Game preview for Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder.
Heat (10-6) vs Thunder (11-7)
Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
When: Thursday, December 3, 7 PM ET
Watch: TNT
Both the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder have had two days to regroup after coming off of losses; while the Heat came up short 105-95 to the Boston Celtics, the Thunder fell 106-100 to the Atlanta Hawks.
This will be the second of four home games in a row for Miami, who have already played 11 (of 16) matchups at the AmericanAirlines Arena this season.
And while the Heat have been hot defensively, currently coming in at No. 2, the Thunder are ranked second in offense. In other words, Miami will have to be on their toes.
Matchup to Watch: Dwyane Wade vs Russell Westbrook
Although the Heat could not stop the Celtics on Monday, Wade still had himself a good game. Despite the six turnovers he committed (he is averaging only 2.4 on the season), the veteran finished with 30 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. Only two other guys (Tyler Johnson and Chris Bosh) finished in double figures, with 10 and 21 points, respectively.
Wade has had a solid year, period. Averaging 18 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists, he has also stayed healthy and shown leadership both on and off of the court.
Westbrook also had a good game in Oklahoma City’s recent loss; the guard totaled 34 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals. And he too finished with six turnovers. However, unlike Wade, this was nothing out of the ordinary for Westbrook, as he currently averages 5.3 turnovers a game.
With Kevin Durant intermittently struggling with injuries, Westbrook has become the heart and soul of this team: he is recording 27.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 2.4 steals a game.
It will definitely be interesting to see these two offensive powerhouses go at it on Thursday night. While on paper Westbrook may seem to be the stronger competitor, he can also be somewhat of a loose cannon, and unfortunately some of his teammates seem to be performing inconsistently, as of late.
X-Factor: Hassan Whiteside
It is a rare case when Whiteside is not Miami’s x-factor. The big man needs to be active on both ends of the court against the Thunder, but especially on defense. With his head fully in the game, Whiteside must out-body everyone to stop Westbrook and others from having big games and contribute in regards to shooting as well.
Key Stats:
Miami Heat offensive efficiency: 12th, 101.4 points per 100 possessions
Miami Heat defensive efficiency: 2nd, 95.5 points per 100 possessions
Oklahoma City Thunder offensive efficiency: 2nd, 107.3 points per 100 possessions
Okhlahoma City Thunder defensive efficiency: 14th, 100.6 points per 100 possessions