OKC Thunder: 3 keys to finish road trip strong in Cleveland
OKC Thunder key number 2: Be aggressive on offense
Although both the Thunder and Cavaliers have similar records the contrast is stark. As an example, the clubs have faced a similar set of opponents over the last nine games. The bolded teams represent teams they both played:
Cleveland played:
- Bucks twice
- Clippers twice (Thunder played Lakers twice)
- Nuggets twice (Thunder played them once)
- Suns
- Blazers
- Warriors (Thunder played Grizzlies)
OKC played two games versus the Wolves being the only two squads that were significantly lower on the ladder.
During this nine-game losing streak, Cleveland has lost by an average of 21.4 points per game and scored an average of 92.7 points.
In comparison, over the last nine games for the Thunder, their differential is 4.3 points scoring an average of 106.5 points.
Undoubtedly the backcourts will offer exciting matchups with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Theo Maledon facing Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
While that will be the entertaining portion of the match those boards and staying competitive with Cleveland could decide the game.
OKC Thunder key number 3: Clean the glass
One statistical category the Cavaliers dominate is offensive rebounding where they rank second in the league.
Cleveland grabs 11.5 offensive boards per game. With the trio of Andre Drummond (4.6), Jarrett Allen (2.8), and JaVale McGee (1.8) collecting the majority of those rebounds.
Now that Drummond is sitting they aren’t quite as dominant but Allen and McGee still present an issue for OKC to deal with.
The Thunder struggle on the offensive boards ranking 29th so everyone will need to crash the glass.
Something that might be a consideration for Mark Daigneault is resting Al Horford in this game because this is the front side of a back-to-back set. With the Heat on tap Monday perhaps he might sit Horford in this match instead of tomorrow.
If Daigneault does that it’ll put more pressure on the team but they’ve proven even when shorthanded they can compete with the best teams in the association.