What to watch for in Raptors-Thunder matchup

The Toronto Raptors are looking for their third straight win as they welcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder. Here are some keys to a win with the most crucial one being their defence continuing to show up for 48 minutes.

Video Transcript

AMIT MANN: Let's see you guys do it. As you wrap up the podcast, the Raptors, they face OKC tomorrow. Shai is back. Yay. The OKC Thunder over the past three games and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander actually. Three games ago, he had 39 points. Then OKC lost 152 to 79. Then last game, Shai had 30 points. So he's on a bit of a run since he came back. And he lost by the Toronto Raptors. You guys remember last time he faced them, it was in Toronto rather. It was way back in 2020. Remember that time before a pandemic happened? 32 points. He had like 32 points. He had a game winner I believe. That was when Chris Paul was on the team.

He was dominant from every which way. And obviously OKC is much better when he's on the court. I am curious what you're watching for in this game that is coming up tomorrow that we hope the Raptors win by 40.

IMMAN ADAN: Are the Thunder even a real team?

AMIT MANN: Good question. That's actually a better start than--

IMMAN ADAN: I think once you lose by 70 points, you should no longer be a team. That is-- I'm sorry to not answer your question at all. But can we discuss, if you looked at a score and you saw a team finish in the 70s, you'd be like, oh it was probably a slugfest. You know what I mean? Probably a really slow paced game. [INAUDIBLE] another team scores 150? What? I don't even think we should spend our valuable time talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder.

What I'm looking for is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander [INAUDIBLE] because I love it. And I think that he should be left in Canada. I don't think he should go back.

AMIT MANN: Yeah, man. Just stick here, man. Just stay. Just stay.

IMMAN ADAN: There was so many conversations in the summer about Shai might be a little bit too old for the rebuild. And I was like, how is a 23-year-old too old for a rebuild?

AMIT MANN: [INAUDIBLE] wild for that. He's wild. 23's too old. He didn't say that. But that was like--

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

IMMAN ADAN: And I thought that that was the most ludicrous thought ever. But then a team loses by 70, and I'm like, oh yeah. If you were older than 12, you might be too old for the rebuild. What [INAUDIBLE] you even doing? Why?

AMIT MANN: I don't if I said this, but Shai didn't play in that game. So we should keep that in mind that probably--

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

IMMAN ADAN: Yeah, Shai did not play in that game. I thought I mentioned that. Yeah, no. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not play in that game. But--

AMIT MANN: Exactly. I'm curious about Lu Dort on Fred. I think that's been a thing. Teams are doing that. They're putting some of their best, more athletic wings on Fred. And that could be something that we see. But as we talked about, if you don't have a big player, and they don't really have a big player, Pascal Siakam tends to burn you. So Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, what a name, is 6'8", there is Beasley, 6'8". Mike Muscala is I think their tallest player at 6'10".

IMMAN ADAN: [INAUDIBLE]

AMIT MANN: Yeah, they don't really have someone to guard him. And that's going to be a problem for them. But this could be the Paul Watson revenge game. Who knows?

IMMAN ADAN: Who knows? I'm so sorry that Paul Watson was subjected to losing by 70 points. It's unfortunate.

AMIT MANN: Poor guy. He's not playing too much right now. But I mean, you probably--

IMMAN ADAN: You have to be the Thunder. That is just be the Thunder. The Sixers in the process years couldn't even muster up a loss that badly. So--

AMIT MANN: Actually is there an over under already set up? Or is there a spread? Let me just check. Let me just check. Let me just check. No there isn't. I'm--

IMMAN ADAN: I'm so scared to do anything with that because who knows with this Raptors team? Watch it be like a 5 point game in the fourth. You're like, why?

AMIT MANN: Yeah, I know. I know. This is a scheduled win so to speak. That's what we should see tomorrow. I hope that they come out and they come out with the intent and focus that we have been accustomed to over the past three games. I know it's a small sample size, but if they're going to play defense, they're going to win this game. They should win it handily.