Nothing is taken for granted in the NBA, however, the talent which the Thunder can put on the floor should be able to overwhelm the Kings.
Keys to the Game
Mindset – As I mentioned above, the talent’s gap between these two teams is big, but if the Thunder will enter this game with the wrong mindset, and with the thought of this match being an easy walk, then they might find themselves in an uncomfortable situation down the line.
Patience – If things don’t seem to work right from the tip off, then the Thunder should not drive into some crazy hero/isolation basketball. Getting back to the basics is the key when things don’t work smoothly. Ball movement, solid defense, and transition offense are all little things which can help when the offense is dry.
Get to the Line – Surprisingly, so far this year, the Thunder have been one of the teams who shot less free throws per game: nineteen attempts, which ranks them 25th in the league. Further the team has a really low number of attempts per game, and they have been shooting them badly: 72.5% (27th). Although Oklahoma City is packed with players who can attack the rim, draw fouls, and get to the line, they just didn’t go constantly for it but preferred to set for mid-range shots.
Injury Report
Oklahoma City Thunder
- N/A
Sacramento Kings
- Harry Giles (Knee – out until early January)
Teams Stats
Oklahoma City Thunder
PPG 104.2 – OPP PTS 97.0
FG% 45.5 – 3PT% 34.8 – FT% 72.5
APG 22.3 – RPG 41.9 – TOV 15.0
Sacramento Kings
PPG 93.8 – OPP PTS 105.8
FG% 43.7 – 3PT% 35.3 – FT% 74.5
APG 19.3 – RPG 39.6 – TOV 15.2