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Tip-Off: 6:00 PM CST
Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, OK)
Television: FSOK, NBATV
Radio: The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @TheThunderGuys for live-tweets during the game
Player to Watch
SG Evan Fournier leads the Orlando Magic in scoring with 17.3 points per game, a career high for him. Fournier is a capable three-point shooter as he has made 34% of his shots behind the arc so far this season. Victor Oladipo will likely guard his former teammate, so the matchup should be fun to watch.
Keys to the Game
- Force Magic Mistakes: Averaging only 12.2 turnovers per game, Orlando does a really good job at taking care of the ball. Oklahoma City has one of the league’s best defenses, and if they can force the Magic into making mistakes, the Thunder offense will have a field day in transition.
- Control the Paint: Orlando has a talented group of big men, including former Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka, and Oklahoma City needs to maintain control of the paint, specifically when it comes to rebounding. The Magic ranks 3rd in the NBA in offensive rebound averaging 11.3 a game, and the Thunder are far too talented to allow that type of success on the glass.
- Make Wise Decisions: Turnovers continue to kill Oklahoma City as they average 17.6 a game, and the Thunder really need to take advantage of the upcoming schedule and improve this area of the game. Orlando is not exactly a defensive powerhouse, and they only force 11.7 turnovers per game, near the bottom of the league. If Oklahoma City can take care of the ball and take efficient shots, this should be high-scoring affair for the Thunder offense.
Article written by Zack Low. Follow @TheThunderGuys on Twitter and Instagram.