TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma | Radio: WWLS 98.1 FM OKC
By Paris Lawson | Broadcast and Digital Reporter | okcthunder.com
The Thunder sets out for its penultimate road trip of the season. The first stop on the two-game trek is in the Mile High City to take on the Denver Nuggets for the fourth and final time this season. So far, OKC holds the 2-1 series edge on the Nuggets thanks to some high-level shooting and disciplined defense.
Game Day: OKC at DEN
WHAT TO WATCH
- Rookie Contributions – It will be a fun matchup on the floor between OKC and Denver’s two sharp-shooting rookies. For the month of March, Denver rookie Bones Hyland and OKC rookie Tre Mann rank first and second respectively in total 3-pointers made. For the season, Hyland has tied for the most 3-pointers made among all rookies while Mann ranks fourth. Both rookies have logged their names in their respective teams’ history books. With Hyland’s 116 made 3-pointers, he holds the Nuggets’ franchise record for 3-pointers made by a rookie. Meanwhile, Mann recently logged the highest scoring game by a rookie in OKC history with 35 points against Boston on Monday.
- Digging Down Defensively – In its previous meeting with the Nuggets, the Thunder shot 50 percent from the field and a white-hot 55 percent from the 3-point line, but it was the defensive end of the floor that helped propel OKC to a 119-107 victory. This has been a trend for the Thunder through the three matchups against the Nuggets. On average, OKC has held Denver to 100 points per game this season while the Nuggets average 112 points per game against the rest of the league.
- Nothing for Nikola – OKC’s defensive efforts will be centered on limiting the league’s reining MVP Nikola Jokić who records a double-double on 88 percent of his games. The 6-foot-11 point-center is the only player in NBA history to average at least 26 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in a season. Expect the Thunder to send multiple bodies to the Joker when he catches the ball and also fight to limit his facilitating.
NOTABLE
Thunder forward Aleksej Pokuševski logged two blocks and two steals in the Thunder’s last matchup against the Orlando Magic which marked his fifth career game with at least two steals and two blocks. The second-year big man is now just one of four players in the league age 20 or younger with 56 steals and 78 blocks this season.
QUOTABLE
SCOUTING REPORT
Though the Nuggets (43-31) dropped their most recent matchup to the Suns, the team logged one of its best shooting performances of the season. In that game, Denver shot a 59-percent clip from the field and 47 percent from behind the arc while dishing out 27 assists. This stat line is right on par with the style of play that Denver looks to play with offensively as the team ranks third in the league in field goal percentage (47.9 percent) and third in assists per game (27.5).
Against the Suns, reining MVP Nikola Jokić led the way with 28 points, but the Joker was just one of three Denver players who scored 20-plus points. Aaron Gordon also chipped in 21 points while rookie Bones Hyland contributed 23 off the bench.