Oklahoma City returns home Wednesday to kick off a two-game homestand with a game against the Indiana Pacers.
The Thunder were blown out by the Pacers in Indianapolis back on November 12.
Terrance Ferguson did not play in that game for OKC and Myles Turner was out for Indianapolis. Both will be in the lineup tonight and Billy Donovan told the media prior to tip-off that he expects a very physical game from the Pacers.
“They’re physical, they’ve got a lot of length, size, and athleticism,” said Donovan. “They can play Domas (Sabonis) and Turner together or kind of split those guys. So they’ve got a lot of flexibility in their frontcourt where maybe they didn’t have as much depth. Obviously, with Turner coming back, they’ve got a lot more depth.”
A Rematch Against the Pacers.@OUMedicine Game Day Report
✍️ // https://t.co/MJwrJzgZGw pic.twitter.com/AlDlltiDEi— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 4, 2019
As noted by Thunder reporters Nick Gallo and Paris Lawson, where Oklahoma City has really excelled lately is forcing opposing players into mid-range shots. Unfortunately for OKC, that’s where “T.J. Warren and the Pacers thrive”.
“We’ve got to do our transition defense,” said Steven Adams. “Make sure we take care of their sets.”
Adams also added that one of the keys for the Thunder on Wednesday will be playing “with a lot of pace”.
Tip-off between the Pacers and OKC is at 7 p.m. CT on Fox Sports Oklahoma.