6 min read

Gone in 90 seconds: Thunder collapse against the Blazers, 115-111

BOX SCORE

I really do my best to avoid hyperbole. So just know that I’ve thought really hard about this.

But I think this was without question, the worst regular season loss ever for the Thunder.

They’ve blown games before. They’ve played terrible in big games before. They’ve thrown away big leads at home before. But considering the circumstances, and the magnitude of the current situation, and the way this thing happened, I don’t think there’s ever been one worse.

Here are the quick details:

With 1:32 left, the Thunder led 95-85. Russell Westbrook picked up a terrible foul some 25 feet from the basket, reaching around on Damian Lillard. Then to make it all worse, he picked up a technical foul. Three points to Portland, now 95-88.

Said Westbrook: “Yeah, that was my fault. I think that was the turning point in the game.”

After that, a Thunder turnover the next possession. Lillard nails a 3. Now it’s 95-91, 59 seconds left. Westbrook responds with a 15-footer jumper to put the Thunder back up six, 44 seconds left. Serge Ibaka blocks a Lillard layup attempt, but LaMarcus Aldridge cleans up the miss — 97-93, 35 seconds left. Ibaka misses a jumper short, Aldridge hits two free throws with six seconds left, 97-95. Westbrook splits his free throws, the Blazers call timeout, dial up the play everyone knew was coming, the Thunder fail to communicate a switch, and Lillard pops a 3 with three seconds left, 98-98.

“We know what we had to do and we didn’t do it,” Scott Brooks said. “We knew that’s what they were going to do. They ran that same play against a playoff team last year.”

If the Blazers final play was Mozart, the Thunder’s was some dude doing a One Direction cover on YouTube in his bathroom.

Westbrook caught the ball some 40 feet from the bucket with his back turned, took a couple of dribbles and launched. Is predictable as the Blazers getting it to Lillard was, so was the Thunder’s shot.

“That wasn’t what was designed,” Brooks said. “They pushed Russell out. He made a tough decision. We have to get a better shot there.”

That’s a running theme when it comes to those situations. The Thunder didn’t execute the play as planned. Don’t mistake that: That’s not an excuse for Brooks. It just means his players aren’t doing what he’s telling him to do. Either that’s a result of too many years with a long leash, or he accepts, maybe even encourages, their individuality.

It’s such a shame it went this way, though. Obviously that’s a Captain Obviouspants statement, but man, the Thunder played a terrific second half. They responded from some sloppy second quarter defense to lock up things with a number of high pressure runs in the third and fourth, showcasing some real fortitude and shot-making down the stretch. Westbrook was brilliant, Jackson was great, Ibaka was solid, Kendrick Perkins was excellent defending the pick-and-roll. It was a wonderful effort.

And then it all went completely to crap.

Blame whoever you want to blame. It really doesn’t matter. Every player in the locker room did their very best not to point a finger at any one specific location, and really that’s wise, because it was a collective effort. A lot of individual screw-ups that built up to a team debacle.

To me, this is a tough one to swallow. How do you get past a game like this?

“Move on,” Westbrook said.

Really? Is that hard?

“Easy.”

We’ll see.

NOTES:

  • Nobody in the locker room was willing to really say what happened on the Lillard play. But it was obvious. They were supposed to be switching everything, and Roberson was slow to react to the downscreen from Matthews. Ibaka tried to recover for him, but it was too late.
  • Interesting from Westbrook on the final play in regulation. Here’s how my exchange with him went: “Russ, final play of regulation, you end up with 40-footer. How does that happen?” Russ: “I wouldn’t say it was a 40 footer, but it was just a missed shot. Where you want me to go with two seconds?” Me: “I mean, you caught the ball 40 feet from the basket with three seconds left…” Russ: “I was supposed to get open and get the ball. When I got the ball it was already 1.9 seconds left on the clock. So there’s not much more I can do from that.” Me: “Was that the way the play was designed?” Russ: “No. Nope, it wasn’t.” Me: “So did you guys just execute it poorly?” Russ: “No, I just broke off and got the ball.”
  • So. From what I gather, Westbrook freelanced the final possession, breaking from the designed set to go get the ball to take a not 40, but probably more like 3o-foot 3. Okay.
  • More Westbrook on his tech: “I didn’t think I deserved it. I was just talking about the call. But I’ve got to do a better job controlling my emotions, especially when a game is on the line like that. I take the blame for that and it turned the whole game around for them.”
  • Here’s how you know it was bad: Scott Brooks wouldn’t even bite on the softball from the team reporter on good interior defense. “No. No. I think the first quarter was good, second quarter we lost the ball and we had trouble staying in front of the ball. We have to figure out how to keep a group out there that is going to stay in front of the basketball on the perimeter. We’re having too many breakdowns.”
  • Brooks was about as heated as he’s going to ever get postgame. He was asked why Ish Smith played tonight, and used it to subtweet (I think) Jeremy Lamb: They were playing small. But we have to figure who is going to stay in front of the basketball … I thought he played great.”
  • Here’s the thing with Lamb: It’s time to shit or get off the pot. Yeah, he’s still young and he’s shown flashes, but either you’re going to commit to the guy and give him run, or you need to pull the plug. I don’t really blame the guy for losing confidence when he’s looking over his shoulder after every shot.
  • The Blazers hit 17-31 from 3. That’s good shooting.
  • The Thunder hit 6-19 from 3. That’s not as good shooting. Lillard himself went 8-12 from deep.
  • Westbrook scored a season-high 40, and it came on a career-high shot attempts. And for all that taking fewer 3s stuff? He took five tonight (made one).
  • I feel like Kobe would make Perry Jones cry if they were on the same team.
  • I mean, Jones, man. It’s just not good. What happened between then and now? Tonight: 25 minutes, zero points, 0-5 shooting, and a -22.
  • Jones most notable contribution was getting an awesome Westbrook dunk wiped out. And yes, that was a major flop by Lillard, but really dumb of Jones to even risk it.
  • Plus: Steven Adams was terrific. He had 11 boards and was beasting on the offensive glass. He had a great post-up, schooling Joel Freeland in the first half. Annnnnd that was the last post touch he got.
  • Thought Terry Stotts made a mistake not taking advantage of what could’ve been a Scott Brooks mistake by not fouling Roberson every time he touched the ball starting with about 90 seconds left. Worked out for the Blazers, though.
  • I think I said this last year, but you know who I think the perfect Thunder 2-guard would be? Wes Matthews. Scrappy, versatile defender and a knockdown 3-point shooter.
  • Stotts on Westbrook to ref Sean Corbin: “Hey Sean, just because he cries every time doesn’t mean it’s a foul.”
  • KD was on the bench tonight. And I didn’t notice much of a limp from him.
  • I know, I know. The stats don’t do much for you and you’re suck of hearing it’s not about those. But I implore you to go back and watch Perk’s defense in the second half. It was great.
  • Nothing is more of an indictment that Reggie Jackson is thinking a lot about Reggie Jackson this season than the fact he won’t take heaves at the buzzer.
  • Ah, the panic of Thunder on Dec. 23 nation sustains me. I just will never understand the reactionary things people say like, “Face it, this team just isn’t very good.” As if between Game 6 of the Western Conference finals and now the Thunder got terrible. As if they got terrible between that eight-game winning streak and now.
  • You know what’s interesting? I actually wrote that graf in the second quarter when fans were freaking out. Then after the Thunder woke up, everyone shut right the hell up. And then when the Thunder pooped everywhere, they all came roaring back.
  • Ibaka and Aldridge tangled up and went into the baseline stands a bit. Both were ejected.
  • Shortly after, a fight broke out in the stands in the area where a lot of Thunder friends and family sit. I don’t know who was specifically involved, but Anthony Morrow was very interested in the proceeding while standing on the court. Some dude in a yellow hat was doing a lot of the fighting, even stomping on somebody he knocked down. I will say this as well: I saw one guy escorted out up the stairs. But Yellow Hat Guy went down below, and was not being escorted or directed by arena officials whatsoever. He was just chilling.

Next up: At the Spurs on Christmas