Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder At San Antonio Spurs

When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas

Through 80 games this year, Oklahoma City ranks second in the NBA in scoring (110.4 ppg) while ranking third in field goal shooting percentage (.478 FGs). Additionally, OKC leads the NBA in rebounding (48.4 rpg) while ranking sixth in blocked shots (5.89 bpg).

As one might expect, Oklahoma City has traditionally found its greatest success when outrebounding the opposition. Through 80 games this season, the Thunder leads the NBA in rebounding (48.4 rebounds per game). OKC is 45-15 this season when outrebounding the opposition.

Moreover, the Thunder’s 8.3 rebounding differential is the fourth largest margin since 1950, when rebounding first became a statistic. There have been 43 instances this season in which OKC outrebounded the opposition by 10 or more. No other team in the NBA (Detroit) has accomplished this feat more than 21 times. This comes on the heels of the 2014-15 season in which the Thunder led the NBA in rebounding (47.9 rpg).

Oklahoma City finished the year by going 18-4 when outrebounding the opponent by 10 or more. Enes Kanter proved to be a welcome addition to the Thunder as he led the team by averaging 11.0 rebounds per contest in his 26 games with OKC last season. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook led all NBA guards with 7.3 rebounds per game.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are once again the highest scoring duo in the NBA this season (combined to average 51.7 ppg). On Dec. 27 vs. Denver, Durant (26 points, 10 assists) and Westbrook (30 points, 12 assists) became the first pair of teammates to each score at least 25 points and distribute at least 10 assists in a regulation game since John Stockton (31 points, 11 assists) and Karl Malone (27 points, 10 assists) on February 2, 1996.

On Oct. 30 in Orlando, Kevin Durant (43 points) and Russell Westbrook (48 points) combined to score 91 points during the Thunder’s double-overtime win. This was the third game in which Durant and Westbrook both scored 40+ points in the same outing and they are the only pair to accomplish such a feat since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in 1996.

The 91 combined points for Durant and Westbrook also equaled a career-high for the pair. In the last 15 years, there have only been four instances in which two teammates combined to score 90+ points. Westbrook and Durant have now accomplished the feat twice. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant (81 points) and Smush Parker (13 points) combined to score 90+ on1/22/06 and more recently, Bryant (61 points) and Paul Gossal (31 points) scored 92 points on 2/2/09.

Thunder are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Thunder are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Thunder are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Selection: Oklahoma City