Take a deep breath; the Thunder did not have a repeat performance from when they lost to the Raptors at home. Tonight's game will be a test of endurance and stamina, because the fast-breaking Suns are waiting in Phoenix.
Mayberry's post-game nuggets. He bemoans the fact that once more, the Thunder's final regulation sequence involved Durant shooting a fade-away baseline jumper that failed to draw iron. Not noted was the fact that the Thunder ran a better play at the end of OT, with Durant setting the screen for Russell Westbrook, and then Westbrook hit Mach 5 in getting the ball to the rim for the game deciding free throws.
Thunder Try to Lose, But Survive | Daily Thunder
Young writes about the final sad regulation sequence, but makes a good point about the Thunder's resilience. I've seen countless times where a team in the Thunder's position has simply crumbled under the anxiety of such a collapse, but the Thunder do not. Even in games against teams that they should be winning handily but are not, the team does not simply give in to the pressure. They are 8-1 in overtime games this season.
Kevin Durant Breaks Out of Slump | NewsOK
Mayberry writes about the mistake that Kevin Durant made at the end of regulation, giving the Warriors new life. However, after the fact Durant did something that is rare - he made up for his mistake. Durant scored eight of the team's nine points in OT, and set up Westbrook to make the game deciding play.
Warriors Come Back Against OKC in Wild Finish | Ball Don't Lie
If you want to relive the final sequences of last night's game, BDL has the footage for you. An interesting point is made - if the game did not have that play clock malfunction during the Warriors' final shot attempt, would the Warriors have gotten a better look than Monta Ellis' contested fadeaway?
More links after the jump.
Thunder Squander Late Lead, Hold on in OT | NBC Sports
There are a few interesting comments at the end involving Kevin Durant's rip move, which he pulled off twice last night. Said Durant - I'll keep doing it until they tell me I can't.
Rose, Westbrook Have Turned Once-Struggling Teams Into Contenders | Pioneer Press
This story encourages the Timberwolves faithful to not lose hope. With the Thunder's Westbrook and the Bulls' Derrick Rose, there is ample evidence that fortunes can be reversed as long as the franchise seeks out the right kinds of players.
LeBron James Ducks Player Intros in Cleveland | Ball Don't Lie
LeBron James returned to Cleveland once more this season to visit upon his scorned partner and, well, this happened. Lame.
Grant Hill Expresses Interest in Re-signing With Suns | AZ Central
This article is not Thunder-specific per se, but I think it is an interesting read on how players such as Grant Hill view the coming lockout. For players like him who are nearing the twilight of their careers, they have a much more vested interest in seeing a deal get done. I do wonder though how they wrestle with the conflict of interest - the desire to play one to two more years competes against the desire to secure a good CBA for everyone.
Why Was Brad Lohous a Player in Original NBA Jam? | Negative Dunkalectics
I confess, this is actually a question that I thought would never get answered. And well, it hasn't. But at least one man saw it fit to ask Mr. Lohaus himself. Although to be fair, his question for Lohaus is kind of like the polar opposite of fans asking Bo Jackson about his role in Tecmo Bowl.
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