OKC Thunder look to rebound versus the Brooklyn Nets game preview

OKC Thunder and Brooklyn Nets first game this season finds star additions Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving spectating. Gameday breaks down the match.

The OKC Thunder are coming off a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers after going on a hot streak. The Brooklyn Nets have lost six matches in a row and remain without their stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The Nets are eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 16-19 record and are 9-7 at home. But the momentum is on the side of the Thunder despite the recent loss, who look to contain the Nets and continue their success.

The game is in Brooklyn so the Nets have the support from their home crowd as OKC are 9-9 on the road.

Brooklyn is still trying to figure out how to win games but can get into a rhythm early with their 3-point sharpshooters. Maintaining this, however, is another question.

OKC has a unique way of playing in that they are the opposite of most teams. They may struggle to start matches but they are excellent finishers. They can close out games with their ability to step up in clutch moments as it has been made known. However, this was exposed by the 76ers.

The Nets starting point guard Spencer Dinwiddie is able to keep his team in games and has taken a  bigger leadership role to keep Brooklyn on track.

The lethal three guard lineup of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder will be tough to beat. Going up against any team with a winning advantage is difficult so the Nets will need to find a way to hamper this.

On the other hand, the Thunder need to be careful they don’t allow the Nets to get off to a good start and keep the ball moving.

The Thunder play at their own pace and have demonstrated they are able to stay composed when they are down. Having said that, they need to ensure they are getting shots and creating opportunities for each other from the first whistle because if not they could be in trouble.

Here are the keys to the game.