Quick Look At The Oklahoma City Thunder

By Michael Rehome
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Mar 30, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Oklahoma City won 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

This year has not been any different from years past, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are fighting for thenumber one spot in the Western Conference.

Tonight, on national television, two of the leagues best teams go head-to-head in Oklahoma City.  If you have never been able to make a trip to a Thunder game (I went last year to a playoff game) in the Chesapeake Arena, I suggest you put it down on your bucket list because it is by far one of the best atmospheres you could ever be apart of.

This team is lethal.  Yes, they lost a key part in James Harden as he headed to

Houston

where the money was. This team really didn’t hurt as many would think. In return they received a pretty good scorer and defender in return in Kevin Martin.

Oklahoma City has been making a name for themselves this season and here is a quick look at the way this team looks coming into the match-up tonight against San Antonio.

Record: 54-20 overall, 32-5 at home (second in the West, one game behind the Spurs)

Offensive rating: 110.0 points per 100 possessions, second (Spurs – 106.9, seventh)

Defensive rating: 99.2 points per 100 possessions, second (Spurs – 98.8, third)

Pace: 96.2 possessions per game, seventh (Spurs – 96.1, eighth)

Margin of victory: 9.2, first (Spurs – 7.6, third)

Strength of schedule: 19th (Spurs – 12th)

Last 10: 7-3

Previous meetings: The Spurs won 86-84 in San Antonio on Nov. 1, 105-93 in San Antonio on March 11; the Thunder won 107-93 in Oklahoma City on Dec. 17.

Injury report: None reported.

What to watch

* Kevin Durant (50.5 percent from the floor, 41 percent on 3-pointers, and 90.8 percent at the line) is a scorer.  He can put the ball in the rim from anywhere on the floor.  He’s averaging almost 18 shots per game. He is also leading the league in scoring for the fourth straight year despite fewer attempts than Russell Westbrook.

* Westbrook. Lets see if the Spurs success against him hold true.  Westbrook has shot 37-percent shooting in 18 meetings dating back to 2010.

Note: Unless noted, all stats taken from NBA.com, Hoops Data or Basketball Reference

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