Vitals: Kings at Thunder

What you need to know, who you need to watch, and other vital information for the Thunder season-opener.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:20 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Oct 28, 2009 10:15 AM CDT

Oklahoma City Thunder Coverage on Oklahoma Sports
- Thunder Tip Off Tonight in Season-Opener Against Kings (10/27)
- Rumble and Thunder Offer Acts of Kindness (10/26)
- OKC Thunder Fall Short in Final Pre-Season Game (10/23)

Season Preview | Vitals | Recap

Dave Carty
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

Sacramento Kings (0-0) at Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0)
7:00 p.m. CST
Ford Center, Oklahoma City
Game 1 of 82

Anticipated Starting Lineups

	Kings (Away)	Thunder (Home)
PG	Tyreke Evans	Russell Westbrook
SG	Omri Casspi	Thabo Sefolosha
SF	Desmond Mason	Kevin Durant
PF	Jason Thompson	Jeff Green
C	Sean May	Nenad Krstic

Injuries

Kings: Kevin Martin, ankle, questionable; Francisco Garcia, forearm, out.

Thunder: none reported.

Where to find it?

On TV: KSBI-HD

On Radio: Thunder Radio Network, 98.1 FM and 640 AM.

What you need to know?

The Sacramento Kings (17-65) had the NBA’s worst record last season. Some of those struggles were due to injury, as only forward Jason Thompson played in all 82 games. For all that ineffectiveness, Sacramento was only able to land the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft – the lowest possible pick – which was used to select Tyreke Evans from the University of Memphis. Long-time point guard Bobby Jackson opted to retire earlier this week instead of pursuing a 13th NBA season.

Oklahoma City is also going through a youth movement and is projected by many to be a better team than the Kings. Though, you wouldn’t know it from the Thunder’s final preseason game. The Thunder shot a poor 39.7 percent from the field, struggling from three-point range and at the free throw line. Former Thunder guard/forward and Oklahoma State product Desmond Mason is now with the Kings, looking to put the hurt on his former home in his eleventh season.

Who to watch?

Many expect Kevin Durant to contend for the NBA scoring title. Against the Kings - a poor defensive team, even by the no-defense Pacific Division standards – Durant could score at will tonight.

If Kevin Martin isn’t on the court – he missed time this preseason with a sprained ankle – then the rookie point guard Tyreke Evans becomes the one to watch. He’s had an excellent preseason, but, like Russell Westbrook, will be prone to turnovers in his first season.