Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets preview and teams – 2013 NBA Week 8

Wednesday’s fourth NBA Week 8 match is between Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets. The opening tip-off is set to commence at 13:10pm with the game to be played at Pepsi Center. The away team Oklahoma City Thunder are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.

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When: 13:10 | Wednesday 18/12/2013

Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

Oklahoma City Thunder $1.68 vs Denver Nuggets $2.24 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Oklahoma City Thunder $1.66 vs Denver Nuggets $2.25 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison:

Oklahoma City Thunder 1.68 1.64 1.66 1.64 1.68 1.67
Denver Nuggets 2.24 2.27 2.25 2.27 2.24 2.21

Teams:

Oklahoma City Thunder:Oklahoma City Thunder logo

Num Player
12 Steven Adams
4 Nick Collison
35 Kevin Durant
6 Derek Fisher
8 Ryan Gomes
9 Serge Ibaka
15 Reggie Jackson
3 Perry Jones
11 Jeremy Lamb
5 Kendrick Perkins
21 Andre Roberson
25 Thabo Sefolosha
34 Hasheem Thabeet
0 Russell Westbrook

Denver Nuggets:

Denver Nuggets logo
Num Player
00 Darrell Arthur
21 Wilson Chandler
35 Kenneth Faried
94 Evan Fournier
4 Randy Foye
8 Danilo Gallinari
1 Jordan Hamilton
7 JJ Hickson
3 Ty Lawson
34 JaVale McGee
30 Quincy Miller
24 Andre Miller
25 Timofey Mozgov
15 Anthony Randolph
10 Nate Robinson

Preview:

The NBA’s hottest team isn’t just winning. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been completely running by the competition.

The Thunder will look to extend the longest active win streak in the NBA to seven games when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.

Oklahoma City (19-4), which has won 14 of its previous 15, has been excelling primarily with speed and athleticism on both ends of the floor. The Thunder are averaging 17.8 fast break points, one of the best totals in the league, with stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook leading the way.

Durant leads the NBA in scoring at 28.5 points per game, and he’s done his best work while attacking the basket, with 95 of his 206 field goals coming at or around the rim.

Westbrook is averaging 21.0 points and has been creating opportunities to open the floor with a team-leading 40 steals.

“It just gets us easy baskets,” Durant told the team’s official website about their up-tempo style. “Once you start to hit layups and get dunks, it opens the flood gates a little bit.”

Against the Magic on Sunday, the Thunder ran out to 27 fast-break points and scored 50 in the paint. They were a bit sluggish in the fourth quarter, however, allowing Orlando to rally from a 16-point deficit before holding on to win 101-98.

“We were able to get started there, but you have to be able to play 48 minutes,” said Durant, who had 28 points and nine rebounds. “(On Sunday) we had some tough stretches but we just kept fighting.”

If the Nuggets are going to slow the Thunder, they’ll need a better defensive performance than the last time these teams met. Durant scored 38 points and Westbrook added 30 in Oklahoma City’s 115-113 home victory on Nov. 18.

Five Denver players scored in double figures in that one, led by Ty Lawson’s 29, but the Nuggets allowed the Thunder to shoot 13 for 27 from 3-point range.

The Nuggets (14-9) have been playing well at home of late, winning seven of their last eight in Denver. Still, coach Brian Shaw knows his team’s level of play needs to rise against the Thunder.

“I told them that if we want any chance winning against Oklahoma City, we’re going to have to do a lot better in every area to even have a chance to win that game,” Shaw said.

The team has received a spark from Nate Robinson, who is averaging 14.7 points since Nov. 25 despite not starting a single game. While he’s always been fearless on the offensive end despite his 5-foot-9 stature, Robinson has also improved on defense.

In the team’s last game, a 102-93 victory against New Orleans on Sunday, Robinson had two blocked shots. It marked only the fourth time in the guard’s nine-year career that he has recorded more than one block in a game.

“I told the guards to watch out, I’m blocking shots,” Robinson joked. “I just really try to take pride in my defense.”

Source: www.nba.com

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