The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening game of a baseball-style series. These cross-conference foes will get their two-game season series knocked out early as the final meeting between the two sides comes on Wednesday in the Paycom Center.

This gives the new-look Thunder an interesting chance to evaluate where they are at as a team and use these two games to make adjustments and see what works –– and what doesn't –– to best prepare them moving forward. Oklahoma City will continue to have a tough time adjusting to its new reality. Less than two weeks ago, the Thunder were in the midst of a title-or-bust season with high expectations and even better results until the third game of the season, when the team lost Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace. The next night against the Suns, the team lost Alex Caruso. Youngsters Alex Caruso and Thomas Sorber still haven't debuted for the Thunder this year, or, in the case of Sorber, at all.

With six players in street clothes, two of which –– Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace –– are bracing to be lost for the year. While Holmgren is out 8 to 10 weeks and Caruso is still nursing a gnarly ankle sprain, it will be tough sledding for the foreseeable future for Oklahoma City as evident by the team's two-game losing streak in blowout fashion.

Tonight against the Cavs, Cleveland is without Jaylon Tyson and has listed Peyton Watson as questionable. If Watson gets downgraded to out, this Eastern Conference contender takes a massive hit to its point-of-attack defense with both Tyson and Watson potentially out. If Watson plays, he will draw the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assignment with the back-end help of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to make life tough on the back-to-back NBA MVP given the lack of help around him.

If Oklahoma City can find a way to earn a split in this baseball-style series, the Thunder should be elated.

3 Critical Storylines to Watch in OKC Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

1) OKC Thunder Potential Starting Lineup Change

The Thunder have shuffled its first five after the injuries to roll out Gilgeous-Alexander next to Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Kenrich Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein. In this matchup against Cleveland starting double-bigs against Mobley and Allen could be a good adjustment for Mark Daigneault. On top of that, replacing McCain with two-way forward Micah Peavy would be outside the box thinking, but that is where Oklahoma City is at. Peavy represents the squad's best point-of-attack defender right now and can help Mitchell contain James Harden and Donovan Mitchell to the best of their ability.

Ideally, putting Gilgeous-Alexander out there next to McCain and Mitchell bolsters the team's offense, but that hasn't happened yet. In fact, it has looked more clunky than good and even limits the ability to maximize all three guys as scoring weapons. Oklahoma City could consider deploying them differently to get more consistent and connected offensive output.

2) Faster Start Needed

Along those same lines, the Oklahoma City Thunder no longer have the margin for error they once did. Against Dallas and Houston, the team got buried early. That can not happen; the hole becomes too deep to dig their way out of with who is available.

3) Can OKC win the 3 point battle?

The 3 point line is the great equalizer for team's that are undermanned and out gunned. In the past two games the Thunder have been blown out of the water from deep. The question becomes can the Thunder do anything to win the 3 point battle? They just simply do not have the shooters on this roster to make it happen. Now, this team is desparate to lean on luck from beyond the arc. McCain, Mitchell, Stirtz even Jaylin Williams need to find ways to make it rain from 3 point land.