The Thunder may have won five of their last seven matchups against the Los Angeles Clippers, but this Clippers team isn’t the one of years past.
Stating the obvious: Oklahoma City is facing their former star Paul George for the first time since George asked to be dealt to the Clippers in July. George is coming off surgery on both his shoulders in the off-season and missed the first 11 games of the regular season.
But he scored 37 in the Clippers’ win over Atlanta Saturday, and quite frankly, the Thunder know what they’re up against in Paul George.
George and Kawhi Leonard have yet to take the court together. Leonard has missed the last two games due to a knee contusion, but ESPN referenced a quote Doc Rivers gave the (Los Angeles) Times saying that Leonard will “most likely” play against the Thunder.
Oklahoma City comes into Monday’s matchup off of one of their, if not the, best games of the year, an overtime win over the 76ers in which Danilo Gallinari, Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Terrance Ferguson all scored in double-digits.
Oklahoma City’s free-throw shooting, which has been spotty during the best of times and outright atrocious at others, was fantastic. Gallinari and Paul were perfect from the line and as a team, the Thunder made over 85% of their attempts.
Defensively, OKC has been solid. Per the Thunder game notes, “currently holds opponents to the fourth-lowest three-point shooting percentage (31.2 percent), the second-fewest fast break points (10.7), the eighth-fewest second-chance points (12.0) and the ninth-fewest points per game (107.1) among all NBA teams.”
But solid may not be enough against the Clippers. Defensively lapses could be more of an issue than usual for the Thunder, especially if Leonard finds his way back onto the floor on Monday night.
Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. CT.