With starters resting, Branden Carlson, Jared McCain, and Nikola Topić must shine. See how these key players can secure victory for the shorthanded Thunder.
Oklahoma City concludes the regular season by hosting Phoenix. If the reigning champs win, then they join the Bulls (1996-97) and Warriors (2015-17) as the only teams in NBA history to win at least 65 games in consecutive regular seasons.
It won’t be easy to accomplish this feat because the champs are resting the majority of its players. Jared McCain, Nikola Topić, Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams and the three players on two-way contracts are the only active players tonight. Phoenix is also resting its main rotation, which helps.
Check out key matchups for this battle between shorthanded squads.
Branden Carlson’s Impact
Carlson impressed in the loss to Denver to the tune of 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and one block. His all-around impact is once again crucial.
Controlling the glass and deterring rim attempts are key tasks for the big man because he is the Thunder’s only active center. Although Carlson may not look like a rim protector, he is the University of Utah’s all-time leader in blocks. A strong defensive night from Carlson inside the paint would go a long way.
He also went 3-for-10 from deep during the Nuggets game. Oklahoma City needs him to knock down a bunch of triples since it opens up the court for his teammates. This is crucial because the team requires more space than usual to create separation off the dribble with players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams sidelined.
Overall, Carlson is the key to a Thunder win.
Jared McCain and Aaron Wiggins’ Scoring
McCain and Wiggins are both capable of creating their own shots and sinking catch-and-shoot triples at a high level. Therefore, Oklahoma City’s offense will mainly rely on this duo to improvise when Phoenix’s defense blows up the primary action.
If McCain and Wiggins score efficiently and rack up paint touches, then the Thunder may be able to field a quality offense. But poor nights from them would essentially doom the champs to barely scraping 100 points if at all.
Nikola Topić’s Playmaking
Topić recorded 11 assists and 20 potential assists in the loss to Denver. The rookie is the Thunder’s best active playmaker by a wide margin, so his ability to find gaps and create shots for teammates will largely determine the effectiveness of the team’s offense.
It also wouldn’t hurt if Topić hit a couple of triples and drew free throws on drives to the rim.