The Thunder finished a successful preseason a week ago, going 4-1 in their games. However, they did lose one of their key players, Isaiah Hartenstein, for about five to six weeks. With the preseason over, the Thunder are set to face the Denver Nuggets in their season opener. The Thunder have been one of the few teams that have had success on the road against Denver. In the last three seasons, the Thunder are 4-2 when facing the Nuggets on the road. The Thunder will look to continue that success when they face off in their season opener. Here’s a look at important keys to watch for the Thunder in this game.
Five Keys to Watch in Thunder Season Opener
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Nikola Jokic
The headline matchup for the Thunder’s season opener is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against Nikola Jokic. Both players are considered among the best in the NBA, and they will get an opportunity to prove it on national television. It will be Jokic, the MVP, and Shai, the MVP runner-up. Shai will get a chance to prove why he should have won the MVP in this matchup against Denver. The NBA is a star-driven league, and whoever plays the best amongst Shai and Jokic will have a great chance of starting the year with a win. Finally, we will get a look at the new and improved three-point jumper that Shai had in the preseason and if it can translate to the regular season.
How Will the Thunder Guard Nikola Jokic
Another big storyline to watch in this season opener will be how the Thunder guard Jokic. With Hartenstein out, the Thunder will most likely have Chet Holmgren matchup against Jokic. Last year, when Chet faced Jokic, he struggled at times with the Physicality that Jokic brought. However, the Thunder are hopeful that Jaylin Williams will be good to go for this game.
If he is, the Thunder will likely run a two-big lineup with Jaylin and Chet throughout the game to help take the pressure off of Chet. This is something the Thunder would have done with Hartenstein, but Williams can bring that physicality when guarding Jokic as well. Finally, the best case for the Thunder is to force Jokic to be a scorer and not a playmaker. Jokic is at his best when he is a playmaker, so limiting that will help the Thunder limit his impact on the game.
Lu Dort and Alex Caruso’s Defensive Impact
The Thunder were one of the best defensive teams last year and got better with the addition of Alex Caruso. With Caruso and Lu Dort, the Thunder have one of the best defensive duos in the NBA. They will most likely be a matchup with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. throughout the game. This will be a big test to see how this duo will work moving forward. Outside of Shai and Jokic, this matchup could be won by how much of a defensive impact Caruso and Dort can make. If they can slow down Murray and Porter Jr. and cause turnovers, the Thunder have a good chance of running away with this game. However, if they struggle against them and can’t cause turnovers, the Thunder will have a hard time stopping the Nuggets.
Can Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren Take the Next Steps
Last year in the playoffs, we saw both Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren struggle. One of the biggest reasons why the Thunder lost to the Dallas Mavericks was because Shai didn’t get the help he needed. Now, with Jalen entering year three and Chet Holmgren entering year two, the Thunder are hopeful they can take big leaps this year. They will get a chance to go in the right direction against the Denver Nuggets, one of the better teams in the Western Conference. We will also see if Jalen Williams can be that co-star to Shai that the Thunder saw flashes of last year. In addition, Chet can also be that dependable third-scoring option. If both players prove themselves, the Thunder will have all the pieces to win an NBA Championship.
Will the Thunder Increase Their Three-Point Volume
Finally, the last thing to watch in the Thunder season opener is their three-point volume. One of the biggest talking points throughout training camp for the Thunder is to take more threes. Last year, the Thunder led the NBA in three-point percentage but were in the middle of the pack for attempts. This is something the Thunder hope to change going into this year. Head coach Mark Daigneault has been very vocal about guys like Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and others taking more threes. Even Shai, who only shot 35.3% last year, has shown more aggression in shooting threes. The Thunder will have an opportunity to show if they will increase their three-point attempts or not. Furthermore, the Thunder’s game against the Nuggets should be good and could be a preview for the Western Conference Finals.
