Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
One of the larger talking points about the Thunder the past few seasons has been the inconsistency of their starting five.
Because of Oklahoma City’s prowess off the bench with James Harden, the Thunder’s lineup of Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins was universally agreed upon to be one of the team’s weaker five-man groups. The Thunder almost seemed to just be surviving those first six or seven minutes until Harden could check in and get things settled.
That’s changed this season. And changed in a big way. Instead of a liability, OKC’s starting five is officially its best lineup. They’ve played more minutes together than any other and have a net rating of +13.5, making it one of the best in the entire league.
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com dove in to exploring the evolution of this lineup today:
Much of the Thunder’s early offense results from Westbrook pulling up or attacking on the secondary break, or hitting Durant with an outlet pass. Particularly in transition, both Westbrook and Durant are always looking for a body that can precipitate contact. Only James Harden has used more possessions in transition this season than Westbrook, and three-quarters of Westbrook’s possessions on the break result in a drive to the basket or a pull-up jumper.
In the half court, Westbrook is a master of finding seams and holes. Thanks to his accelerated first step, the slightest opening will do. To this end, Ibaka’s ability to extend to the 3-point line has done wonders for this unit’s spacing, and Westbrook is the primary beneficiary. Westbrook isn’t dependent on high screens — say, relative to a point guard like Chris Paul — but he’ll use them a fair amount depending on matchup. He’s still a little too eager to take a dribble jumper coming off those picks, but he probably takes more flak than he deserves.
The Thunder are a team that will look to attack what they deem as mismatches. Ibaka will get the opportunity to post up when he’s matched against a small-ball 4. Westbrook takes additional liberties against smallish point guards. Durant is almost always a mismatch for his defender, so there’s not much of a variable there.
Not much more to add because Arnovitz certainly covered the bases extremely well. (Seriously, go read it all.) But I’ll reiterate one of his larger points: The biggest change I see is that Westbrook is a much more aggressive force early in games, with Durant then asserting himself at any lull. It often seemed like the Thunder were sorting of waiting for Harden to check in to really get going last season.
Because the Thunder don’t have a luxury on the bench anymore, the starters are coming off the blocks much stronger. Durant and Westbrook, who both completely hold the keys to OKC’s success now, aren’t pacing themselves anymore. It’s about firing out and trying to build a lead the second unit can attempt to hold on to.
Maybe it’s more of a philosophical change than anything else. Not that the starting five was taking it easy or something in season’s past, but strategically, there might be more of a sense of urgency there than previously.
Right here http://dailythunder.com/2013/03/24870/
NFL teams trade away a ton of their players i
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN well each team has like 54
Primer is up. Wanna know where it is?
New title: How did the starters become Killas and the bench become the Victims?
@OkcBaby when we traded maynor
@fifthdimension @OkcBaby When we sent Orton down to the d-league.
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @PKBOB @fifthdimension @OkcBaby Bestest.
@PKBOB @fifthdimension @OkcBaby when thabeet became a star
david beachum needs to retire
After our game the other night, the host on NBA TV said "Taking more shots than Durant is one thing, but Westbrook has taken 8 more shots this season in the 4th quarter! That is unacceptable." I was suprised to hear that stat and was just looking at the numbers to see Durant has taken 274 4th quarter shots to Westbrook's 196.
Thanks for the misinformation NBA TV.
How could they possibly get that wrong? And they used the precise number of 8...
@BallSoHard Its a storyline they like to use. I'm just shocked they've come to making up stats to perpetuate the storyline.
@OKC035 @FF_pickups @fifthdimension @BallSoHard Kind of like the saying goes... XX% of stats are made up on the spot.
@OKC035 Yep, and if he only shot 15 shots per game, they would say he needs to step it up or he's pouting or something along those lines. Maybe they would point to his shooting pct.
@FF_pickups @fifthdimension @BallSoHard Thats exactly what it is. If Westbrook leads the league with 11 assists per game next year, people will still say "anyone could get assists playing with Durant, still not a point guard".
@fifthdimension @OKC035 @BallSoHard And the way a person's mind works is to have preconceived notions and then look for facts that support that notion and dismiss facts that are contrary to that notion. In this case, people believe that Westbrook is a ball hog and so they notice stats like FGA but dismiss stats like assists.
@OKC035 @BallSoHard people are just to lazy to really look at the stats
@OKC035 They don't watch thunder basketball. We all know Durant goes into iso and it takes Westbrook 15 seconds to get it to Durant because he takes so long to get position on the defender.
@PKBOB Its laughable. I honestly think people just hate Westbrook because of his antics and confidence/arrogance, and love KD for his "Mr nice guy" persona.
The spurs announcers the other night were like "wow Durant wanted the ball and Westrbook wouldn't give it to him. When Durant wants the ball you give it to him" on a play where Westbrook is standing there trying to pass KD the ball on the wing while KD is getting fronted. Then before he can make the pass Splitter comes over to double so Westbrook backs it out and attacks the basket.
I mean I'm not sure if people are just stupid/don't pay attention to the games, or they just don't like Westbrook so they'll use anything to insult his game.
@OKC035 @PKBOB At least the stupid The Wire Westbrook vs. Durant story is mostly done.
@OKC035 They're listening to Stephen A and Skip too much. So sad.
@OKC035 I wish I could like this 1000 times.
@PKBOB Thats why its hard for me to ignore idiotic things the media says. The media shapes the opinions of casual fans who shape the perception of a player. And the perception of a player is very hard to change.
Most people who feel strongly about something will never change their opinion. They ignore anything that goes against it and use anything that favors or confirms their opinions.
@OKC035 It's probably media driven so everyone just has that in their mindset. Then they see it in a game and it personifies into something it is not.
So we go from kevin kolb to drew stanton. Ugh. NFL life as fan of the cards suck lol.
@CLthunderfan You've got Adrian Wilson!
@PKBOB nope released him yesterday. and just released kerry rhodes today as well.
@PKBOB yea but wilson is getting up there in years. I dont mind theat we release him but I am pissed we released rhodes.
@CLthunderfan Ridics. He's better than Peterson IMO, although he plays a diff position. Peterson can play specials teams too is all.
@CLthunderfan You got Josh Cribbs!
@[censored] and released our whole secondary besides Peterson lol. But I do like the cribbs signing. Takes pressure off of peterson in the return game and also is a threat for the deep ball which arians likes to throw.
@CLthunderfan I can't believe you fired your coach, I think that whisenhunt is a good coach.
@CLthunderfan at least you have fitzgerald try being a panthers fan :P
Hooray overrated Dashon Goldson signs $40m contract with Tampa Bay. So glad the 49ers didn't pay him.
@[censored] Good for us. The front office is making a ton of smart moves off the bat.
@BrockSuede It was always between him and NaVarro Bowman, they picked the right guy. Can't pay both. Goldson is a liability in coverage and Whitner isn't a stud there either. Charles Woodson would be better at FS as a stop gap than Goldson on 49ers defense IMO.
@[censored] @BrockSuede Agreed. Bowman is a stud and Goldson played off of reputation. Still don't think he deserved to start over Thomas in the pro-bowl, despite it being a meaningless game.
@[censored] It would be a great pick up if they can afford the rest of his contract.
@[censored] Isn't Woodsen meeting with the Niners today?
this arsenal vs bayern munich game is crazy
@kennygee90 This game is decided for a long time. Malaga-Porto is much more exciting.
@kennygee90 if it was in london it would've been more crazy.
@Blood-Game @kennygee90 there are other people who watch soccer besides me
@kennygee90 @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game i hate man u
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game for a minute i thought u was a man u fan, never mind if your a chelsea fan...and yea the good old days of henry and bergkamp
@Sigmund @kennygee90 @fifthdimension @Blood-Game didnt they have ohenry
@kennygee90 @THUNDER FOR THE WIN @fifthdimension @Blood-Game Arsenal 2003-04 season was impressive and it feels like it was one year ago.
@kennygee90 @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game were not winning the league we only have 51 points to manchesters 71
@kennygee90 @THUNDER FOR THE WIN @Sigmund @Blood-Game either way arsenal is entertaining as hell to watch
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game atleast you guys are winning the league, wenger and our stingy owner won't spend money for great players to save their lives smh.
@fifthdimension @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game no iam scared he is going to come back to is old self
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game lol didnt Rooney get bagged cheating?
@kennygee90 @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game him and rooney are driving me crazy
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game i just play the game most of the time i watch a few games on streams when i have time but truthfully i would say chelsea but arsenal and manchester united are really entertaining to watch
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game smh to hell with him even tho he used to be my favorite player
@kennygee90 @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game they neeeded van percy
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @fifthdimension @Sigmund @Blood-Game smh we lose the series
@fifthdimension @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game whoes your favorite team
@fifthdimension @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game me to its cause there stacked:}
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game nah i hate Barcelona haha
@fifthdimension @kennygee90 @Sigmund @Blood-Game sounds like Mesi jk
@kennygee90 @Sigmund @THUNDER FOR THE WIN @Blood-Game yea yea i think i just know he fast as hell and he makes everything -_-
@Sigmund @kennygee90 @Blood-Game haha its ben less then a year for chealsy
@fifthdimension @Sigmund @THUNDER FOR THE WIN @Blood-Game your talking about bale?
@Sigmund @kennygee90 @THUNDER FOR THE WIN @Blood-Game i just play fifa with chelsea that one guy on the spurs is nice though
@kennygee90 @Blood-Game iam a chelsea fan
@kennygee90 @THUNDER FOR THE WIN @Blood-Game http://www.sincearsenallastwonatrophy.co.uk/
@THUNDER FOR THE WIN @Blood-Game im a huge arsenal fan
@Blood-Game @kennygee90 i wish, arsenal just needs one more goal but i doubt anyone will score smh
uurgh deleted my comment by mistake...im happy now though ..one more goal i guess you were right@Sigmund @Blood-Game
@kennygee90 @Blood-Game They need two more goals.