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Around SBN: Nevin Shapiro Vows To Bring Down Miami

Game 10 Preview: Los Angeles Clippers at Oklahoma City

This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 6:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Net Prime Ticket

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Clips Nation, ClipperBlog

Backstory: We're almost an eighth of the way there, and things are looking good!

Since we've last seen the Clippers, they've lost to Toronto in an embarrassing fashion. Now they're on a 3 game losing streak, and seeing how badly they've played lately, I really , really doubt the Thunder have much of a chance of losing this one. Nobody has come back from injury, Russell Westbrook (our worst performer of last time) has beaten Tony Parker in a fierce battle, and it's in our house this time.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Star-divide

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Chris Kaman

Last time, Chris Kaman had a better game overall than Krstic, but he was much less efficient. I mean, 9-26 shooting is pretty unacceptable for a center by my standards. I'll say that the same goes for this game, with Kaman scoring more points and grabbing more rebounds, but with Nenad Krstic doing less with less minutes and less opportunities.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Marcus Camby

This will be a defensive battle, for sure. Last game, neither of them was able to score on a consistent basis, and Camby won the battle of the intangibles. If Green wants to win this game, he's going to have to get a 3 point shot going.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Al Thornton

Al Thornton is probably the most efficient Clippers player, but I doubt he'll have a better performance than Kevin Durant. Expect him to get roughly half of KDs numbers.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Rasual Butler

Thabo Sefolosha had a horrible night last time, but at least Rasual Butler was able to rebound the ball for his team. I'd like to think that Sefolosha will do better this time, but there's no big scoring threat for him to stop, so I think we might even be better off starting James Harden at this point. Rasual Butler will outperform him by a bit.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Baron Davis

This is the matchup I want to see again. Last time, Westbrook got injured, and Baron Davis outperformed him in every single way. But, Russell Westbrook had a great game against Tony Parker, doesn't seem any worse for the wear, and probably wants to show his stuff against this Clipper team. I'll give Baron Davis the win, but I still truly hope that Westbrook can rebound from his bad performance last time.

Battle of the Benches

Last time, the only players who mattered on the bench were James Harden and Kevin Ollie. I wouldn't expect that to change for us, as Collison and Thomas aren't huge game changers, but I'd expect more out of Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair on the Clippers side of things. Smith is a nice inside scorer and rebounder, while Telfair can distribute just as well as Baron Davis can.

Coaching and Intangibles

The Thunder are on a two game winning streak, have beaten this team before at home, and are at home themselves. The Clippers are without two of their best players, on the road, have lost 3 straight, and have only beaten the lowly Timberwolves, Warriors, and Grizzlies. I'd say the intangibles are in our favor.

Bottom Line

If the Thunder can get solid production from the guards, make sure that guys like Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby, and Craig Smith don't have productive games inside, and drop a few threes, then they can win this game. It may sound like a lot, but it's no herculean task. Again, these are the Clippers we're talking about.

Prediction: Thunder 95, Clippers 90

6-4? Like Kevin Garnett, anything is possible!

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I'll be in the Ford Center cheering the team on, but I'll be back to write a recap later tonight. Go Thunder!

Poll
Who's going to win tonight?
The Oklahoma City Thunder
16 votes
The Los Angeles Clippers
10 votes

26 votes | Poll has closed

Comment 18 comments  |  Add comment  |  0 recs  | 

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Ha

not me. I hate Monday morning games. Can’t really watch/listen, too many classes.

by rickpidero on Nov 15, 2009 6:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Put DJ in.................

Hard work beats talent when talent is hardly working...

by kromeace on Nov 15, 2009 6:48 PM CST reply actions  

this team has no flow offensively when ollie is on the floor. durant is single handedly keeping us in this game, but we need another option. Imagine if we had a Kaman on the block to draw a double and get Kevin easier looks.

by Michael Gleich on Nov 15, 2009 8:06 PM CST reply actions  

Durant would make things easier on himself if he would learn to pass more effectively.

i cry for nic

by Cablinasian on Nov 15, 2009 8:30 PM CST up reply actions  

westbrook

if that mid-range jumper for Russ becomes consistent he’s going to be almost impossible to guard.

by ThunderHorn on Nov 15, 2009 8:28 PM CST reply actions  

That was a crappy loss.

Good crowd.

I think Brooks got out coached.

Westbrook seemed really solid. Close to a triple double.

KD had 40 and we still lost.

Harden and Green were basically non-factors.

Sefo & W-brook had a decent amount of rebounds, but I feel we got out-rebounded when the game was on the line.

Also Known as "4D" one step beyond 3D

by daddydai on Nov 15, 2009 9:42 PM CST up reply actions  

most of Thabo and RW0’s boards were early and we got killed on our defensive glass in the 2nd half. Ibaka was the big with the most energy in the first half and didnt get a sniff in the 2nd.

by Michael Gleich on Nov 16, 2009 12:34 AM CST up reply actions  

What a waste...

of a good win against San Antonio with a really bad home loss to the undermanned clippers.

by rickpidero on Nov 16, 2009 1:39 AM CST reply actions  

also defeats the purpose of being them on the road last week. tough stretch coming as miami is playing well and orlando now has shard and vince back. wiz are getting jamison back on wed so dont let their record fool you and then out to la for the lakers (gasol back?) and utah (who knows about d-will and if not maynor who i said was nba ready is proving it in spades (so much rather have him than ollie on the bench right now))

by Michael Gleich on Nov 16, 2009 2:01 AM CST up reply actions  

On the plus side

and completely unrelated to this game, Durant is giving me tickets to see them in Orlando.

My first ever live NBA game.

by ElectricPencils on Nov 16, 2009 9:40 AM CST reply actions  

That is awesome!!!

Make sure you wear some thunder gear. I’m sure they will get you on camera.

Also Known as "4D" one step beyond 3D

by daddydai on Nov 16, 2009 10:02 AM CST up reply actions  

I don't have any!

When I was in Oklahoma this past summer, I searched all over in Muskogee and Tahlequah, and I could find none. Maybe I can find a light blue shirt and writer Thunder on it with a sharpie.

by ElectricPencils on Nov 16, 2009 10:18 AM CST up reply actions  


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