Tonight's Game: Oklahoma City Thunder at Orlando Magic
by Ben Q Rock on Dec 5, 2008 5:30 PM EST
in 2008/2009 Previews
71 comments
Oklahoma City Thunder at Orlando Magic, Dec 5, 2008 7:00 PM EST
UPDATE: No official word yet as to Jameer Nelson's availability tonight. Don't forget to watch Magic Overtime with Dante and Galante at 12:30; details here.
| 2008/2009 NBA Regular Season | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
@ |  |
| 2-17 | 14-5 | |
| December 5th, 2008 | ||
| Amway Arena | ||
| 7:00 PM | ||
| Sun Sports | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| Russell Westbrook | PG | Jameer Nelson |
| Damien Wilkins | SG | J.J. Redick |
| Kevin Durant | SF | Hedo Turkoglu |
| Jeff Green | PF | Rashard Lewis |
| Chris Wilcox | C | Dwight Howard |
| Previous Meetings: | ||
| November 12th: Magic 109, Thunder 92 | ||
After starting a fairly unproductive backcourt duo of Anthony Johnson and J.J. Redick for the last week, the Orlando Magic will likely welcome regular starter Jameer Nelson and top reserve Keith Bogans to their lineup tonight. Nelson was close to returning Wednesday against Minnesota, while Bogans dressed for the game but did not play.
Nelson's return isn't a moment too soon, either. Oklahoma City has recently shifted speedy rookie point guard Russell Westbrook into its starting lineup. The thought of Johnson having to chase Westbrook around for 35 minutes makes me cringe; Nelson, although not a great defender, at least has the quickness to stick to Westbrook.
But Westbrook is hardly the Magic's biggest problem. Yes, Orlando walloped Oklahoma City last month, but that was due almost entirely to Dwight Howard's incredible 30-point, 19-rebound, 10-block performance. Its usually solid forward duo of Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis combined for 28 points on 28 shots. Meanwhile, the Thunder were without Kevin Durant, the reigning Rookie of the Year, upon whom they rely for 22.3 points each night. Another lackluster effort from Hedardo Turkolewis, coupled with a strong night from Durant, would put Orlando in danger of becoming the Thunder's third victim this season.
... or not. As good as Durant and frontcourt-mate Jeff Green are, Oklahoma City fields a horrid basketball team, as its league-worst 2-17 record shows. It's so bad that ESPN.com created this page to track how the Thunder compare to the worst teams in NBA history. The Thunder run at the league's 7th-fastest pace, yet are dead-last in eFG% and 20th in turnover rate, which means spectators are treated to a miserably high amount of wasted possessions.
Maybe the Thunder could win games with bad offense if they played some defense to compensate. Well, they don't. And they have nobody who can defend Howard. I'm not expecting him to dominate to the extent to which he did last month--that's a once-or-twice-a-season thing--but I do expect him to get plenty of touches against the Thunder's defensively inept front-line. He should be able to get the undersized Chris Wilcox/Nick Collison tandem in foul trouble fairly easily, and behind those two sit Joe Smith (old, decent, this year's answer to P.J. Brown) and Robert Swift (young, untested, ornamented). Easy pickings, as it were.
If there's any storyline to watch tonight, it's the shooting guard rotation. Courtney Lee has roundly outplayed Redick in Mickael Pietrus' absence, and Bogans' presence means one of those two players is going to get his minutes squeezed as a result. John Denton thinks it might be Redick.
Tip's at 7 on Sun Sports. Let's hope the Magic are able to stop Thunder coach Scott Brooks from setting another franchise record.
Go Magic.
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I absolutely love it
Hedardo Turkolewis
'Coach, Dwight is a nice guy. Dwight don't hit anybody. But Superman will knock the crap out of you.' - D12
Redick
… if he continues to play like he has been the past few games, his relevance in Orlando will be gone forever. At this point, once Pietrus is back we know we have two wing players we can rely on, both Bogans & Lee. Redick will never get a sniffy of PT again.
Senior Writer for DePaul's Scout.com website
Class of 2009 - DePaul University
Magic lead 23-18 after one
Magic only shooting 37.5% from the floor and 50% from the line, but OKC is shooting even worse at 33.3% from the floor.
A double/double already for DH… 12 points, 10 rebounds.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 7:44 PM EST reply actions
I thought the first quarter put everyone to sleep
… the Magic are doing better in the second and now lead 37-32. Lee doing well again off the bench.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:01 PM EST reply actions
Lewis and Turk really struggling
… they’ve combined for 4 points on 2 of 13 shooting and 7 turnovers.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:03 PM EST reply actions
what a contribution
Lewis has been so spastic with his shooting lately. :-/
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:06 PM EST up reply actions
Turk and Lewis are both as cold tonight as the weather here in the Chicago area
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:09 PM EST reply actions
lol it's warmed up a lot here, though still pretty cool at nights
It’s been wonderful :3 I love it when it’s actually cold here in the winter.
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:11 PM EST up reply actions
Magic lead 45-39 at the half
Ugly stats for both teams… Magic are shooting 42.3% from the field (18 of 42), 27.3% on threes, and 46.2% on free throws. OKC is shooting 38.1% from the field (16 of 42) and 62.5% from the free throw line. Magic are outrebounding OKC 28-22 but have 9 turnovers.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:15 PM EST reply actions
did Jameer start? Maybe they needed to get used to him again
instead of the creaky old bones of Johnson :|
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:18 PM EST up reply actions
DH with 13 and 13
… even though he’s shooting under 50% from the field and free throw line.
Turk and Lewis have a combined 6 points on 3 of 16 shooting and 7 turnovers.
Off the bench, Battie with 8 points and Lee with 6 points.
Nelson’s doing alright in his first game back… 5 points, 2 assists and 2 steals and 0 turnovers… yes, he did start.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:20 PM EST reply actions
my dad's home now
maybe with him watching, the Magic will start playing better.
…yeah I dunno ¯\(º_o)/¯
OKC right there
… trailing by just 2 points with under 8 minutes remaining in the third.
Turk and Lewis now 3 of 18 from the field.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:36 PM EST reply actions
and then gets his fourth personal
My dad, at Jameer’s heaving chest as he sits on the bench: “gettin’ a little rusty there, kid?”
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:40 PM EST up reply actions
Four fouls on Nelson
… Johnson comes into the game for him.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:40 PM EST reply actions
Yay... Turk finally hit a three
… he’s got 5 points now.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:44 PM EST reply actions
Redick's having a decent game
… 8 points in under 20 minutes on 3 of 5 shooting.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:47 PM EST reply actions
omg mind twins
I was just about to post that :D
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
Great minds think alike
… for the most part :-)
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:50 PM EST reply actions
17/17 for DH
… he’s well on his way to a 20/20 game.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:51 PM EST reply actions
The Lakers...
led Indiana by 15 the other night going into the fourth… and they lost on a last-second tip-in by the Pacers.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:52 PM EST reply actions
oh that's awesome
somehow I don’t see the Wiz being able to do that, though it would be great :)
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:53 PM EST up reply actions
So far we've gotten some pretty solid performances from everyone
with the great exception of Hedo (2-12) and Rashard (3-10). Ugh.
Yeah... the Wizards really miss Agent Zero (Arenas)
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:53 PM EST reply actions
yeah, but he wasn't there last year either, and they were much better
it’s very strange :-/
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:54 PM EST up reply actions
Hedo does have 6 assists though
I’ll give him credit for that.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:54 PM EST reply actions
yeah, true
he and Rashard have 7 TOs between them, though. Just not their night. Hopefully Mr Fourth Quarter will be able to pick things up *cross fingers *
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 8:56 PM EST up reply actions
70-66 Magic after three
Magic continue to shoot poorly, just 41.5% from the field and 56.2% from the FT line. OKC shooting 42% from the field and 70.6% from the line. Magic have 12 turnovers.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 8:59 PM EST reply actions
And the Cavs are abusing the Pacers
62-44, middle of the third.
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 9:02 PM EST up reply actions
Well, Bogans has 9 and 3 other guys have 8
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:09 PM EST reply actions
yeah, everyone who's played has contributed
which is great, but still…
If we’d hit more of our foul shots, we’d be up more as well.
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 9:11 PM EST up reply actions
Biggest lead of the game for the Magic
… at 86-77.
Bogans shooting well his first game back… 3 of 5 on threes for 9 points.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:10 PM EST reply actions
Nelson, too. He's 5 of 8.
I’m really happy with the two of them :)
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 9:12 PM EST up reply actions
AJ is doing well off the bench also
… 7 points, 5 assists, and 0 turnovers.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:13 PM EST reply actions
Nelson is doing well his first game back also...
15 points on 6 of 10 shooting… 6 assists, 3 steals, just 1 turnover.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:17 PM EST reply actions
Magic win 98-89 (or 87... Yahoo Sports has both numbers)
Magic now 15-5 as they start a 5 game western road swing on Monday.
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:27 PM EST reply actions
Magin win...somwhow
98-89
We shot 45.2% from the field, 56.2% from the FT line, and 48.1% from the three. The Thunder shot 43.4% from the field, 66.7% from the FT line, and 33.3% from the three.
Thanks for the wrap-up TGS...
… saved me the time!
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:29 PM EST reply actions
Wow... the Wizards almost came back like the Pacers did against LA the other night
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:30 PM EST reply actions
I know! It's probably b/c of their loss to the Pacers
that the Lakers were extra determined not to have that happen to them again. Sucks.
by TheGiantSquid on Dec 5, 2008 9:31 PM EST up reply actions
Good to have Bogans and Nelson back
… as the Magic begin their road swing Monday. Have a good weekend TGS and hope to see you here (and hopefully others) Monday night for more of your scintillating commentary :-)
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 5, 2008 9:33 PM EST reply actions
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