwane Casey who moved on to Detroit following his dismissal from Toronto.
What to watch for:
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Preseason offers the best opportunity for coaches to gauge the progress of their squads. The integration of several new faces adds another layer of questions for Billy Donovan and his staff. At the top of the list for the bench master is examining chemistry and fit. With Andre Roberson out for the foreseeable future and the loss of Carmelo Anthony moving on to Houston two starting roles need to be filled.
With this in mind watch for lineup pairings. Specifically, how much playing time Patrick Patterson and Jerami Grant log in lineups featuring Dennis Schroder, Paul George and Steven Adams. Will Patrick Patterson 3-point onslaught remain hot as he stakes his claim on the starting four?
Likewise, expect the bench boss to administer minutes to Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Terrance Ferguson and other wings to test chemistry with the starters.
Other areas of focus are whether Dennis Schroder seems equally at ease facing oppositions as he did his own teammates.
And, which youngster(s) rise up to match or surpass the performances of Deonte Burton and Hamidou Diallo from the Blue and White Scrimmage.
Game Time:
7:00 p.m. central time (8:00 p.m. eastern standard time)
Viewing:
live stream on okcthunder.com or Thunder Mobile App.
Radio:
WWLS the Sports Animal
Following the game Thunderous Intentions will have post game reaction and notes on the match. Enjoy the game.