Raptors @ Thunder

[t-wizzle]

Pretty good game here in the Association tonight. Thunder appear to have maybe turned a corner. The Raptors have played well all year long as they’ve adapted to more of a ball movement/spread the floor offense. Thunder coming off a win over the Rockets on Christmas while the Raps dropped a game in Big D last night.

Thunder are a 4 point home fave. Who do you guys like here?

[biggie12]

Raptors might not have the legs tonight. They haven't played many b2b.


If you can +155 ML or better worth a play. I would not bet the roll on this game though.

[A4K]

I watched the Raptors piss away an easy game against the Clippers last week. They don't have that killer instinct to put people away. I'll pass.

[JIBBBY]

Good game indeed.. Tough game to pick.. OKC and the Raptors are probably playing their best ball of the season right now... Raptors coming off a rare and embarrassing loss to the Mavs will be looking to rebound tonight..

Toronto last 5 -

Dec 17	vs	Sacramento	W	108 - 93
Dec 20	@	Charlotte	W	129 - 111
Dec 21	@	Philadelphia	W	114 - 109
Dec 23	vs	Philadelphia	W	102 - 86
Dec 26	@	Dallas	L	98 - 93

Dec 27	@	Oklahoma City	5:00 PM PST NBATV, FSOK, SNET

OKC just finding ways to win now.. Tough at home..

OKC last 5 games -

Dec 18	vs	Denver	W	95 - 94
Dec 20	vs	Utah	W	107 - 79
Dec 22	vs	Atlanta	W	120 - 117
Dec 23	@	Utah	W	103 - 89
Dec 25	vs	Houston	W	112 - 107

Dec 27	vs	Toronto	5:00 PM PST NBATV, FSOK, SNET

One thing that sticks out to me like BIGGIE said above is that the Raptors are playing back to back and those legs may get a little tired late in the game.. I think you gotta go with OKC at home if you must..

[lakerboy]

Staying far away. Thunder are coming off a big Xmas win which might mean fade

[JIBBBY]

Yup pass for me too...

[KRIT]

I'm likely staying away, but it does seem like Thunder have turned the corner. If they gel, can they actually be a threat to Warriors?

[shocka1212]

raptors 1h maybe... they'll run out of legs late though so thunder probably take it late although they are 3-1 ATS and straight up on back to backs.

[A4K]

I'm likely staying away, but it does seem like Thunder have turned the corner. If they gel, can they actually be a threat to Warriors?

They were toe to toe with a Rockets team missing Chris Paul and barely pulled it out late. OKC is still a mediocre pile of garbage.

[lakerboy]

I'm likely staying away, but it does seem like Thunder have turned the corner. If they gel, can they actually be a threat to Warriors?

No. They don't have shooting but they do play good d

[JIBBBY]

I'm likely staying away, but it does seem like Thunder have turned the corner. If they gel, can they actually be a threat to Warriors?

If they continue to gel as the season goes on ya never know.. That's basically an all star team with Westbrook, Paul George and Mellow..

I'm not writing them off against anyone just yet.. Time will tell.. Right now the Warriors and Rockets probably smash them in a seven game series though...

[shocka1212]

If they continue to gel as the season goes on ya never know.. That's basically an all star team with Westbrook, Paul George and Mellow..

I'm not writing them off against anyone just yet.. Time will tell.. Right now the Warriors and Rockets probably smash them in a seven game series though...

if they figured out how to make that lineup work, they'd have the best shot at beating Golden St.... but thats a BIG IF... Not one that I would count on.. Melo is a career loser.. The three of them are a match made in heaven.. ball dominant players who are great in their own respect but can never let the talent flourish within a system but rather hindering the overall growth of a team... Theres a big different between great talent and team winning.. different sport to use for an analogy, but look at the Pats. Belichick always wins because he never centers anything around one player, yet lets the talent flourish in the system...

[jjgold]

Thunder hot

Ride hot teams

[KRIT]

No. They don't have shooting but they do play good d

Adding a shooter at the deadline is possible.

They also need bench depth I think.

[JIBBBY]

if they figured out how to make that lineup work, they'd have the best shot at beating Golden St.... but thats a BIG IF... Not one that I would count on.. Melo is a career loser.. The three of them are a match made in heaven.. ball dominant players who are great in their own respect but can never let the talent flourish within a system but rather hindering the overall growth of a team... Theres a big different between great talent and team winning.. different sport to use for an analogy, but look at the Pats. Belichick always wins because he never centers anything around one player, yet lets the talent flourish in the system...

Same could have been said for KD, Step and Thompson coming together with the GSW's.. All ball hogs, scoring hogs but they found a way to gel and make it work.. Thinking the same with OKC.. The big 3 in OKC had balanced scoring against Rockets the other night and won.. If they can continue to work together and share the ball anything is possible..

Remember Paul George was the man in INDY, Mellow the man in Denver.. Sacrifices need to be made for it to work.. Time will tell.. The talent is there..

[shocka1212]

Same could have been said for KD, Step and Thompson coming together with the GSW's.. All ball hogs, scoring hogs but they found a way to gel and make it work.. Thinking the same with OKC.. The big 3 in OKC had balanced scoring against Rockets the other night and won.. If they can continue to work together and share the ball anything is possible..

Remember Paul George was the man in INDY, Mellow the man in Denver.. Sacrifices need to be made for it to work.. Time will tell.. The talent is there..

they won without KD.... and Klay scored 60 last year only dribbling 11 times total.. they aren't as ball dominant. they can all spot up shoot at will. Melo, PG, and Russ have some of the highest usage rates in the entire league. They can't produce unless the entire offense runs through them..

Warriors are a whole new monster really. Pass the ball better than anyone, can spot up from anywhere and 3 point you to death.. OKC could give them a run for their money IF they got it to work but it most likely won't (hasn't worked for either of these guys last 10 years) so Houston will be the best challenger but will most likely fall short because they lack the talent to stretch the floor..

[JIBBBY]

they won without KD.... and Klay scored 60 last year only dribbling 11 times total.. they aren't as ball dominant. they can all spot up shoot at will. Melo, PG, and Russ have some of the highest usage rates in the entire league. They can't produce unless the entire offense runs through them..

Warriors are a whole new monster really. Pass the ball better than anyone, can spot up from anywhere and 3 point you to death.. OKC could give them a run for their money IF they got it to work but it most likely won't (hasn't worked for either of these guys last 10 years) so Houston will be the best challenger but will most likely fall short because they lack the talent to stretch the floor..

Good points you make Shocka.....

[Time is Money]

Calling OKC the big 3 is a slap in the face to Adams, that dude is the heart and soul of the team outside of Russ and he's always battling on the glass and great defensively. Turning into an automatic double double. If there's a big 3 on the team it's Russ, George, Adams.

[JIBBBY]

Calling OKC the big 3 is a slap in the face to Adams, that dude is the heart and soul of the team outside of Russ and he's always battling on the glass and great defensively. Turning into an automatic double double. If there's a big 3 on the team it's Russ, George, Adams.

Adams is that gritty enforcer whom guards the paint and gets rebounds that every team needs.. He doesn't score 20 a game like the big 3 do though... He might be the heart and sole of the team, I can't argue that.. Not the big 3...

[WildCelticsFan]

Looking back at Adams 3 years ago he has greatly improved. Love his game, his toughness. One of the centers in my opinion, bit underrated.

[BigDofBA]

Adams has been balling this year.

He plays with so much heart and does all the little things. I figured his numbers would go up again when the Thunder add some shooters. Even though Melo and George haven't been shooting well, teams can't clog up the lane because they have to at least respect them.

The Raptors always seem to play OKC well. Normally I would take the Raptors ATS in this spot (OKC coming off big win vs Rockets). With that said, OKC is finally playing well and the Raptors are playing the second road game of a B2B.

I would lean OKC here but I'm not going to play it.

[jjgold]

There’s just too much stuff on now I stick to the college football games till January then will focus on the NBA, I love Oklahoma City

[KRIT]

Adams is a great player. Every championship team needs this type of guy on their team.