Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook. (Photo : Getty Images)
The Oklahoma City Thunder will open a new chapter in their franchise against a very talented Real Madrid team this Sunday 2:30 p.m ET at Barclaycard Center in Madrid Spain.
Preview:
It's a start of a new era for the Thunder Monday night as they play without Kevin Durant on the sideline for the first time since the franchise was relocated to the OKC in 2008. From now on, the entire City will live and die with Russell Westbrook as the new Thunder's main man.
With Durant's offensive firepower now out of equation, Westbrook would need to double his production across the board to keep the Thunder competitive in the West. Moreover, the addition of Victor Oladipo and Joffrey Lauvergne along with the Steven Adams' evolution as an elite center would guarantee OKC's status as a contender this year.
Giving the Thunder their first litmus test will be Real Madrid, which boasts a bevy of NBA and Olympic veterans. Rudy Fernandez, Gustavo Ayon, Anthony Randolph and Andres Nacioni are just some of several familiar names on the Real Madrid roster.
Players to watch:
Thunder: The spotlight will be on Westbrook as he makes his debut as the undisputed alpha-dog for the Thunder. It would be interesting how Westbrook would attack this season, where he's expected to be one of the favorites to win the regular-season MVP.
Of course, there's also a level of intrigue surrounding Oladipo. The former Orlando Magic dynamo possesses incredible upside but how can he mesh up with Westbrook remains a big question.
Madrid: Again, this team is loaded with NBA vets, but the player who would draw more attention on this team is 17-year old Luka Doncic, who is considered the best prospect of his generation. The 6-foot-6 teen is often compared to Ricky Rubio, but with a better shooting stroke. This allows him to play both point guard and shooting guard position.
Prediction:
European basketball is always brutal. Add Westbrook's ultra-competitive nature to it and Monday's showdown in Madrid will sure be a good one. It might be an exhibition game, but expect Russ to pour in 110 percent right from the get-go. Madrid will try to make the game interesting up to the fourth quarter until Westbrook takes over down the stretch. He just refuses to lose.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Real Madrid live stream is available on NBA League pass, while play-by-play, boxscore stats and highlights can be followed on NBA.com
