OKC Thunder: What To Watch For In Their Opening Matchup

After four months off, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have their first regular season game of the NBA restart today against the Utah Jazz. Ironically, they will pick the season back up against the team they were minutes away from tipping off against back in March when the season was suspended. 

Currently 40-24 on the season, Oklahoma City has a lot at stake in these final eight regular season games before entering the playoffs. As it stands now, the Thunder could finish as high as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference or as low as the No. 7 seed depending on how they perform. 

As we watch Oklahoma City in their first game against Utah, there are three things that will be most interesting to watch for. 

1. Andre Roberson’s ability to contribute 

After 909 days without playing in an NBA game due to a knee injury, Andre Roberson is officially back. Unlike in the 2017-18 season when he last played, he appears to be more of a stretch power forward in the Thunder’s rotation as the game has changed. With that being said, he also has the ability to play small forward or even small ball center. This versatility will be valuable for Oklahoma City down the stretch.

Yesterday after practice, Thunder Head coach Billy Donovan talked about how important Roberson will be for the team.

“Andre has done a great job, we really have to utilize him.”

He would go on to talk about whether Roberson plays at the wing spot or power forward spot, he is comfortable using him. On a team that has a mix of young players and veterans, Roberson brings a ton of experience. He has been in the league since the 2013-14 season and has 269 regular season games under his belt as a starter to go along with 23 games as a starter in the playoffs. For a team that was already good defensively, Roberson will only elevate their performance on that side of the ball, especially if he is able to guard the opposing teams’ best wing like he had done his entire career before the injury.

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s improvement

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been spectacular in his second NBA season. However, there is a sense that he has taken yet another jump with four months off to improve his game. His teammates, front office, and coaches have raved about the growth they’ve seen in his game and physical frame.  

When first entering the bubble, Donovan had great things to say about Gilgeous-Alexander.

“He has a chance to be a really good player, I mean he’s already a good player, but he has a chance to be a lot better than he already is. The thing that was surprising to me was having this four-month layoff … when you look at Shai, you have to look at the fact that he’s had a complete year of playing. The thing that was impressive to me with him coming back was how much stronger he was, how much more experienced he was, how much more confidence he has and I think the strength has really added something to him.”

If Oklahoma City is going to have success against the Utah Jazz today as well as against the other teams they will match up against in the coming weeks, Gilgeous-Alexander will certainly be a key piece. To this point in the season, he has lead the team in scoring and free throw attempts and has the second most rebounds and steals. At 21 years old, seeing Gilgeous-Alexander’s growth in the bubble will be one of the most fascinating stories around the league.

3. Steven Adams’ fresh legs 

Steven Adams is one of the better bigs in the entire NBA. All season long, he battled small injuries and was rarely fully healthy. Although he has been solid this season, Adams is averaging his lowest points per game since the 2015-16 season and rebounds per game since the 2017-18 season. He also hasn’t been as aggressive as many would like with just 7.6 field goal attempts per contest.

With plenty of time to recover away from the game, Adams is as healthy and fresh as he has been all season. This appeared evident by the way he played in the Thunder’s three scrimmages leading up to the restart of the regular season. In very limited action, Adams produced 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in just 17.3 minutes per game. This is some of the most productive play we have seen out of him all season, especially considering he shot 66.6 percent from the floor. A healthy Steven Adams will be a huge piece for this Thunder team.