Box Score

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Two nights, two polar opposite games, two incredible finishes, two Thunder wins.

Let us check our glass:

Half Empty: For the second time in less than a week, the Thunder allowed a small guard to score over 40 points and lead his team to the brink of victory. On Saturday, it was Tony Parker. This night it was Monta Ellis, who did the best impersonation of Allen Iverson I've ever seen in scoring 48 points on a variety of jumpers and layups. Overall, the Warriors shot 55% from the field for the game and 42.9% from 3-point range. Power forward David Lee(!) had a triple double. In two separate quarters, the Warriors scored 35 and 36 points, respectively. Thunder defense was...lacking.

Half Full: All of the above, and yet the Thunder figured out a way to win in the end. This is their new reality - they are the top dogs in the NBA, and every other team is going to give them their best shot to stick an 'L' on the Thunder's record. Tonight, the Warriors shot the ball as well as we've seen any team shoot all season long. Ellis had 48, David Lee had 25, they tallied 28 assists, and even then, despite playing A+ offensive basketball, the Thunder caught them late and finished strong to take the win.

My scotch glass: Make it a double, because we were just treated to two amazing performances by the Thunder on consecutive nights.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder won?

As great as the Warriors were on offense, the Thunder were just as good. They shot the ball 52.4% for the game, hit 11-26 from 3-point range, made 20 of 21 free throws, had 24 assists (7 each for Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden), and for a second night in a row made almost every single clutch play they had to in order to come from behind and win.

While the usual trio of Durant (33 points), Harden (19 points), and Westbrook (31 points) were good all around in their offense, one of the biggest keys to tonight's win was the play of Daequan Cook. Cook shot 5-6 from 3-point range and scored 17 overall. Cook was masterful in finding soft spots in the Warrior's defense so that Durant could whip passes to him out of the post. In the final five minutes of play, Cook hit a two and a 3-pointer that brought the Thunder to within a single point, and shortly thereafter the Thunder regained the lead.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

As much as tonight was an offensive explosion by the Warriors, in the end, it was still defense that sealed the Thunder win. After giving up 36 points to the Warriors in the 3rd, OKC buckled down in the 4th and challenged shots better than they had all game. Golden State took a seven point lead with 7:20 remaining, but only scored nine points the rest of the way, and only four in the final 3:40. Because of this, the Thunder were able to close out the game on an 11-4 run to get the win.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

Hopefully the team has some ice baths and masseuses ready for these players after having logged heavy minutes during two extremely physically challenging games.

To the Thunder's benefit, this game was not one where a poor team hung around with a disinterested Thunder team (see: Wizards loss) and then nearly upset them in the end. Rather, this was a Warriors team that played really, really good basketball and nearly pulled of an upset. The more the Thunder survive games like this, where they take the opposition's best shot and still prevail, the stronger their psyche will grow. By the end of the season, they will have an entire new catalog of experience on which to rely when the games start to have exponentially greater meaning.

For us the fans, it means that we got to enjoy another amazing display of basketball.

***

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, 33 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and the go-ahead jumper with 14 seconds to go.

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 31 points, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Thunder Blunder: Thunder defense generally, and Westbrook's 9 turnovers specifically

Thunder Plunderer: Monta Ellis, 48 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Next Game: At the Sacramento Kings, Thursday February 9, 9:30 PM Central Standard Time

Box Score

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Playoff game. That is what tonight felt like. The game was a see-saw affair throughout, and when things finally got tight in the 4th quarter, the level of physical play ratcheted up a few notches. Teams gave hard fouls, big shots were made (and missed), and we even got our first dose of end-of-regulation controversy. To top it off, the game went into overtime where the Thunder prevailed on the road in a very difficult place to play.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder won?

I think that you can divide the Thunder's effort tonight into two separate categories - the basketball part, and the competitive part.

From a basketball standpoint, the Thunder had a very good game plan focus heading into this game. Portland is an outstanding rebounding team, so it was pretty obvious that the Thunder knew that they had to win the rebounding battle if they wanted to compete tonight. There is not much strategy or anything with this kind of focus; it merely comes down to a team committing to the fundamentals of rebounding and then going to get the ball. Most importantly, it kept the Blazers off of the offensive glass (well, at least whenever Marcus Camby was not in the game) and helped the Thunder get out on the fast break (20 fast break points in all).

From a purely competitive perspective, the Thunder won this game because they did not lose their heads when things started to fall apart in the 4th quarter. The Thunder played exceptional defensive ball in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. They appeared to finally figure out Portland's passing lanes out of the post and began to crowd All-Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge (39 points, 3 assists) so that he could neither pivot or kick the ball to open shooters. The situation looked good for the Thunder, but then things began to break down in the 4th. OKC's offense ran cold, and the team went from being up six to down six with only 2:17 to play. The team looked lost and the Blazers were getting stronger. However, the Thunder refused to fold. Kevin Durant, who struggled most of the night shooting the ball (only 15-33 from the field and 2-8 from 3-point range), nailed a huge corner 3-pointer to cut the lead in half. Russell Westbrook then worked his way to the line twice, going 3-4, to tie the game at 101.

After a Jamal Crawford jumper that put the Blazers up by a basket, the stage was set for drama.

At this point in the analysis, there is no way getting around the reality of what happened next. Yes, up to that point the Thunder did well to rebound the ball, stay in the game, and challenge the Blazers on their home court, but if not for the next play, it would not have mattered.

With Durant driving to the rim, Aldridge pretty clearly had a clean block on Durant's layup attempt. Never the less, the referee who was 30 feet away from the rim called a goal tend, which enabled the Thunder to tie the game.

There is not much more that can be said; if the refs got the call right, the Blazers probably would have won. They missed it, and OKC had new life in overtime, an opportunity they would not waste.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

Rebounding. Collectively, these rebounding numbers represent the focus and determination of a team that knew it would have to rebound well to win the game. Here you go:

• Kevin Durant - 7
• Serge Ibaka - 13, 7 offensive
• Kendrick Perkins - 10, 3 offensive
• Russell Westbrook - 11, 5 offensive
• Nazr Mohammed - 7, 1 offensive (in only 11 minutes!)
• Nick Collison - 4, 1 offensive
• James Harden - 4, 1 offensive

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

Tonight was a huge gut-check game for the Thunder after playing poorly last week. While there was certainly still a fair amount of less-than-precise play (19 turnovers, way too many jump shots), OKC committed soundly to playing more attentive defense and rebounding the ball. Unlike against the Clippers or Spurs, the Thunder did a much better job tonight in finding the outside shooters. As a result, the Blazers were held to 42.3% shooting and only 5-20 from the 3-point line.

The Thunder got a gift, but they did not waste that gift in OT. They continued to play strong defense, denied the shooters, protected the rim, and left Portland with a very satisfying performance that came coupled with a win.

***

Thunder Wonder: Russell Westbrook - 28 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals

Thunder Down Under: Serge Ibaka - 12 points, 13 rebounds (6 offensive), 4 blocks, 2 steals

Thunder Blunder: Kevin Durant, but only for his unnecessarily hoisting up 8 3-pointers

Thunder Plunderer: LaMarcus Aldridge - 39 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal

Next Game: At the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday February 7, 9:30 PM Central Standard Time

Box Score

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Tonight was the first game I can recall where it really seemed like the rigors of the compressed game schedule manifested in the Thunder's performance. Previously in back-to-backs, OKC still had enough in the tank to put on a good showing. However in this loss tonight against the Spurs, not only were the Thunder slow in their close-outs on Spurs shooters but they allowed Tony Parker to get into the lane at will. The Spurs explosion was a result of one part the same lackadaisical 1st half defense that we've seen from OKC all this week, and one part lack of energy to do much else about it.

Also, halfway through the 4th quarter, my reaction was, "is this Tony Parker's career high?" Good news guys, it was not. He actually went off for 55 points a couple seasons ago, in a manner entirely consistent with his effort tonight.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost?

This game was almost a mirror image of the first match-up between the Thunder and Spurs. San Antonio played well in the first half, winning the first quarter by four and the second by six. OKC kept it close however, even though they did not look great. Their performance at that point was reminiscent to their win over the Grizzlies on Friday night.

Once things got going in the 3rd, just like the Thunder did in game one, the Spurs really took off. Or, should I say, Tony Parker took off. The Spurs site Pounding the Rock has a picture that says it as well as anyone. Parker was at his absolute best, probing and penetrating the Thunder defense at will to score off of short jumpers and layups.

When all was said and done, the decisive 3rd was almost enough for the Spurs to effectively put the Thunder away for the night.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

The statistic that really hurt the Thunder is the same statistic which you would never think could hurt the Thunder - free throw shooting. Thus far this season OKC has had its problems at the charity stripe, from Kevin Durant on down the roster list. Consider KD alone has seen his FT percentage drop from 88% last year to 81% this year. OKC has been able to slide by this season without free throws costing them too much, but tonight it was a big reason why they could not keep pace with the Spurs. At the end of the game, OKC shot 17-28, leaving 11 available points on the table that could have made a huge difference in the outcome.

Continue reading this post »

Box Score

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Thank goodness I didn't give up at the end of the third quarter. Through the first 36 minutes of tonight's game, every indication was that the Grizzlies were playing the superior basketball. They were rebounding better, playing defense better, and running a more fluid offense. Seven different Memphis players had at least one assist. Meanwhile, the Thunder offense looked incredibly stagnant, often pushing the ball into the middle of the lane only to either have the ball swiped or the shot blocked. Most troubling though was that it wasn't even a sense that OKC was having an off-night; it was more the fact that Memphis was outplaying them in every regard.

Memphis has built its basketball style around team-oriented basketball. For better or worse, the Thunder have built their identity around the superior play of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. For three quarters, Memphis' style worked. In the 4th quarter, the Thunder's players transcended everything that the Grizz had accomplished.

What was tonight's turning point?

The Thunder trailed for most of the game. Every time they put a run together, Memphis was ready to return volley and push the lead back up to six to eight points. However, the tide finally turned when James harden entered the game with just over five minutes to go in the 3rd quarter. Over the next nine minutes, Harden scored 14 points which included two huge 3-point shots. Harden's second 3-pointer tied the game at 81. When that final shot found the bottom of the net, the Grizzlies watched their lead vanish forever.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder won?

The Thunder persevered through three mediocre quarters and kept the game within striking distance, despite looking like the inferior team for most of that time. They knew that they had the three impact players who could carry the Thunder over the precipice, but they had to stay in the game long enough for an opportunity to arise. When the moment finally came, Durant, Westbrook, and Harden all hit crucial shots that propelled the Thunder to the win.

Also, special props to Daequan Cook, who once again stepped in nicely for Thabo Sefolosha. While Cook did not shoot the ball especially well tonight, he did hit a big jump shot in the 4th quarter that gave OKC a three point lead. More importantly though, Cook again played good defense from the shooting guard position. He finished the game with three blocks and also grabbed seven rebounds. Cook is demonstrating that he has additional skill sets that will help out the Thunder well as they await Sefolosha's return.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

The Thunder played their best overall basketball in the 4th quarter. Kevin Durant, having scored 20 points through 3 quarters, erupted for another 16 in the 4th, including the game's final seven. Overall, the Thunder scored 32 points in the 4th while holding the Grizzlies to only 17. The team is slowly but surely learning how to play effectively in the ends of games and hold onto leads. In this game, OKC scored 15 points in the final five minutes, an accomplishment that was often painfully lacking a season ago.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

The Thunder have now officially 'won' the season series against the Grizzlies, having taken the first three games. It gives OKC a greater psychological advantage over the resilient Grizzlies, and it is another step down the road in learning how to play a complete basketball game.

***

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, 36 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals

Thunder Down Under: Daequan Cook, 5 points, 7 rebounds (2 offensive), 3 blocks

Thunder Blunder: Kendrick Perkins, 5 points, 1 rebound

Thunder Plunderer: Marc Gasol, 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal

Next Game: At the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday February 4, 7:30 PM Central Standard Time

Box Score

Three random thoughts floated through my mind as I watched the Clippers make mince meat of the Thunder last night.

1. "I've seen this happen before."

That was the thought that I spoke to myself about mid-way through the first quarter. The Clippers were carving up the Thunder both on the inside and putting on a shooting clinic on the outside. It is a given that in the NBA, with the collection of talent that is available even on the weakest teams, players will collectively go through stretches where everything locks in. The passing lanes become clear, the hoop looks as big as the ocean, and everybody knows it at precisely the same time. Sometimes it happens for your own team (3rd quarter against the Spurs) and sometimes it happens against your team, like it did tonight. I've watched it happen when games are relatively meaningless, and I've seen it happen when the games are at the highest stakes. And I know for a fact that I'll see it again.

Regardless of when it happens though, quarters like the one the Clippers had against the Thunder should be the reason why we love basketball. The fact that the Thunder couldn't match that effort for 12 minutes was unfortunate but not heartbreaking because no team could have. For those 12 minutes, the Clippers played what you could call perfect basketball. It is like the runner's high, the sweet spot at the end of a bat, and the first sip of a cold beverage on a hot day. It is worth remembering.

Of course, there was still a winnable game to be had...

Continue reading this post »

Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

As the string of easy games in January come to a close, it's nice to end that streak with a team like the Warriors. There were many entertaining baskets from start to finish, and we got to see a glimpse of what Nate Robinson can do when he's not glued to the bench.

The game was semi-equal early in the first, but from then on the Thunder held a pretty consistent lead. Golden State found success by looking for turnovers, but didn't have the size to challenge the Thunder at the rim. The Thunder scored pretty easily down low, and Serge Ibaka continued his offensive confidence from a few games back.

From the beginning, it was obvious that both teams were going to throw away possessions. The Thunder's two main ballhandlers were much bigger than their defenders, leaving them much more susceptible to steals. Not to mention the fact that the Warriors were constantly getting in the Thunder's passing lanes. On the other side, the Warriors throw the ball all over the court regardless of who they're playing, so they're bound to lose a few balls.

When the Warriors started falling behind, their only answer in the half-court offense seemed to be David Lee. You'd think he was finding success by luring Ibaka out to the mid-range and fading away, but he actually wasn't. He had better luck faking out Ibaka in the post and showing off a couple of fancy moves. Though he hasn't changed the face of the team, Lee is easily the best post player the Warriors have had in the past 10 years.

Below: Nate Robinson's Performance, Durant Domination, Perk's Technicals, More Analysis, Awards!

Continue reading this post »

Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

It was yet another Warriors fourth quarter collapse. They managed to keep up with the Thunder all game, but they hit a shooting slump, committed a few turnovers, and the Thunder took full advantage. Oh yeah, and Kevin Durant is an AWESOME basketball player. If you didn't already know.

What was tonight's turning point?

With 5:43 to go in the fourth, the Warriors were down by 6. Bang, a Durant 3 off of the inbounds play. Bang, a missed Curry layup attempt. Bang, a Durant Ally-Oop. All of a sudden, the Thunder are up by 11.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

I'd chalk it up to the Warriors lack of a center. Andris Biedrins was in the doghouse because he can't play offense, which left the Warriors really thin down low. Rookie Jeremy Tyler actually saw significant minutes, but it didn't prevent the Thunder from getting to the line and into the post easily.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

19 Offensive Rebounds. The Thunder's offense really stalled out at some points, and was resorting to isolation plays on every trip down the floor. But the offensive rebounds the Thunder were able to get kept them alive.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

It doesn't really reveal anything new, as the Thunder have had offensive flow and turnover problems. But it shows their ability to dominate a game when they need to and not fall victim to a trap game. It also lets us keep the best record in the NBA!

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, 37 Points, 13 Rebounds, 3 Assists

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 28 Points, 6 Rebounds, 11 Assists, 7 Steals

Thunder Blunder: Kendrick Perkins, for another stupid technical foul.

Thunder Plunderer: Dorell Wright, 23 Points, 9 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 Steals

Next Game: At the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday, January 30th, 9:30 PM Central Standard Time