Broadcast Information
- Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
- Radio: WWLS the Sports Animal and the Thunder Radio Network
All game long, the Thunder is going to soar for defensive rebounds, stretch for deflections then burst out into transition for opportunities in the open floor. But there will be times against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night just like there were Monday against the Phoenix Suns where Head Coach Billy Donovan’s squad will look to take one collective breath, get organized and execute a half court play to perfection.
The balance of still playing with tempo – a level of harmonious quickness and timing – while attacking methodically isn’t always an easy task. But in order to be a great team, the Thunder needs to be able to execute down the stretch like it did against Phoenix.
“Coach (Donovan), during the timeouts, he was talking to us. Us as players, teammates, we were talking and communicating all over,” said point guard Dennis Schröder.
The Thunder’s backup point guard, the super quick German Dennis Schröder, has done quite nicely bopping back and forth from the starting to reserve role early in the season. His traditional numbers look fantastic – 16.9 points, 5.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, but he also ranks 19th in the NBA in potential assists per game. Those are passes that directly lead to a shot attempt, that if made would count for an assist.
1-on-1: Steven Adams
Russell Westbrook ranks second in the entire NBA with 18.3 potential assists per game, and the Thunder is 12th in the NBA with 43.6 potential assists per game as a team. Four other Thunder players are averaging at least 2.5 potential assists per game, as the team has found more ways to generate offense as a group, and will need to do so again versus a Knicks team that has a highly talented roster with tough, physical defenders.
“The more people that are in potential assist situations that are creating or facilitating and it’s leading to good shots, that’s a good thing,” said Donovan.
On the other end of the floor, the Thunder needs to come with its own level of integrity and pride. So far this season the Thunder has put together the second-best rated defense, allowing just 101.8 points per 100 possessions.
“We’ve just been aggressive and playing physical on the defensive end,” said second-year guard Terrance Ferguson.
“On the defensive end, we’re so long as a unit it’s tough for people. When we do it, it’s tough for the other teams to score,” added Schröder. “That’s the identity we want to build on and try to keep getting better every game.”
The Knicks have a platoon at the center position with rookie Mitchell Robinson as the starter and former Thunder center Enes Kanter coming off the bench. When Robinson is in the game he’s rolling to the rim on offense and protecting it on defense. With Kanter, the Knicks are trying to run offense through the post in order to generate layups, fouls and kickouts. It’ll be up to not just Steven Adams and Nerlens Noel, but the entire Thunder roster to gang rebound.
“Being physical especially on the defensive end is our main focus,” said Ferguson. “We know they’re a really good offensive rebounding team, so a lot of block outs. They’re a bunch of young guys, so they’re trying to get off, run, and do all type of things.”
On the perimeter, the Thunder must be aware of dynamic point guard Frank Ntilikina, who has shown flashes of greatness in his time in the Big Apple. This year he’s done a good job of converting at the free throw line and attacking in transition. The Knicks also have a sharpshooter in Tim Hardaway Jr., who is scoring a sensational 23.2 points per game this season on 18 shot attempts per game. Whether its Paul George or Terrance Ferguson who get the assignment, the entire five-man Thunder unit must be in position to switch, close out and seal off box outs.
“I played against (Ntilikina) a couple of times last year being in the East. He’s a tall guard, can defend,” said Schröder. “He’s a young player but I like him on the defensive end. He’s got a great impact on the team and offensively he’s getting better as well.”
“It’s a team assignment,” Ferguson said of Hardaway. “We’re all there to play defense. My goal is to stay in front of him, hands up, no fouls, and just take him up to the three-point line and allow my help to help me out on the back side.”
Game Day Report
Shootaround Notes
- Russell Westbrook participated in shootaround activities this morning, but his status for tonight’s game against the Knicks is still uncertain as of Wednesday afternoon.
- Paul George will face the assignment of either rookie Kevin Knox or shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. during portions of the game tonight, and both will be important to keep under control from the three-point line. Knox is actually shooting 36.4 percent from the three-point line, nearly 4 percentage points higher than he is from the field (32.8 percent).
- “They’re high-volume shooters. I think the thing is just defending them during the game, and don’t let them get easy looks,” explained George. “(Our) game plan is to try to keep those guys cold and make it tough.”
- The Thunder organization will be debuting its City Edition uniforms tonight, which honor the Native American community throughout Oklahoma. The turquoise color pops out immediately, but design work throughout the uniform has significance and meaning that ties into Native American history and culture in the state.
- “I’m into the colors – live and loud colors. I think it’s dope. I think it’s awesome to highlight this state’s culture,” said George. “It’s no secret this community, this state, it ties with everything that this team does. In a way, it’s just the organization and the league highlighting the importance of Oklahoma.”
News & Notes
- In his extended minutes with the Thunder this year, Schröder has displayed a dizzying number of ways to finish around the rim. His layups come from all sorts of angles – low off the glass, angled high to avoid shotblockers and even craftier finishes like with the right hand on the left side of the rim. Schröder didn’t enter the league with that arsenal, it’s something he’s continuing to develop each year.
- “My first year, I got all of my shot attempts blocked,” Schröder quipped. “Every time I went to the basket, the big guys just blocked it. I had to study a lot of film – watch Tony Parker and what he does, Mike Conley, Kemba Walker. Over the years I improved in these things. I still want to keep improving. I’m not there yet, but I’m getting better every year.”
- While Thunder point guards like Schröder, Russell Westbrook and Ray Felton do their work off the dribble, sometimes using a screen and other times just attacking their man head first, other Thunder players need an extra step on their man. Most wings, like Ferguson, benefit from receiving a pass from a point guard then assessing how quickly their own defender is closing out on them. Just last game, Ferguson scored the Thunder’s first points by pump faking on an out of control defender, putting the ball down for two dribbles and jamming home a dunk.
- “The way to help them create is putting them in close out situations because the close out to me is the easiest play to attack,” said Donovan. “When you have a defensive player running to you and you’re a good shooter and you shot fake and put it on the floor, then you can get yourself into the game of being another guy that can promote and generate assists.”
- “I know when players are closing out hard, closing out short, and am just reading that,” noted Ferguson. “I’m definitely looking at the footwork, looking at their hands, if their hands are up, if their hands are down, the speed they’re coming at you. It’s a lot that comes into it, and you’ve got to think fast, at the moment, so it’s pretty tough, but I’m trying to get it down.”