Oklahoma City-Portland pregame: Three things to watch
Three OKC things to watch
1. Westbrook’s bounceback - The confident but streaky guard was off last night. No doubt about that. He went 6/21 shooting, committed six turnovers and got lost on Tony Parker’s game-winning shot. But that’s what you get with Westbrook, occasional implosions during a season full of positive impact. He’ll look to return to form tonight, in the home opener against Portland and, in the process, turn those Internet haters back to Westbrook lovers. At least for one night.
2. Ibaka’s offense - All preseason, Serge Ibaka showed a refined offensive game, extending his shooting range and improving his post moves. It didn’t show in the opener. Ibaka went 2/7 from the floor, while struggling to contain the aging (but still effective) Tim Duncan on the other end. On Friday, he faces another stout frontline, with All-Star Lamarcus Aldridge paired with the athletic J.J. Hickson.
3. Martin’s continued implementation - Test #1 was a success, with Kevin Martin slipping seamlessly into the James Harden bench role. He was third on the team with scoring, with 16 points, and showed an ability to make plays for others, adding six assists. Let’s see how day two goes.
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