Wizards Know Your Opponent Q&A: Oklahoma City Thunder

Inside the Wizards lead contributor Carita Parks interviews Inside the Thunder staff writer Derek Parker as the Wizards prepare to face the Oklahoma City Thunder

The Washington Wizards are on a roll with four consecutive wins. Now they are set to meet the young and hungry Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) who is looking to spoil their momentum. A familiar face will also return for the first time since entering NBA health and safety protocols: Bradley Beal.

To get the opponents perspective of this matchup, we have enlisted Fan Nation’s Inside the Thunder staff writer and managing editor Derek Parker.

1. What is your current assessment of the team?

Oklahoma City is gritty and energized right now. They don’t possess the same talent as some teams, but they make up for it with stout defense and fresh legs as one of the youngest teams in NBA history.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing like a bonafide All-NBA player right now, and some other youngsters like Aleksej Pokusevski and Jalen Williams are really starting to pick up the pace.

OKC is young, but teams can no longer sleep walk past them like year’s past.

2. What will be the biggest challenge for the Thunder in facing the Wizards?

Per usual, Washington’s ability to roll out some centers in Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford should give the Thunder some fits.

OKC has really improved on the defensive end of the court, but their lack of a true center has continued to be their Achilles heel. Pokusevski has fared well in the meantime, by finding himself in the top-10 of blocks per game, but teams with scoring centers usually find success and if OKC isn’t aggressive on the glass, it’s usually a wrap.

3. What matchup will you have your eye on?

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object tonight in the Lu Dort versus Bradley Beal matchup.

Dort has guarded the opposition’s best player in nearly every game: from Paul George, to Luka Doncic and even 6-foot-10 Paolo Banchero. Even more than that, he’s done an excellent job so far.

There won’t be any stopping Beal, even coming off a week without play, but if Dort can limit him to an inefficient game while scoring at a decent clip himself, the Thunder will have a chance.

4. The Thunder have won two out of three games on this four-game road trip, what are the keys to victory against Washington?

I’d expect Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to continue his hot-streak, so at that point, it’s reliant upon his supporting cast. Second-year guard Josh Giddey has had a fairly up-and-down start to the year, and OKC’s record has been contingent upon it.

If Giddey can stay efficient, limit turnovers, and take advantage of less defensive attention than usual, OKC will be in a good position. If Washington can get Giddey, and other young players, uncomfortable they’ll have a good chance.

5. What is your game prediction?

The Wizards are on a bit of a hot-streak and I’m projecting that to continue.

They’ve done a marvelous job defensively in their past several games, and Oklahoma City is a team that has found itself struggling to score more often than not, regardless of the recent string of games.

Porzingis is likely to have a field day in the paint and on the glass, and as long as they can find some consistency beyond the arc, they should continue their winning ways. I lean towards the Wizards, 112-107.