Thunder/Nuggets Primer

After eight days the Thunder return to the court. We'll tell you what concerns Billy Donovan the most when facing Nikola Jokic.

After eight days off, the Oklahoma City Thunder get back to action as they host the Denver Nuggets at the Peake. The Thunder (33-22)  are looking for their 11th win in 14 games; Vegas Insider has Oklahoma City as a 1.5 favorite. 

When these two teams met back in December, the Nuggets used a 28, 14, and 12 performance from Nikola Jokic to grab a 110-102 win. Steven Adams wasn't exactly chopped liver that night. Adams went for 18 and 14, but Jokic is on another level. 

Gameday @ChesapeakeArena #OKCvsDEN | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/2egGQuxj3a

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) February 21, 2020

Billy Donovan says the reason Jokic is so effective not just against Adams, but other centers as well is because of his ability to impact the offensive end of the floor. He can post he can shoot, and he gets other players involved. One of the Thunder's chief concerns tonight will be disputing the seven-footers' ability to see when he looks to pass.  Jokic is 13th in the NBA, averaging 6.9 assists per game. Donovan uses the word "crafty" to describe how Jokic plays in the post; he also says that Jokic plays at a good pace and never gets sped up. 

Here's hoping the All-Star break has made him a little rusty. Speaking of the layoff, this is the Thunder's first game in eight days, there are 27 games left in the season, and Oklahoma City is just two games out of the fifth seed in the Western Conference.  

Donovan says the later you get in the season, you run out of time to improve "we need to capitalize on opportunities to get better."..."I think early in the year, it was about them learning to play with one another.".."You don't wanna just ease into this part of the schedule you wanna be able to come in and try and pick up at a really good place." 

The Thunder and the Nuggets tipoff tonight at 7 on Fox Sports Oklahoma and ESPN.