RealGM

Russell Westbrook / Thabo Sefolosha / Kevin Durant / Jeff Green / Nenad Krstic

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Rodney Stuckey / Richard Hamilton / Tayshaun Prince / Austin Daye / Ben Wallace

Matchup

Just like last season the Thunder head to game two of the season to face the Pistons in Detroit.

Some interesting matchups here. Detroit has decided, somehow, that starting 200 lb. SF Austin Daye at PF would be a good idea. Probably a fantastic matchup for Jeff Green and one that can be exploited at both ends. Russell Westbrook gets to contend with a big sort-of PG in Rodney Stuckey, and Thabo gets to chase around Rip Hamilton.

Detroit seems like a team in search of an identity. They have a ton of perimeter players but are probably even more interior challenged than even the Thunder. I don't see the Pistons being able to capably defend all our scoring threats, and as long as the defense stays in front of Stuckey I don't see them getting many easy shots.

Some Numbers

The Thunder played a very fast game against Chicago on Wednesday. The Thunder only played 20 games faster last season, and the team has generally picked the pace up in the preseason as well. It will be interesting to keep track of this as the season goes. It's probably benefiical for the Thunder to push the pace as long as the turnovers stay down.

A Question

Does Cole Aldrich get some run in this one? Does Brooks stick with small ball?

Good luck you guys, should be a fun one to watch.

You guys want Cole to play, we want Monroe to see some action tonight. In our 1st game, we made runs once our bench was put into the game. Daye at PF is still an experiment, and Bynum/BG/CV/McGrady get us a lot off the bench.

Again, good luck!

Villenueva and Gordon don't start? That is one damn expensive bench

30 million for the starters
35 million for the bench players

EDIT: Richard Hamilton might have the worst contract in the NBA

Can't wait.

I hope to see Greg Monroe. It's puzzling to me why he isn't getting minutes in Detroit.

Prediction of the game:

KD will have his first rip-move basket of the season.

lets go Thunder!

Will Bynum's out. Looking at Detroit's roster, either Stuckey will play 48 minutes or one of Rip / BG / Tmac will become impromptu backup PG...

Jeff Green would be quite good if he could hit the deep ball consistently.

But he can't.

Solid 1st quarter, except for Green. he was pretty dang bad.

Green with 7 shot attempts in the quarter. He took 17 shots last game. He's shooting too damn much, has to be contract related.

Green taking 4 threepointers in the firstquarter and hitting none???

WTF?! Stop shooting 3s and either pass or go to the rim!!!

slick_watts wrote:Green with 7 shot attempts in the quarter. He took 17 shots last game. He's shooting too damn much, has to be contract related.

if he's going to play for a contract its gonna be hard to make a serious playoff run with him chucking away from the starting power forward spot

Ibaka looking more comfortable than he did last year in the beginning of the season

more smallball and cook still cant buy a shot

Hey great more small ball, offensive rebounds, Cook missing threes.

I really hate this lineup. Why is Cook playing?

Cook getting minutes is a major negative IMO.

slick_watts wrote:Hey great more small ball, offensive rebounds, Cook missing threes.

I really hate this lineup. Why is Cook playing?

over Aldrich who would make the lineup actually make sense too

C'mon Green, CV won't drive to the hole, he'll chuck it up from downtown ten out of ten times.



Get Cook out ffs.

I don't really care that Cook is getting minutes, but these lineups:

Maynor-Cook-Harden-Green-Ibaka
Maynor-Cook-Harden-Durant-Ibaka

Are awful. Gets killed on the boards and in the paint, and isn't used properly on offense.

We don't even use the matchup problems this lineup is supposed to generate...

bleh the interior is weak

what did we draft Aldrich for?

We get about 15 open shots and miss all of them.

Ben Gordon chucks a contested three and makes it.

Bleh.