

Broadcast Information

Tip-off: 9:30 p.m. CT

9:30 p.m. CT Television: TNT

TNT Radio: WWLS the Sports Animal and the Thunder Radio Network

PORTLAND – The Thunder has a chance to extend its current four-game win streak, but it will have to do it on the road – a much taller task than getting to play in front of the friendly fans at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Coming down the home stretch of the regular season playing the right way will be important, and the Thunder will be tested tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers.

With just 22 games remaining the Thunder has some work to do on itself to make sure it has the right amount of cohesiveness and chemistry. That will be a tough task given the fact that Victor Oladipo is again out tonight with back spasms and newcomer Norris Cole will be available tonight at point guard for the Thunder if Head Coach Billy Donovan opts to use him in a backup capacity.

"The NBA is where I belong and I'm glad I'm back." Norris Cole on his first Thunder game day. #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/mt4jDFyfXa — OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 2, 2017

“It’s good to get (Cole) acquainted to how we do things around here,” point guard Russell Westbrook said. “He’s been working out and is in good shape. Our job is to make sure we make the transition easy for him.”

“You take yourself out of the equation and make sure guys are comfortable in their position and comfortable in what they bring to our team,” Westbrook continued.

In order to get the win the Thunder will have to keep the Blazers backcourt in check, as Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have the ability to go berserk from behind the three-point line. The pick-up points on both players are high because of their deep three-point range, but that opens up the defense to get driven. In order to prevent easy catch-and-shoot threes, the Thunder pick and roll defense has to be on a string to limit straight-line drives to the paint.

“Playing against Lillard and McCollum, they’re really good backcourt players,” Donovan explained. “Those guys, when they have space, room and freedom, they’re so hard to guard because they’re great shooting behind pick and roll, they’re great attacking bigs in pick and roll, they’re great coming off screens and you don’t want to give those guys a lot of separation.”

#teammates A post shared by Oklahoma City Thunder (@okcthunder) on Mar 2, 2017 at 12:03pm PST

It’s unlikely the Thunder will rip its first 12 three-pointers through the net like it did on Tuesday at home against the Utah Jazz. But it wants to keep its offense humming off of that remarkable shooting performance tonight against one of its other Northwest Division rivals tonight.

Pushing the pace in transition is the Thunder’s offensive engine, but even in the half court Donovan’s club wants to place with pace and quickness. If players can cut sharply, set tough screens and make crisp passes, the Thunder can make sure the Blazers defense can’t load up on Westbrook or stay locked in tight on the Thunder’s perimeter shooters.

“Move the basketball, play with some good pace and find the shooters,” Westbrook said. “We have a lot of guys who can shoot the basketball at a high level.”