Thunder Forecast: January 25
You have to feel like something was left if you are on the table if you’re a Thunder fan right now. 3 1-point losses to Elite teams in a span of two weeks really stings for some reason. That’s the interesting thing about competition. You totally wouldn’t be made if the Cavs beat the Thunder by 9. It’s the way that it happened that hurts.
Luckily, Cleveland is in the Eastern Conference. Dallas will more than likely finish ahead of the Thunder in the playoff picture, so losing to them isn’t the worst thing in the world. San Antonio has been “struggling” this year, if that’s 
possible. Gregg Popovich has resting his key players in random games throughout the year to keep them fresh for the playoffs. This could be a major reason why their record leaves a bit to be desired. That is why it was huge loss. Not only was Tim Duncan out of the lineup, but the Spurs are competing closing with the Thunder for playoff seeding. Let’s hope that this game doesn’t beat us twice later on down the line.
Kevin Durant has scored 25 points in 18 consecutive games. That is a huge stat. Cleveland is one of, if not the best defensive team in the Association. Durant torched them for 34. He is a bona fide superstar, no doubt. The block by LeBron at the end of regulation made his performance a bit less glamorous, but I don’t discount it. KD took them to school. LeBron was okay I guess.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 7:00 PM CT vs. Chicago Bulls (21-22) KSBI
This team is definitely one of the most bipolar teams in the league. After losing to both Golden State University and the Clippers, Chicago went on to beat Phoenix and Houston on the road. A great deal of that can be attributed to the age on this team, or lack thereof. Derrick Rose is the undoubted leader on the offensive end, and Joakim Noah on the 
defensive end. Noah is doing such a great job that he may be considered for a late All-Star spot. There are so few deserving centers in the East these, but Noah is a very solid player. Noah is currently second in the entire league in rebounding with 12.3, trailing only the great Dwight Howard. I think that it’s safe to say that Howard has a few more athletic advantages than Noah has. Brad Miller has been a bit of a forgotten man recently, as his minutes have dwindled since Noah became a mainstay in the late game rotation. Chicago is actually 9-6 when Miller scores in double figures. Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng are still both threats to have big nights on offense, but I was a bit more confident in the term “threat” when they were both in college. They have hit their proverbial ceilings, it appears, and their lack of development is holding the Bulls back.
Friday, January 29, 2010, 7:00 PM CT vs. Denver Nuggets (30-14) FSOK
This is, in my opinion, a terrible matchup for the Thunder. Sure, Thabo has a terrific wing player to guard the whole game, but Carmelo may be even tougher than LeBron. Melo likes to take his defender into the post and pass out of double teams to easily find open teammates. This could render Thabo ineffective at times. Arron Afflalo has been shooting the lights out in the month of January for Denver, averaging 47.5% from distance. Chauncey Billups is having another solid 
season and is always a potential 30 point guy if you don’t keep a hand in his face. The biggest issue for Oklahoma City is Denver ability to score in the post. The post defense for the Thunder is highly inconsistent. Over the last 14 games, Kenyon Martin has averaged 14.7 points and 12.1 rebounds. He has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 12 of those games and at least nine in all of them. Serge Ibaka will need to step up, along with Nenad Krtic and Nick Collison. K-Mart and Nene will both be loads in the paint. Oh, and they have these guys named JR, Birdman, and Ty coming off the bench. Does Denver have talent or what? Yikes.
Sunday, January 31, 2010, 6:00 PM CT vs. Golden State University Warriors (13-29) FSOK
What a funny team. Don Nelson is probably the worst coach of all time, but organizations just keep giving him more jobs. The Warriors don’t play a bit of defense, allowing their opponent to shoot 48.4% from the field against them, on average. Despite taking a ton of ill-advised shots on offense, the chuckers have the 7th best FG% at 47.2. Don’t get me wrong, Golden State has had more injuries than even the Trailblazers, but there is never an excuse to not play defense. Monta Ellis, CJ Watson, and Anthony Morrow all have a chance to play this Saturday against Oklahoma City. In fact, Ellis and Watson are probable. Cartier Martin and Anthony Tolliver started against the Suns in their most recent game, and impressed most who witnessed the games. They are 
unlikely to start against the Thunder, but still should see solid minutes. Steph Curry is still a sniper from deep, but the superb Thunder perimeter defense will likely keep him in check. Andris Biedrins isn’t much of a threat to score, especially not from the free throw line, but he can block some shots. Despite his numbers being down, Biedrins is 15th in the league in blocked shots. Russell, Jeff, and Kevin will need to calculate their drives wisely.
Prediction (2-1)
I’m excited for this game with Chicago. Along with Memphis and Portland, Chicago represents one of the only other truly young teams that will be competing for championships in the near future. Derrick Rose is always a treat to watch, but I Joakim Noah, despite his terrible hair, can ball as well. This is a very winnable game for the Thunder, and I expect them to pull it off.
The Nugs are just a rough and tumble kind of group. They will rebound the heck out of you, and they are always a threat to have a big game in the paint. I just don’t think Oklahoma City can keep up. They are still one player and a year away from being able to hang.
This GSU game is a must win for a hopeful playoff team. They simply aren’t very sound in any phase of the game, and they are injured as well. Great defense and a patient offensive gameplan will get the job done.
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