Thunder Forecast: Dec 7
The Young Thunder got taken to school by the veteran former champion Boston Celtics on Friday night at the Ford Center. It was to be expected, I guess. The Celts had won 4 in a row coming in and had a fully healthy roster, something that Oklahoma City could have used that night. You cannot be too disappointed as a fan. The Celts were a 
heavy favorite, and the Thunder could only beat a team of that caliber on a really strong night, and Friday was not that night. Luckily, the 76ers weren’t too much to handle a few nights before, and the Thunder took care of business as they should’ve. The Sixers were reeling with injuries and rumors of Iverson returns, so OKC could not afford to let that one slip away. This week’s slate of games could be another positive experience for the team, with two games against scrubs and a visit from King James to Oklahoma City.
Monday, December 7, 2009, 7PM CT vs. Golden State Warriors (6-13) FSOK
Controversial head coach Don Nelson is not expected to make the trip to Bricktown as he is battling an illness that is expected to keep him away from the team for at least another week. That development may actually be a positive one for a Warriors squad that has dealt with personal problems with Nelson since day 1. The Warriors probably start one of the strangest lineups in the league with 3 guards starting along with no true center, as Andris Biedrins is still out due to injury. Monta Ellis and phenom guard Steph Curry need to be kept at arm’s length at all times. They are both serious offensive weapons. Golden State has a very deep bench, with any of the active roster players having played a significant role in the rotation at some point; that is before they went 
back into Don Nelson’s dog house. Anthony Randolph has returned from a lengthy stay on the inactive list to score 28 points while matched up with Dwight Howard.
Friday, December 11, 2009, 7PM CT @ Memphis Grizzlies (8-12) FSOK
The only relevant player missing time this season for Memphis is forward Darrell Arthur. Unfortunately for Memphis, their record does not reflect their good fortune. The Grizzlies roster a number of rookies, including second overall pick Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, and Demare Carroll. Thabeet has been largely unimpressive in his professional career to this point, but head coach Lionel Hollins appears to be convinced he is headed in the right direction. Anything he says at this point is just coachspeak for “we made a huge drafting blunder.” In a related story, the Grizzlies signed oft-maligned point guard Jamaal Tinsley to a one year deal in order to take some pressure off of Mike Conley. Conley has been the center of trade rumors and speculation for a while now, as he as not necessarily flourished even when given significant minutes. Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph will still be difficult to handle on the offensive end, and the likes of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, respectively, will need to have absolute defensive focus in order to keep them in check.
Sunday, December 14, 2009, 6PM CT vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (15-5) FSOK
Expect a sellout crowd in downtown OKC on Sunday night, as the ultimate attraction will be visiting, and his high-quality teammates will be joining him as well. At least, that’s what they tell us. In short, James is a serious matchup 
problem, especially against the Thunder. Kevin Durant has clearly improved his defensive prowess so far this season, but the strength and speed combination that LeBron brings is unparalleled. Hopefully, one Serge Ibaka will be able to step in and play some significant minutes in order to take some pressure off the wing defenders. Former All-Star Mo Williams will be LeBron’s parter in crime on the offensive end, and the Cavs have a host of other role players ready to go off on any given night. Anderson Varajeo leads the charge, followed by JJ Hickson, Anthony Parker, and Jarmarrio Moon. Those four players are the heart and soul of the Cavs, and bring the defensive effort that coach Mike Brown craves ever night. While he isn’t what he used to be, you cannot forget about the Big Fella in the middle. Shaq O’Neal has only completed one double-double all season, but against an undersized Thunder front court, you can only wonder how this one will turn out. Expect heavy minutes from the Thunder big men who could be in foul trouble all night.
Prediction (2-1)
Currently sitting just over .500 at 10-9, Oklahoma City has yet another chance to stretch their record to a more comfortable 2 or 3 games above the NBA equator. It certainly won’t be easy, as the three teams the young Thunder team is facing have solid offensive weapons. Needless to say, Oklahoma City can be virtually anyone on any given night if Scott Brooks can get these young guys to stay in front of people. The whole team has a great deal of athleticism, and good defense beats good offense in any sport.
You know that the Golden State Warriors will score points, and the Memphis Grizzlies have been pesky bottom feeders in their recent matchups with Oklahoma City. Golden State has dealt with a great deal of personal adversity so far this year, so you have to give them credit for that, but maybe that isn’t so uncommon for them. Maybe that is just how they compose their rosters. I mean, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, and Cory Magette don’t exactly scream “team players” to me.
Cleveland visiting the Ford Center give this team yet another chance to prove themselves. Boston was a big test, but maybe too big of a test. The Celtics were white-hot when they visited, and when a team with that kind of talent gets hot, you might as well just save your energy. Cleveland has a similar hot streak going, but maybe not to the same extent. Cleveland has been lucky in the same way as Memphis, suffering only one major injury, but their core remains intact. A serious effort from OKC could yield a win in this one, but it cannot even be considered a toss-up at this point
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