Game preview: OKC Thunder open season seeking to play spoiler on ring night
The OKC Thunder tip off the 2018-19 NBA season facing their nemesis the Golden State Warriors seeking to play spoiler on the Dubs ring night.
Welcome to opening night Thunder Nation! As the OKC Thunder prepare to launch their 2018-19 campaign numbers are on my mind. It’s been 172 days since the Thunder finished their season via a quick first round exit. Yet, simple numbers like two and three are resonating with me.
Simple numbers on my mind:
For example, we’re two seasons removed from Kevin Durant‘s departure. In those two campaigns Durant has won two championships and collected two Final’s MVP awards. Consequently, the Thunder were also been bounced in the first round in those same two seasons. Extrapolating the two and three into triple-double form, Russell Westbrook made history becoming the only player in NBA history to record back to back seasons with triple-double averages.
While the much touted OK3 was dissolved, three OKC free agents were re-signed. Among them the all important Thunder second All-Star Paul George made quick work of letting his decision known. Three also marks the number of rookies added on draft night with the key player (Hamidou Diallo) landed via a late draft night trade. Three key player additions arrived via trade — Dennis Schroder, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Abdel Nader. Entering the day three key OKC players may miss the opening contest due to injury (Russell Westbrook, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams).
Number five punctuates this iteration of Warriors:
The number three will follow the Dubs all season as they seek to claim dynasty status via the three-peat. Yet, arguably five is the much more relevant number. For the first time in history a team begins their campaign with five All-Stars from the previous season. They are Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and recent free agent addition DeMarcus Cousins. With these five and reliable reserves Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston the Warriors are unilaterally considered in a tier of their own in the Association.
Still, there are 82 games to play to determine seeding and lots of great basketball to watch along the way. Despite all the added depth OKC begins as the underdog. With that, let’s examine the keys for the Thunder to steal a victory on night one.