Game 11 Preview: Houston Rockets at Thunder

Tipoff Time: 8:00PM EST

The Thunder come into this game off of their biggest win of the year thus far.  Conversely, the Rockets are looking at a season that was once full of promise quickly circling the drain due to a lot of close losses and now recurring injuries.  Houston will be without Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks tonight, which leaves them paper thin (barely three men deep) and lacking in offensive punch.  And on Friday night, the Thunder are traveling to Boston for a rematch.

This type of game sends two signals:

1. The game itself is a mismatch.
2. This is a classic trap game.

This game is of the type that does not and should not require herculean effort.  Rather, it is a game where if the coaches prepare the team properly, the Thunder can get a win in an efficient manner and be well-rested for Friday.  This is what the Thunder need to do:

• Look to their collapse against the Clippers and remember that their defensive rebounding cuts off inferior teams’ chances.
• Go to the bench early and often to keep fresh legs in and wear out the shallow Rockets bench.
• Scola will probably be too much to handle for Ibaka, so it would probably be best to get Collison in the game early to defend him.  Scola is a physical player with a deft touch and good passing skills.  These kinds of big men can capitalize on an over-committed defense.  The Thunder must continue their strong inside play.
• Be patient on offense.  The Rockets’ Kevin Martin can light it up offensively, so it is important to limit the amount of touches he gets, both through good defense and a purposeful offense.

Prediction: Thunder by 9

11/17 Daily Links

What the pros are saying:

• Preview of tonight’s game against the Rockets.
• Another preview, noting the differing styles between the Rockets and Thunder.
• Bleacher Report keys in on the Thunder’s free throw shooting advantage.
• Royce Young takes an appropriate look as to whether Serge Ibaka has earned the starting spot over the injury-recovering Jeff Green.
• An update on Nedad Krstic’s home land.
• A look at Collison’s return thus far.
• Derrick Rose just ripped up the Rockets last night for 33 and 7.  Here comes Westbrook.
• Yao Ming likely out tonight.
• Luis Scola will be the top priority for the Thunder tonight.
• The new Thunder practice gym is officially called, “The Integris Health Thunder Development Center.”  From this point on, everyone will be calling it the “gym.”

What I’m saying:

• I like the attention Collison is getting so far this year, and how it has translated to a renewed intensity on the part of the Thunder, specifically with their interior defense.  He highlights the reality that, sometimes, stats don’t tell you anything at all about what players mean to their squads.  But when you watch the team before and after, it’s easy to see the impact.  Consider guys like Rick Mahorn, Charles Oakley, and PJ Brown.  It is difficult to pinpoint any statistic that says they should matter, and yet they did in very measurable ways.  Collison is the same way.
• Greg Oden and Yao Ming: two guys whom the NBA desperately needed and were betrayed by their bodies.
• Luis Scola might be the goofiest #1 scoring option in the league.  No, wait.  We still have White Mamba.