Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN the Thunder, finally healthy, will open their season vs. the Spurs in Oklahoma City, marking Billy Donovan’s first game as their coach. Watch the game online free by clicking this link. Thunder fans can listen to the radio broadcast on WWLS 98.1, while Spurs fans may do likewise by tuning in to 1200 WOAI.
The Thunder fired coach Scott Brooks after missing the postseason last year, even though the roster was racked by injuries to Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and others. Donovan, a former NCAA title winning head coach for the Florida Gators, has been brought in to add nuance to OKC’s offense. The hopes are that the Thunder superstars, Durant and Westbrook, won’t be so reliant on one-on-one play late in games, and that Donovan can create better looks for them down the stretch.
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The Spurs, meanwhile, will have their own nuances to figure out. This offseason they landed the biggest fish in free agency, power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, a star who has averaged more than 21 points per game for five straight seasons. Aldridge is viewed as a successor to the aging Tim Duncan, but for now he will join San Antonio’s championship core of Tony Parker, Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green.
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Aldridge has a reputation as a ball-stopper, so tonight may be an opportunity for Durant and co. to strike against a key Western Conference rival before they’ve reached a high level of chemistry. Gregg Popovich’s offense relies on crisp, quick passing, so Aldridge must adjust to getting the ball out of his hands more quickly.
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