Oklahoma City Thunder at Raptors: Preview & 3 keys to victory
By Graeme Klayh
The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the ACC, looking to deny the Toronto Raptors their first 50 win season.
The ferocious twosome of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are making their lone trip to Toronto. There’s nothing quite like a good basketball game to curb the usual Monday blues.
There were many skeptics in tow concerning the Thunder’s proclivity to give games away in the 4th quarter, but it looks as though those days are gone. They are currently riding a 7-game win streak and all that talk has been put aside as they have taken care of business and have reasserted themselves as an elite team.
The Thunder attack is not new. They are still featuring the triple-double machine in Westbrook, and the equally as impressive and astoundingly unique Kevin Durant. Outside of that, they have a slew of role players who play off the superstar duo. Durant and Westbrook will get theirs, but you have to worry especially about Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter’s wide range of offensive weapons. Although Kanter may not be able to defend a shadow, Ibaka will be able to make up his deficiencies. The three ball will be flying from their array of shooters.
OKC’s bench players are capable veterans, appropriate for a team with legitimate championship aspirations. Nick Collison has lasted an unusually long time for a backup power forward. Dion Waiters has never lived up to his high draft ranking, but can still contribute deep shooting. Will we get one final look at Nazr Mohammed, the 17-year man?
More from Raptors Rapture
- Scottie Barnes talks Raptors expectations after bumpy 2022-23
- Raptors’ Dennis Schroder completes Cinderella story, wins FIBA World Cup with Germany
- 3 players Raptors could replace OG Anunoby with at trade deadline
- NBA insider praises Raptors’ hiring of “star” Darko Rajakovic
- Raptors fans will love Markquis Nowell’s insane confidence on Instagram
The Raptors are in a particularly special moment in franchise history. Their next win will give them 50 on the season and it is only a matter of time. The Raptors beat the Thunder in the season’s early going, but that was so long ago that both teams have become something different: elite. This will be a great matchup; to watch the superstar power of the Thunder versus the steady depth of the Raptors will be interesting to see.
These two strong teams will bring a highly competitive game but the Raptors will be able to take it if they…
- …start the game strong enough that they are not put in an early hole. With the combined talent of the Thunder, an early deficit would be suicide
- …cover the perimeter. The Raptors defense caters towards stopping the attack from the paint and out, they give up a lot of threes and will need to be careful not to let the Thunder drown them out of the game.
- …take a strong lead into the 4th quarter. If the Houston Rockets game was any indicator of how superstars can superstar, they will need a bit of cushion to avoid the hot shooting of Westbrook and Durant.
Next: Is there a future for Jason Thompson?
I expect this to be a really close game. Here’s hoping that the Raptors can pull it out at home to prove their place among the elite and for their 50th win. Toronto 108-OKC 107.