Game Preview - Thunder vs Bulls

The Oklahoma City Thunder (40-15) take on the Chicago Bulls (32-23) tonight at the Peake'. Oklahoma City leads the season series 1-0. This is the second and final meeting between the two teams this season.

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Thunder's previous game: The Thunder are coming off a blow out, 127-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite struggling with turn overs, as the Thunder turned it over 18 times for 26 points, Oklahoma City's high powered offense scored a season high 127 points in the victory, as well as a team record high 100 points by the third quarter. 

Oklahoma City gave up fifty points in the paint to the Wolves, but managed to keep them to just 48% from the field. The Thunder used a big third quarter to blow their lead wide open, scoring thirty five points in the quarter. Led by Russell Westbrook who had thirteen points on 6-8 shooting in the quarter, the Thunder were able to out score the Wolves 11-3 in the break to help build their seventeen point lead. 

Kendrick Perkins played excellent after returning from a one-game knee injury. Perk scored ten points on 4-6 shooting while holding Nikola Pekovic, who's averaging sixteen points and 8.9 rebounds, to just five points on 1-4 shooting and 2 rebounds. Russell Westbrook had a season-high thirty seven points in the contest, to go along with his near triple-double seven rebounds and nine assists.

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Last meeting with Chicago: Oklahoma City played the Bulls back in Chicago at the beginning of the season. The Thunder used a 31 point fourth quarter to over come a five point deficit in the third and beat the Bulls 97-91. 

 

Serge Ibaka had his first twenty point game of the season against Chicago, scoring twenty one points on 8-15 shooting as well as dominating the paint, grabbing nine rebounds (four offensive). Russell Westbrook had a poor shooting game, only going 7-22 from the field while scoring sixteen points, but was able to facilitate the ball and set up his teammates well as he dished out twelve dimes in the game.

Luol Deng was the offensive catalyst for the Bulls, scoring twenty seven points on 11-21 shooting, though he was only able to pull down one board. With Derrick Rose out, Kirk Heinrich was running the point for the Bulls. Heinrich scored twelve points on 5-12 shooting while playing excellent defense on Russell Westbrook. 

Thunder Essentials:

Interior Defense - Oklahoma City held the Bulls to just thirty four points in the paint on 17-33 shooting last time out. Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant combined for seven blocked shots as they allowed no easy buckets inside. With Perkins back and fully energized, Oklahoma City's interior defense should be strong tonight. Perk is coming off an excellent defense and offensive game and I expect him to continue his post dominance on the defensive end.

Take care of the ball - The Thunder haven't taken care of the ball well as of late, averaging 18.6 turn overs a game in their last three games. Last time out against the Bulls, The Thunder turned the ball over twenty two times, and allowed nineteen points off of those. Oklahoma City's role players have to take better care of the ball. When you have the ball in your hands 1/3 of the time as Kevin Durant or Russell, you shouldn't be ending the game with 4 turn overs. 

Run the break - Chicago is an older team that has been plagued with injuries this season. The Thunder are the exact opposite. They are younger, faster, quicker, and healthier than the Bulls ever could be. Getting out and running in transition off defensive rebounds and turn overs will be key tonight if the Thunder are to have another offensively explosive game.