Three intriguing storylines as OKC Thunder host Atlanta Hawks

Backcourt battle should decide the match

The OKC Thunder already are up in this series having defeated the Hawks 121-114 in the first meeting.

Diving into the performances from the first match offers some insight into the two backcourts:

• Trae Young: 23 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, and 4 turnovers with a plus/minus of minus 11. His shooting splits were 6 of 19 from the field (39.6%), 1 of 7 from deep (14.3%), and 10 of 11 from the stripe (90.9%).
• Dejounte Murray: 24 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers with a plus/minus of minus 2. His shooting splits were 10 of 21 from the field (47.6%), 3 of 5 from deep (60%), and 1 of 3 from the stripe (33.3%).
• Shai Gilgeous Alexander: 35 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 6 turnovers with a plus/minus of plus 12. His shooting splits were 10 of 22 from the field (45.5%), 0 of 3 from deep, and 15 of 15 from the stripe (100%).
• Josh Giddey: 17 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, a steal, a block, and 1 turnover with a plus/minus of plus 6. His shooting splits were 5 of 12 from the field (41.7%), 2 of 4 from deep (50%), and 5 of 5 from the stripe (100%).

The notable from the initial match is the Hawks struggled to stop the lengthy Thunder backcourt. Although Murray is an above-average defender, Young has always been subpar defensively and when the Hawks face lengthier  (or speedier) guards they’ve struggled.

While Nate McMillan is pleading with his Hawks roster to commit to playing two-way ball, he’ll no doubt be envious of how Mark Daigneault has his squad performing.

Case in point, during those 18 games I highlighted above (from December 16th) the Thunder ranked fourth defensively and as John Schuhmann highlighted in the power rankings this week OKC ranks fourth offensively in January!

Perhaps the biggest irony entering this match is the more desperate team is the Hawks. With each loss they suffer, it adds pressure on the Atlanta franchise to make tweaks or big decisions that could dramatically impact their future.

In contrast, the OKC Thunder are poised to match last season’s win total with their next win. They’re one of the most entertaining teams to watch, exude joy playing with each other, and are overachieving.

AND that big blue elephant in the room? The Hawks coughed up their future for a win NOW move, while Sam Presti sits patiently by with a horde of draft picks knowing his team is only just beginning their ascent to dominance.

Enjoy the game all.