Retooled OKC to shine in Charlotte

After gaining an entire bench and a starter at the trade deadline, expect a reinvigorated Oklahoma City Thunder to take the Charlotte Hornets on a ride.

The NBA is back in full swing after an excellent All-Star break and the trade deadline, which saw the Oklahoma City Thunder turn themselves from playoff afterthoughts to potential contenders.

They moved on Reggie Jackson and Kendrick Perkins but brought in some depth on the bench and a solid centre in Enes Kanter that gives their season such a huge boost.

Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves chasing the pack, having had an atrocious start without the league’s MVP Kevin Durant and star point guard Russell Westbrook but they’ve improved with them back in the line-up.

They are finally over .500 and are just a game and a half behind the 8th seed so will be highly motivated to get on a run late in the season, especially with them feeling they now have the depth to go all the way..

The Charlotte Hornets are in a completely different mind-frame, having come into the season with much promise that’s faded away very quickly.

Strangely enough, they look like they’ll make the post-season in the Eastern Conference but nothing more than an appearance is expected, with them going backwards since acquiring Lance Stephenson in the summer and then failing to trade him.  

OKC have too much for the Hornets in this one and with Westbrook still buzzing over his All-Star game, expect him to lead his team to a big win here.