Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
When people start talking about winning streaks, it makes me nervous. It just always seems that they come to an end right when everyone notices them.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com took a closer look at the Thunder’s last 11 games and what’s went so right.
First, the offense has been ridiculous. OKC’s scoring 115.9 points per 100 possessions during the last 11. (OKC’s first in offensive efficiency at 111.3/100.) Interesting thing about the offense though: The Thunder are actually playing a little bit slower right now than usual. In the first 13 games, OKC played at a 95.5 pace. Over the last 11, 93.5.
I asked Scott Brooks about why the team is playing slower following the game against the Kings. His answer:
“I really don’t understand it all together, the pace. But I know we play a style of play, whether it’s a couple paces slower than last year, I’m not sure. But I like what we’re doing. We’re more efficient. We’re shooting a higher percentage collectively as a team. And that’s where we go. We just want a good shot every time down court … I still think we can play faster, I like to play faster. I do like our pace. Transition is off of misses and blocks and steals and long rebounds. I still think we can push. Those wings need to push and get themselves into the corner and to establish better pace. But we talk about it and hopefully as the season goes along we get a little better.”
My takeaway from that: I don’t think Brooks understands what pace is (it’s the average number of possessions for a team over 48 minutes). But the fact remains, he prefers the Thunder to play fast. Not quick shots, but good shots. OKC’s idea of “playing with pace” is in transition — running off steals, long rebounds and turnovers.
Regardless of it, the Thunder are playing fantastically efficient offense — as Brooks noted — while playing a bit slower. Maybe coincidental, maybe not. As Schuhmann notes, the biggest difference in OKC’s offense has been the quell of turnovers.
The Thunder’s offensive improvement has been about taking care of the ball and crashing the glass. During the streak, they’ve turned the ball over 2.6 fewer times per 100 possessions than they did in their first 13 games. And their offensive rebounding percentage is up from 23 percent to 31 percent. Combine the two and they’re getting about six more shots per 100 possessions.
That could have something to do with playing a bit slower. Possibly not. Fact is, really the best way to stop the Thunder from scoring — other than just praying they miss — is to prevent them from getting a shot up. With offensive studs like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Kevin Martin, there’s just too much firepower to hold down. But you can’t score if you don’t shoot, so turning OKC over before they have that chance is the best way to lock them down. That goes for anyone, obviously, but more so for the Thunder.
(Side note: I’ve said it before, but maybe more than his assist numbers, Westbrook deserves a heap of credit for running the best offense in basketball. He’s managing three very good scorers in Durant, Ibaka and Martin, while still feeding his own need to score. He’s playing wonderful basketball this season, outside of his own stellar numbers.)
A few other notes about this winning streak:
The Thunder haven’t beat marquee teams during it, having played just three teams on the plus side of .500 — Pacers, Nets and Spurs. The combined record for the 11 teams they beat is just 119-154. And eight of the 11 have come at home.
Eight of the 11 have also been by double-digits though. And the Thunder are winning the games by an average of 14.4 points, which is very impressive. So while the schedule hasn’t been that challenging, the Thunder are consistently dominating, which isn’t easy to do in the NBA.
Obviously it gets tougher in the near future. Tonight’s game against the Hawks, then a 24-hour turnaround to take on the Wolves in Minnesota. And then a Christmas trip to Miami for a rematch against the Heat. Escaping this stretch with the streak intact won’t be easy. If it ends, it’ll probably have a lot more to do with the upcoming opponents and less about that we’re talking about it.
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/12/thunder-vs-hawks-pregame-primer/#respond
Does livefyre have and "hot keys"? I'm getting sick of seeing updates on old comments.
just emailed them, I hope they have a solution to this problem.
Free the Brookies.
@Fezzy/FreeSingletonFromWASH History check: Scott Brooks got to play every game of his rookie season at 17 minutes per game.
Referring to KD expanding his game this season, Royce just said "Lebronify" in his daily radio spot with Teddy and Dusty. 12-19-2012 4:29 pm CST
@Barry Amenema the lebronification of kevin durant
@O O O O O O It's a perfectly cromulent word.
@Barry Amenema looooool
@Barry Amenema everyone criticized him in the first weeks of the season ... For expanding his game
anybody got that kd celebrating w westbrook gif?
@O O O O O O No, how about this one? http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1342453/lolrondo.0_standard_400.0.gif
@diddoff @O O O O O O
that fisher defense is intense lmao
@diddoff lmao, what
League sources indicate that veteran shooting guard Richard Hamilton has been offered in trade scenarios, efforts that could intensity as the Feb. 21 trade deadline nears.
Thoughts?
@diddoff No thanks. I liked him when he played with Michael Jordan in Washington. That was like 6 decades ago.
none @diddoff
Pistons are actively shopping forward Austin Daye, a source said. Daye averaged just 2.3 points in six games.
Thoughts?
@diddoff if he can't play in detroit he can't play in OKC
@diddoff Who?
@BallSoHard @diddoff Drafted 2009 15th overall by the Pistons but never did anything. Pretty much the path Jeremy Lamb is walking on.
A$AP Rocky's album has leaked...i can only imagine how terrible he feels right now
@ILikePancakes ehhhhh
@ILikePancakes a month early kinda crazy
@Lost Ones @ILikePancakes
that had to be one of his producers leaking this
@ILikePancakes Better push up that release date
schoolboy q on an asap song>>>
@ILikePancakes i forgot had it, lemme listen to this thing
This comment has been deleted
@RRRWHATEVER @O O O O O O No problems
@ILikePancakes @O O O O O O thanks
I'm interested to see how we play against Miami next week. If we try some things we didn't try in the finals series (zone), if Lebron is able to get to the rim at will like he did last year and if we leave their shooters wide open again. We were only dominated in one game but that's the game that kind of sticks with you, maybe because it was the last game. The 4-1 series count also seems like a dominating series win on their part but all of the games could have gone either way but one. You also have to wonder mentally if the Thunder were as prepared for the Miami series as much as they were for the Spurs series. They never seemed to have the focus against Miami that they did against San Antonio. The other thing that makes me nervous is that although Harden didn't fare well against Lebron or Wade he could at least guard them. You can't put Martin on either of those guys. Essentially we have Sefalosha, Westbrook or KD that can guard those 2. If any of those guys get in foul trouble we're going to have to stick someone on them that has no business guarding them. If we do get dominated due to matchup problems I wonder if this might make us more willing to acquire another big 3 or athletic 4 that can guard just for defensive purposes?
@okcjim both teams are a lot different, maybe brooks will have learned and perk will ride the pine.
@f5alconThey are different but the biggest matchup problem for the Thunder still exists and I think we'll have a hard time beating them until we figure a way to at least slow it down. Lebron's driving or postup created wide open looks for them or layups for him almost every time and now we have one less defender to guard him. I guess we could try Ibaka on him? Zone is really the only logical move. We know if works because both Boston and Dallas did it successfully against them. We have worked on it some. I'm interested to see how it goes.
@DSYIII @f5alconIf he shoots more jumpers we win. Similar to Duncan and Parker. They'll make some but they won't win by shooting those jumpers. Its the getting to the rim that kills us.
@okcjim @f5alcon I'd really like to see Ibaka matched against Lebron for the christmas game. Ibaka can at least bother Lebron around the rim, and can hopefully stay out of foul trouble if he gives Lebron a little space to shoot. For all the praise Lebron gets when he makes jumpers, it still kills their team's offensive identity if he's shooting them every time down.
@okcjim @f5alcon doesn't matter until the finals. Miami still on cruise control for now
I kind of like having Reggie on the team as the "if all else fails, release the Kracken" kind of guy.
@RRRWHATEVER "Release the Jackson!"
http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2012/12/19/a-trade-idea-for-anderson-varejao/
@okcjim That trade idea is a laugher. Varejao is too injury prone to go all-in on (not to mention, you'd be buying incredibly high on him). It's one thing to take a calculated risk on Varejao, it's another to trade all of your moveable assets for him. Presti always talks about sustainability, so I don't think a deal like that would ever be on the table. Kind of kills the leverage the team would have with Martin, too. They'd need him as their window with a healthy Varejao could be 1.5 years and they'd no longer have a future replacement in Lamb. As it stands, they can tell him they've got Lamb in the wings, and if he wants to stay here with a chance at a title, it's going to be more on their terms. I'm rambling now, but no. Just no.
@Lambchop's Play-Along @okcjim I think this trade could happen but not with these peices...Presti is too smart and could make a steal of this trade.
@okcjim
I love this part and agree with it 100000%:
“Parting ways with Perk now would mean the Thunder is departing from its tried and true philosophy, which is growing together. Players aren’t just shuffled in and out of Oklahoma City. There’s a real commitment to people, not just players, with the Thunder. It might sound strange in the big business world of sports, but in Oklahoma City that’s the ‘Thunder Way.’ Fans from this blue-collar market actually appreciate having familiar faces around, players with whom they can identify and watch grow up through the years. And it’s worked. Continuity, and the chemistry that comes with it, undoubtedly is a large part of what’s made the Thunder so successful over the past three seasons.”
@TempBoy Brandon @okcjim
my name is brandon Too.
@TempBoy Brandon @okcjim he did trade green midseason to upgrade
@TempBoy Brandon @okcjim It's uncommon that I want to like something more than once...but this is one of those times.
@okcjim Who really ever talks about getting Varegao other than DT? Darnell most me a reg
@BallSoHard @okcjim Oh yeah he's at least a lurker. Hi Darnell.
@supreme35 @okcjim Hi! ...wait...what?
@okcjim just read it, an absolute laugher.
@OBoy Jones IIIPresti would never give that much up for him.
hard to say right now. this is weak draft.
@dollarbillrussell @OBoy @okcjim Because Lamb is as valuable as a potential top 6, 7 or 8 pick? Ugh...
@OBoy Jones III @okcjim Subtract either Lamb or the Raptors pick and I'd probably be in support of it. Not that my opinion holds any weight, of course.
The 7 trade ideas were from a Cabs perspective and might be too rich. Some are quite unrealistic to be offered. Boston is the most likely to make the stated offer and Cavs almost certainly turn it down.
@okcjim no one would. Darnell wrote alot about something that no one would do. Alot of Thunder fans want Varejao but I don't think anyone would give up that much.