Game 8 Pregame: Magic at Thunder

The Thunder continue their marathon with tonight's game against the Orlando Magic. It should definitely be a tough test for Oklahoma City, as the Orlando Magic are one of the better teams from the East and probably the best in their division. They'll bring a tad of starpower tonight, with Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, and last years most improved player Hedo Turkoglu. OKC, on the other hand, will have little to no star power tonight, as Kevin Durant will be a game time decision. Without KD, who's got the best name recognition? Joe Smith? Oh well, names don't win championships. It takes teamwork, defense, and talent. Oh wait, we don't have any of that either...

Backstory: What do the Thunder and Coke cans have in common. The both are crushed under pressure. OKC couldn't keep a lead to save their lives. Fortunately, they shouldn't have to worry about that tonight, because Orlando is far superior, especially without KD. Last I checked, all Orlando starters are averaging over 10 points per game, while the Thunder have yet to find someone to consistently drop over 10, aside from Jeff Green and the Great Longhorned One.

With or without KD, it makes no difference. Aside from last nights insanely good performance, Kevin Durant as been throwing bricks like they were made of tacks. It'll defintiely take some MAGIC, for the Thunder to win tonight (ok, that was bad, I know).

Match-Ups:
Earl Watson vs. Jameer Nelson
Edge: Nelson
I loved this guy back at St. Joe's, and was secretly cheering for him in the Elite 8 while they were playing OSU (I say secretly because my brothers a Cowboy fan). The Hawks dropped that game, but there's no way Jameer loses this one. His assist number are down somewhat, but hey, who doesn't beat Watson?

Kevin Durant? vs. Mickeal Pietrus
Edge: Durant
Well, if he plays, he has the edge. If he doesn't, and Russ Westbrook or Desmond Mason gets the start, Pietrus should handle them defensively and get the edge.

Jeff Green vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Edge: the Turk
He's got such a versatile game. Height, shooting, driving, rebounding. Jeff Green will give him a game, but Turkoglu gets the definite advantage.

Nick Collison vs. Rashard Lewis
Edge: Lewis
Rashard plays all over the court, so he shouldn't be in the power forward slot for too long. Dito everything I said praising Hedo for Rashard, except moreso.

Johan Petro vs. Dwight Howard
Edge: Howard
Let's see...the best center in the NBA or the lowest scoring Thunder starter? I'm noticing a trend of mismatches at this position. Note to Sam Presti: GET A CENTER WHO'S AS TALENTED AS HE IS TALL FOR ONCE!

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Magic
I'll say Orlando. The Thunder have the best bench player of the bunch, but nobody else is doing well. The Magic don't rely on their bench very much, but at least it isn't full of flops like OKC.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Magic
Despite a crowd that's sure to be pumped for the game, Stan Van Gundy is a better coach and the Thunder have no momentum going into the game.

Player to Watch: No KD, eh? Here's a stretch, how about Robert Swift for tonight's player to watch. When facing a player like Dwight Howard, I'm sure P.J. will look to get a center more physical than Petro on the floor.

God of Thunder's Pick: Magic 102 Thunder 87

Robert Swift eats babies

Game 7 Pregame: Thunder at Pacers

Somehow, God of Thunder failed to correctly predict the outcome of a game for the first time last night. Please, do not lose faith. Even Michael Jordan has missed a shot, even Tiger Woods has missed a putt, even Mariano Rivera has blown a save. However, it won't be any layup, as the Thunder face another pathetic team tonight, the Indiana Pacers. The teams are a combined 3-7, which may not make for must-watch T.V., but does give the Thunder a chance at an elusive victory.

Backstory: The Thunder had a four-point lead over the Josh Smith-less Hawks heading into the fourth quarter, but managed to be outscored 31-23 in that decisive period. Who else but the Thunder, right? That's life in the NBA, though. We'll see plenty of "third-quarter collapses" (or in this case fourth quarter) before it's all said and done. That's not an excuse though. When you're up on a team like the Hawks in the third quarter, you need to close the deal. This is very stereotypical "young team", though. Things will get better as the season goes on (or at least they better) but OKC fans just have to be patient until that time comes.

Match-Ups:
T.J. Ford vs. Earl Watson
Edge: Ford Tough
I'm sure T.J. regrets the day Jermaine O'Neal was shipped to Toronto, banishing him to the Pacers, who could be rebuilding for awhile. Regardless, he wipes the floor with Earl Watson, as most decent NBA point guards should do.

Marquis Daniels vs. Kevin Durant
Edge: KD
This is definitely no disrespect to Daniels, who is having a fantastic year with 15 points per game (second on the Pacers) 6.8 boards per game (second on the Pacers) and 3.4 assists (again, second on the Pacers). Therefore, one can clearly see who the most balanced Pacers player is. Still, KD is the one strength on this team, and though he struggles at times, you've got to believe he'll pull through in a winnable game like this.

Danny Granger vs. Jeff Green
Edge: Granger
Don't get me started. Danny Granger is the most under-rated player in the NBA (though I admit his stats may be inflated by his terrible team).

Troy Murphy vs. Nick Collison
Edge: T-Murph
Time to shed some light on Nick Collison's down year. Averaging 6 points and 6.4 rebounds, decent if you come off the bench. To this day, I'm still a strong proponent of the Start Chris Wilcox Movement

Jeff Foster vs. Johan Petro
Edge: FosterThe best center match-up in the NBA since Petro-Perkins. I don't know if you can even have a winner in this one, their stats or so similar. I ought to just count it as a loss for both.

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Thunder
One of the two categories the Thunder have had a consistent edge in all season. I challenge you to name two Pacer bench players off the top of your head. If it took you more than 8 seconds, you only verify my point.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Pacers
Jim O'Brien has had some NBA post-season success, though I do admit I did have to look up who the hell the Pacers coach was now that Carlisle is gone. And it's in Indiana, so no reason to go with the Thunder here.

Player to Watch: Jeff Green has had a quiet season, not in numbers, but in recognition. He may be the most -strike that- is the most efficient Thunder starter. So, I'm going to finally give the man some props and make him tonight's Player to Watch.

God of Thunder's Pick: This is for redemption! Pacers 93 Thunder 83

Game 6 Pregame: Hawks at Thunder

Perhaps the first toss-up of the season. Yeah, the Atlanta Hawks were a playoff team last year, but they were still the 8th seeded team in the Eastern bracket with a sub-.500 record. That being said, they still almost knocked off a team in the first round that would turn out to be the eventual champs and still finished leaps and bounds better than the the then-Sonics, who were one of the worst teams in the league. All things considered, though the Hawks are stocked with fantasy hoops front-runners like Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, we should be in for a slug-fest tonight in Bricktown.

Backstory: The Thunder found themselves in a seemingly insurmountable hole last-time against Utah only to close valiantly to make the game seem respectable. If they want to beat the 4-0 Hawks tonight, they're going to have to avoid a sluggish start against a Hawks team who, at times, can be offensively explosive. Also, when, if ever, will shooting on this team improve? They're shooting 41.1% from the field (not something to be proud of), 38.3% from downtown (not too bad, but keep in mind only 5 Thunder players have even attempted a 3, and KD is 1/6 this season), and 72.3% from the free throw line (definitely should be improved upon, and somehow in some paradoxical conundrum, our starting Center, Petro, has yet to even attempt a FT. That's not a good sign)

Match-Ups:
Earl Watson vs. Mike Bibby
Edge: Bibby
Mike Bibby isn't what he was a few years ago, but Earl's game hasn't been anywhere near even productive, underachieving in nearly every statistical category and the worst shooting stats for a player with any decent amount of minutes.

Kevin Durant vs. Joe Johnson
Edge: Johnson
Sorry Thunder fans, but Joe is simply having a better season thus far. 25 PPG and shooting 42.1% from beyond the arch, that's pretty impressive.

Jeff Green vs. Maurice Evans
Edge: Green
Normally, this would be a Smith/Green match-up, in which I'd easily go with Smith. Evans is a decent player in his own right, but he certainly doesn't bring anything to the table that Jeff Green doesn't already. On top of that, Jeff Green has been the second most reliable scorer on the Thunder thus far.

Nick Collison vs. Marvin Williams
Edge: Collison
Marvin Williams has always been a model for inconsistent play in the NBA. Not that Collison is a rock, but you never know what Marvin you're going to see, even though the past couple of games he has looked good.

Johan Petro vs. Al Horford
Edge: Horford
Horford was much better at grabbing boards and scoring last season, but still he's only a couple of each away from averaging a double-double.

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Thunder
The excellent play of Desmond Mason and Joe Smith needs to carry-over to tonight if the Thunder want a chance at beating a play-off team.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Thunder
Though it's always hard to get very pumped when the Hawks come to town, the Ford Center is almost always rockin'. It's a stark contrast to the crowd the Hawks are accustomed to, as their city is wrapped up in Georgia 'Dawg football and the resurgent Atlanta Falcons.

Player to Watch: How 'bout Zorgon's boy Joe Smith? His offensive game has picked up recently and, surprisingly enough, is leading the team in FG%. He should provide a spark off the bench against a Hawks team that isn't very deep down low.

God of Thunder's Pick: Hawks lose the glue of their team, Smith, so Thunder pull off some OKC magic: Thunder 90 Hawks 88

Game 5 Pregame: Thunder at Jazz

The Jazz have 4 wins in 4 games even without Deron Williams. The Thunder have 3 Losses in 4 games. These are obviously two teams headed in polar opposite directions. Playing at the Lake doesn't help either. God of Thunder does not like their chances tonight. In fact, God of Thunder hasn't been this sure about a game all year. So, get ready for some gloom and doom as yet another Thunder loss is broken down for you.

Backstory: OKC hits the road again, where they're winless this year. Not that the Ford Center has been too nice, but at least it gives them a little more mo' down the stretch, and they'd know that Super-Fan Zorgon would have their backs. It's true that the Jazz will be without Team USA member Deron Williams, but they got plenty of talent outside of that, and how many players anywhere close to Olympic level do the Thunder have? And don't say Kevin Durant. Just because I made an article that said he'd be there next time doesn't mean he's at the level he'll be at 4 years from now.

Match-Ups:
Ronnie Price vs. Earl Watson
Edge: Lil Earl
The Price is wrong in this match-up. Who is Ronnie Price, anyway? Some may be saying the same thing in Utah about Watson, but last year this guy averaged only 3.7 points and 1.3 assists. Earl Watson is obviously superior.

C.J. Miles vs. Kevin Durant
Edge: KD
Has there been a bigger rematch this season. C.J. Miles is very fortunate to be seeing the floor, due mostly to the injuries of AK-47 and D-Will. KD will light this guy up, until they finally bench him for Korver, then KD will light HIM up.

Ronnie Brewer vs. Jeff Green
Edge: Brewer
This was nearly a draw, but I gave the edge to Brewer. He frequently scores in the double digits and takes it to the rack pretty well. Stats are pretty comparable, so really this could go either way.

Carlos Boozer vs. Nick Collison
Edge: Boozer
This one's easy. C-Booz fills the Mailman's shoes nicely, and even if we combined Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox to make some freaky hybrid PF, it'd still be close.

Mehmet Okur vs. Johan Petro
Edge: Okur
Recently, Okur has been way off. Still, a way off Okur is way more productive than Petro. Okur on the inside, Okur on the outside, it won't matter, I think he'll have one of his better nights of the season thus far tonight.

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Thunder
Maybe without the Jazz injuries, it'd be closer. Still, I don't think the Jazz bench is anything to gawk at. Korver is a great sixth man, but the Thunder have several solid guys coming off the bench, including Joe Smith, Desmond Mason, and Westbrook.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Jazz
We're at EnergySolutions Arena, which is going to be tough on it's own, not to mention facing Jerry Sloan, who is so superior to P.J. it isn't even funny.

Player to Watch: Kevin Durant. Should be able to eat up Miles. Korver even more so. If they put Ronie Brewer on him, which they probably will, it'll be a little more of a challenge, but still expect them to feed Durant the ball late, as they should be trailing.

God of Thunder's Pick: Jazz 98, Thunder 85

Game 4 Pregame: Celtics at Thunder

They have it. We want it. But we can't have it. The next best thing to actually winning the championship is beating the championship team. Well, actually I suppose it's making it to the finals; but seeing as how we have no chance of making the playoffs, this is as close as we can get. And what better chance do we have at capturing the epic upset than here in now legendary "Loud City?" Do I think it'll happen tonight? Ha, not even close! But hey, can't wait to see the Big Ticket take the court again.

Backstory: The Thunder suck. Really, the Celtics represent everything we're not. 1) Talented. KG, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce. KD, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox. See the difference? 2) Team Chemistry and Leadership. Ray Allen is a solid vet, KG is using this opportunity to build his legacy, and Pierce is, of course, the Cap'N. Who leads our team? Joe Smith? Plus team's way too young to build any chemistry. 3) They're winners. Like I said earlier, they got rings, we don't.

Match-Ups:
Earl Watson vs. Rajon Rondo
Edge: Rondo
I'm in the school of thought that says that all the talent around him makes Rondo appear better. Still, a solid defender, good driver, and has freakishly large hands.

Kevin Durant vs. Ray Allen
Edge: KD
Allen has fallen off his game a tad since he left Seattle, and I think that KD will generally fill up the stat sheet a lot more.

Jeff Green vs. Paul Pierce
Edge: Pierce
This one ain't close at all. In my humble opinion, which happens to be shared by Danny Ainge, when Pierce is on his game, it's really hard to find someone anybody. There's always going to be a player just as good of course, but if you told the Celtics they could swap him for LeBron, I think they'd stay where they are now.

Nick Collison vs. Kevin Garnett
Edge: KG
Wilcox matches up much better, but in all likelihood he'll be coming off the bench again. Theres no one on the team who'll ever be as good as KG, so don't feel bad about losing this match-up.

Johan Petro vs. Kendrick Perkins
Edge: Perkins
Neither of these players are great, maybe borderline ok at best. Like Rondo though, the presence of the Big 3 takes a lot of pressure off Perk so just because of that, he's better.

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Draw
Theres nothing that spectacular about the Celtics bench. They have some nice players; Big Baby, Sam Cassel, Eddie House, but nothing special. Still, they're efficient. Same goes for Thunder, who get a big boost from Weezy.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Celtics
I'm not a big believer in Doc Rivers' coaching prowess, I think he's a benefactor from some great trades. Still, how many championships does P.J. have?

Player to Watch: I think Weezy off the bench is a safe pick. Really, the Thunder will need to rely on him and Durant if they have any hope of keeping it reasonable.

Predicted Result: Hmmmmmm, the God of Thunder says Celtics 95, Thunder 81

Game 3 Pregame: Timberwolves at Thunder

At last, a winnable game. Really, if you're the Thunder, I don't want to say "must-win," but it would definitely be a disappointment if you didn't. I mean, the T-Wolves at home? If you can't win this game, what can you win? In the NBA, nothing is for certain, but you have to like your chances tonight.

Backstory: Unsurprisingly enough, the Thunder remain winless all-time in significant games. The sloppy play from the preseason seemed to carry over to the regular season. But Thunder fans, please don't be disappointed. We all know this team sucks. It's not about wins and loses though. It's about NBA basketball in OKC. So sit back tonight at the Ford Center, grab a beer, soda, hot dog, pizza, whatever, and thank Mick Cornett for bringing us a team.

Match-Ups:
Earl Watson vs. Randy Foye
Edge: Watson
This is a close match-up, neither player putting up the kind of numbers that absolutely blow you away. Earl Watson is at home, so I gave him the edge. There are times, really, where he looks pretty good. Neither of these point guards would be starting on a play-off team though, so definitely a lack-luster match-up.

Kevin Durant vs. Rashad McCants
Edge: KDKD is the better scorer (though McCants is second on the 'Wolves in scoring thus far this season) and should be a handful against Rashad defensively, so I think this is a pretty decisive edge.

Jeff Green vs. Mike Miller
Edge: Miller
Well, if it were the Mike Miller of three or four years ago, this wouldn't even be close. Still, Mike's still got game and Jeff Green is arguably one of the weakest Thunder starters.

Nick Collison vs. Al Jefferson
Edge: Big Al
OK, so apparently Wilcox is coming off the bench this season. I guess I can live with that. Even if he was starting, I seriously doubt that he'd be able to beat Big Al out for the power forward match-up. This guy is for real. If he were in L.A., he'd be Andrew Bynum.

Johan Petro vs. Kevin Love
Edge: Love
He's only played a few games, but has been pretty efficient in them. Averaging 10 points and 6 boards, plus a danger from downtown. Plus, does Petro really win at anything in life?

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Thunder
Now that Wilcox isn't starting, the bench is much more solidified. Desmond Mason and Russ Westbrook give you good energy players off the bench at nearly every position.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Thunder
Props to my boyz in the Ford Center. Just keep doin what your doin.

Player to Watch: I say watch Earl Watson. He plays inconsistently, but I have a hunch he'll do well tonight. At least he'd better do well, or we'll have a hard time capturing victory.

Predicted Result: Thunder 88 Timberwolves 85

Game 2 Pre-Game: Thunder at Rockets

After being easily handeled by the Bucks, OKC hopes to rebound against the Rockets tonight, a task much easier said than done. Still, the NBA is where amazing happens, so don't rule it out. Likewise though...don't get your hopes up. This team is far superior to our own, and arguably one of the best in the league.

Backstory: Despite a full Ford Center, the Thunder were not able to punctuate opening night with a victory. Maybe the Thunder will turn out to be one of those road warrior teams that finds comfort in foreign arenas. OK, wishful thinking perhaps, but you never know. It would be wonderful if the first ever Thunder regular season victory was tonight in Houston. Being realitic though, we may have to wait untill Minnesota comes to town...or Boston!

Match-Ups:
Rafer Alston vs. Earl Watson
Edge: Alston
In my opinion, the street ball legend has the decisive offensive edge over Watson. Also, because his supporting cast is so much more talented, Alston doesn't need to concern himself as much with actually running the team and can spend more time making sure he contributes when needed.


Tracy McGrady vs. Kevin Durant
Edge: TMac
Let's not get ahead of ourselves now. Durant may be the team's best player, but he's no Tracy McGrady. TMac is usually, except when the Lakers are in town, the best shooting guard on the court. Tonight is no exception.

Ron Artest vs. Jeff Green
Edge: Artest
Another ridiclous match-up. Ron Artest is a proven defender, scorer, all-star, and fan puncher. Nothing about Jeff Green is proven. Some people (Jim Traber) say that there's all star potential in Green. Still, others question whether he should even be starting. Tonight should tell us a lot about who's right.

Luis Scola vs. Chris Wilcox
Edge: Weezy
Hey, I don't even know if Wilcox is going to start tonight...but he should be. At times he's the best player on the team, and if he plays to potential, which I'm optimistic (as always) that he will, he should easily outperfrom the overshadowed Scola.

Yao Ming vs. Nick Collison
Edge: YaoDon't make me laugh. Nothing against Collison, but he's not even tall for a power forward. At center, and against Yao Ming no less? Pfft, there will be times where he may as well not even be there defensively.

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Rockets Bench
It's not even close. Rockets bench could give Thunder starters a good game. Shane Battier, Steve Francis, and Bobby Jackson off the pine? What do we got? DMase? Petro? Joe Smith masquerading as Rip Hamilton? Not really even comparable.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Rockets
Both Adelman and Carlesimo are former Portland and Golden State coaches. Adelman, though, has made it to the Finals, where Carlesimo has never made it out of the first round. Then again, neither has McGrady. This isn't the playoffs though, so Rockets should coast.

Player to Watch: If you include the preseason, he's been a steady performer all season. So, no reason not to go with ole' relaible once more. Don't know why he didn't start the last game, not really a good reason. If P.J. sits him again, the fans won't be happy, not to mention Wilcox, who already has motivational problems.

Predicted Result: Rockets 110 Thunder 91

Preseason Pre-Game 7: Thunder vs Lakers

At last, the preseason finally is coming to a close. I am certainly relieved that we can finally get this over with and get to some basketball with some meaning. Undoubtedly, the Thunder are ready to put this behind them as well. It's been disastrous this pre-season, plagued with injury and above all, loses. I'm sure P.J. and the guys are ready for a regular season...also bound to be plagued by injuries and loses. But at least those loses will mean something.

Without further adieu, here's your preview for tonight's finale, live from...Ontario, California???

Backstory: Yes, it's true that the Thunder have only had one win in six attempts. I'm not here to make things appear better than they are, but to the Thunder's defense, they haven't really been destroyed in any game. I mean, that still isn't winning, but at least it is humiliation. It's probably important to the team to end on a positive note though, at least in their eyes. if one win is 10x better than being winless, then two wins must be at least 3x as good as one. Does a win for the final game of the preseason give a team any added momentum? I don't know, probably not, but there's a chance, and as long as that chance is there, the Thunder should try to reach out and grab it.

Analysis: This always seems to come up, but it has become a major storyline of the Thunder preseason. Injuries have pestered the team constantly thus far. Just as soon as Jeff Green and Robert Swift were able to come back, Chris Wilocx and Joe Smith found their ways back on the bench. This has resulted in key players like KD putting in way more minutes than they should, though to their credit they've handled it well.

As for how the team's match-up, the talent level is far higher on the Lakers. I've given up trying to predict who and how long players will be on the court this preseason, because I always seem to get it wrong. For this game though, it matters not. The Lakers will definitely have the talent edge no matter who takes the floor. If those players happen to include Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, or of course the assassin Kobe Bryant, we could be in for a drubbing, though.

Player to Watch: This is a stretch, and I'm not saying we should be expecting Thunder Wonder status for this guy, but look for John Lucas III to have a really solid game off the bench. Remember, he's fighting for his spot on the roster, so I think the motivation of trying to make the squad means he either will be spectacular or try too hard and look terrible (hoping for the former).

Predicted Result: Lakers 101 Thunder 87

Preseason Pregame 6: Thunder at Suns

The incoming NBA season is breathing down everyone's neck. The Thunder take on the Suns tonight, but the real thing on everybody's mind is the season opener against Milwaukee. Though the Thunder have played impressively at times, I think improvement is hardly the word for how the team has developed, as shown by their (1-4) preseason record. Will their fortunes turn around tonight? Does it even matter? All this and more on this installment of...Preseason Pregame!!!

Backstory: As said earlier, the Thunder have played less than 4 star basketball thus far. Granted, the number of injuries they've had have certainly held them back. Still, OKC typically plays their starters far longer than anyone else and still have only mustered one victory. Is this something to be concerned about? Sure, they haven't looked good and there's no reason to think that Kyle Weaver or Robert Swift being healthy is going to change that. Is it time to panic? Of course not! Like anybody on the court, aside from John Lucas III and other preseason acquisitions, care about what happens in the game. And aside from that, it isn't like the expectations for this team were that high in the first place.

Analysis: Once again, the Thunder will likely be starting all the main cast of characters. Look for Petro to again see a lot of minutes and likely even start. Dez Mason will probably see a good amount of floor time, as Jeff Green is still iffy. KD's play this season had been, frankly, unpredictable. At times, he's a god, at others, he gives Bricktown a new meaning.

Unlike the Thunder, don't expect to see the big names for the Suns taking the court tonight. Shaq, Amare, Nash, and Raja will all likely see no more than 5 minutes in this game, but most likely none at all. Watch out for Alando Tucker and Boris Diaw, though, both having decent pre-seasons thus far.

Player to Watch: Chris Wilcox seems like the natural choice to me. There's no real inside presence playing tonight, and Weez should be able to eat up the lanky Diaw and still raw rookie Robin Lopez. Weezy explodes, trust me.

Predicted Result: Thunder 100 Suns 91

Preseason Pregame 5: Clippers at Thunder

The Thunder racked their first win of many (hopefully) the other night in Tulsa. As I predicted, the crowd was only decent. On the other hand, it was just a preseason game and to my surprise, there was a whole lot of Thunder gear in the crowd. Still though, tonight marks the opening of play in the Ford Center, and look for an even more supportive fans in what may be the most vigorous crowd in preseason history. The era of Thunder basketball in Bricktown had begun...

Backstory: The Thunder are finally in the win column, but how will they cope with this success? Young teams generally respond with winning in two ways, either they get on a roll with confidence, or they become overconfident and suffer greatly. Which will the Thunder choose? Well, neither. This is the preseason, nobody freakin' cares about winning!

Also, Kevin Durant was en fuego in the last game, or actually, the fourth quarter. Which KD will we see tonight? I'd bet on the one from the first three quarters. I expect Kevin to turn it on during the regular season, but really, who can stay pumped for preseason more than one quarter?

Analysis: The Thunder starters continue to improve, along with Desmond Mason. Everyone else, especially Russ Westbrook, seem to either be in park or reverse. Westbrook is shooting less accurately than those random thug guys in National Treasure.

Still though, the Thunder continue to be hampered by injuries. Damien Wilkins was taken out of the fourth quarter of the last game and Jeff Green won't return tonight, not to mention Joe Smith. Actually, it's probably best that they catch the injury bug now, so that they can get it out of the way for the regular season.

Now, back to the game, the Clippers are a better team than the Thunder. However, that didn't stop them when they played the Rockets, a very good team. If Baron Davis or Chris Kaman see much action, it could be tough, but as evidenced by the last game, not impossible.

Player to Watch: OK, it's about time I give it to him. Be on the lookout for Thunder forward Damien Wilkins tonight. He didn't look to spectacular the other night, but I have a feeling his return will be very impressive, and it won't be too long before he's a household name in the metro area.

Predicted Result: Thunder win their first game in the Ford Center (I'm a sap for good stories) 100-94

Preseason Preview 4: Thunder vs. Rockets

The still all-time winless Thunder finally have their first home game...sorta. It's in the BOK Center (of Tulsa, of course) an arena that is arguably better than the Ford Center, but we don't really want to talk about that. The Thunder will also be the away team tonight, which means they still can't get out of those God-awful away jerseys. Will the Thunder finally win a game? Will Kevin Durant get his game back? How well will Tulsans attend the game? All this and more on the most recent version of Preseason Preview!

Backstory: The OKC Thunder take court in the Sooner state for the first time today. But does anyone in that other city really care? According to my dad, who spent the past week in Tulsa "house sitting" (long story) theres been no Thunder hype up there whatsoever. One of the reasons Stern was so excited about having the NBA in OKC is because he can take advantage of the Tulsa market, too, but from what I've heard, it doesn't look like that's happening. This game will be a big test for that. What will the crowd be like in Tulsa? I'm predicting pretty solid, but maybe a deceiving number. I think Tulsans are more excited about the first major sporting event in the new BOK Center than Thunder basketball. It won't be a sell-out though, mark my words.

Analysis: OK, we know this much, the Thunder have been pretty uncompetitive against some of the league's lesser teams the past few games. In pre-season play, no less! So how will they stack up against a team that some predict (including the minds here at the Blue Blitz) is good enough to win an NBA championship? Well, not well. OK, I know, it's preseason, but the Houston bench is probably better than the Thunder starting 5, it's that bad of a mismatch. We'll once again be relying on Weezy (who I heard may not be starting tonight) and Damien Wilkins to carry the team, while consistantly feeding the ball to Durant who's been struggling shooting%-wise. Of course, theres the problem of stopping YAMs: the three-headed monster of Yao-Artest-McGrady. This is tough for even the best teams, much less one of the worst in recent history. Also, not to be over looked, Luis Scola is having a good preseason, averaging almost 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Player to Watch: Let's see, no Joe Smith, Desmond Mason and Jeff Green are questionable, which in the preseason, means not playing, and Robert Swift and Kyle Weaver are out for sure. That doesn't leave a whole lot. So...I guess I'll put my neck on the line and say that Kevin Durnat will have a solid game tonight. I don't have any basis for this, and TMac will be a tough match-up for him, but perhaps the first kind-sorta home game will inspire him.

Predicted Result: Rockets 98 Thunder 87

Pregame in a Paragraph: Thunder at Warriors

OK, this preview is completely rushed cause I'm in a hurry to get out of town and hopefully Zorgon will add a short take to this, considering it concerns the Warriors. So here's nothing:

Backstory: The Thunder are still winless, and have fallen into huge holes in these games only to come back in garbage time. Obviously they hope to reverse this trend tonight against a Golden State squad that lost a lot of fire power this off-season. Also, we hope to see an improved Kevin Durant, that is if P.J. plays him at all.

Analysis: Lots of scoring, blocked shots, rebounds, timeouts, who cares. The Thunder will prob lose their third game in four days. Why is that? Because its their third game in four days!

Player to Watch: Jeff Green. If Durant sits, they'll def be feedin the ball to Green to look for some spark, any spark, for a struggling Thunder team.

Predicted Result: Warriors 89 Thunder 80

Zorgons Take: Okay, Okay, I'll add my take.

Am I totally psyched for this game?! Yes. Am I the ONLY person in Oklahoma who will be watching this instead of the Oklahoma State matchup or sitting alone in their room being depressed that Oklahoma lost? Yes!

What team will I be cheering for? The Golden State Warriors. Always have been, always will be. Sorry guys, but I'm a Warriors fan through and through. I'll be cheering on Corey Maggette, and hoping he destroys Kevin Durant. I hope I'll see lots of late game Stephen Jackson 3s. Most of all, I'd love to see Big Al and his post game. Of course, not much of this is going to happen, as it's a Pre-Season game.

But this game is really interesting to people who are not me because this game is a total clash of styles. The Warriors are a fast-paced, break neck team that fires up 3s like nobodies business. The Thunder are a slow paced, mid range jump shooting team that avoids the 3 as if it were a new invention. Now, don't get me wrong, we're NOT the Spurs. The Spurs are a team that relies on inside play from Duncan and drives/3s from Parker and Ginobili. The Thunder sometimes drive, but also shoot a LOT of midrange. If anything, think of this game as the 80s vs. the 00s.

In the end, though, the Thunder will probably win the game. Why? Well, P.J. Carlesimo is still trying to get his lineup figured out, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Weezy, Green, or Durant on the floor at the end of the game. Don Nelson is more old-school, and is a believer in resting his starters for real games because they deserve it. Expect the Warriors to get out to a quick lead and then slowly lose it throuhout the 2nd half. But, in the first, expect them to run the Thunder into a panic, and for the Thunder to start taking a lot of forced shots.

Zorgon's Predicted Final- Oklahoma City 99, Golden State 92

Preseason Preview 2: Thunder at Kings

As predicted here, the Thunder still have yet to win an organized game of basketball. Now, they head from Billings to Northern California for a series of games against the Kings and Warriors. Can the Thunder get a win in the Golden State, perhaps even against Golden State? We shall see...

Backstory: The Thunder did not look good in their first ever game, and it took a bunch of bench players to at least get the score to look respectable. Fortunately for them , they face the Sacramento Kings, another one of the west bottom feeders, so hopefully OKC will enter the winners circle after tonight (the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets first win was against Sacramento, if that means anything). While Durant and other starters struggled in the last game, Westbrook led a strong looking bench. Also, the Thunders first game in an NBA arena, thank God. Few things annoy me more while watching a basketball game than seeing both the college and NBA 3-point lines together, so I'm glad we're done with that for now.

Analysis: Gone are Mike Bibby and Ron Artest, replaced instead by the formidable John Salmons and Bobby Brown, who will likely get the nod at PG with Beno Udrih out. King cornerstones Brad Miller and Kevin Martin have yet to contribute to their team, but theres a good chance they'll see some decent minutes tonight. As for the Thunder, expect the full starting 5 to take the court and perhaps even the debut of Joe Smith. I definitely think that the Thunder can sneak away with a win here. Sure it's in front of a hostile road crowd (if you can call pre-season game crowds hostile). However, they need to make sure they can contain Brad Miller, because they struggled at times against Minnesota's Kevin Love, basically a rookie version of the center.

Player to Watch: How about Zorgon's boy Joe Smith. If he sees action tonight, I'd expect the veteran to do well, especially after the Kings sit Miller. Also keep your eyes on Chris Wilcox, 'cause he exploded in the last game and had at least a couple of thunderous, no pun intended, dunks.

Predicted Outcome: Thunder 90 Kings 85

And good luck to my boyz in Dallas this weekend, BOOMER!

Preseason Pregame 1: Thunder vs. Timberwolves

At long last, the Oklahoma City Thunder will finally take the court in a "competitive" game. Of course it's only fitting that the game take place in the media megaplex known as Billings, Montana in the historic MetraPark Arena. Without further delay, here's a breakdown of today's game:

Backstory: Well, this is the first game for either team, so not much backstory as far as that's concerned. However, there are some interesting angles to look at. First, like I said earlier, it is the premier game for our dream team. If you're into NBA basketball in OKC (like me) and into the NBA preseason (unlike me), then this is probably the game of your life. I'm sure seeing those Thunder jerseys taking the court for the first time will bring tears to many eyes, in more ways than one. Secondly, one shouldn't forget that this is a struggle between two of the NBA's more pathetic teams. Tonights game may give us an indication of how these teams have improved, or perhaps even deproved, if thats possible.

Analysis: Though it's pointless to breakdown what will happen in a preseason game held in Montana, it's how I earn the big buck$ so here goes nothing...

Like I said earlier, both of these teams were quite frankly embarassing last season. We already know that Johan Petro is out of this one, along with Joe Smith being a game-time decision. Also, I wouldn't expect Kevin, Weezy, or Collison to play any amount of extended minutes. Likewise, Big Al should make him self quite comfortable on the pine. This leave a whole lot of nothing for tonight's game, poop quite frankly. I do think that the T-Wolves have the slight talent edge after you remove those players, still though, it isn't much.

Player to Watch: Russell Westbrook. It's his first actual NBA game and he looked very promising in his summer league action. In the Oklahoman today, P.J. said that Westbrook was chomping at the bit to see some action and that "he's very hungary."

Predicted Outcome: Timberwolves 88 Thunder 85



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