NBA: 5 Must Watch Games in the First Week of the season
By John Bauman
Oklahoma City Thunder at. Los Angeles Clippers
10:30 PM ET, October 30, 2014
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA
This is probably the best basketball matchup of the entire first week of the NBA season. These two teams are both popular picks for the NBA Finals and have some of the most talented players in the league at their disposal. We already touched upon Russell Westbrook and the chances that he shoots 12 times in the first quarter as he adjusts to life without his MVP winning teammate.
But the Clippers are no slouch when it comes to talent, employing point guard Chris Paul, power forward Blake Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan. I especially want to watch Griffin to see what new moves he has added to his game this offseason, how his back to the basket game looks and to see any above the rim dunks that he might display throughout the game.
I’m also watching DeAndre Jordan to see if he can make a mini-leap to become one of the more dominant centers in the Western Conference. Right now, he is a tier below the Tim Duncan, LeMarcus Aldridge, Dwight Howard, Boogie Cousins group, but could jump up into that discussion if he shows that he has progressed some since last season.
This should be an up and down, well played basketball game that everyone on the West Coast will be talking about at the water cooler on Friday morning.