The Side Part: Keep Holding On
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These are lots of disjointed thoughts, because the Thunder are in the process of spreading out all my emotions. They keep being one thing, then another. And I’m probably still reeling from all these injuries, which just refuse to stop. You could tell me a Thunder player will be out for four to six weeks on account of getting ran over by The Hulk and I would believe you. The Thunder would be less snake bitten if they fell into a den of 50 ft anacondas and then immediately went to sleep.
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I was prepared to talk about how good they had been. That Lakers game, and yes I know it was the Lakers, was so fun to watch. The Thunder did whatever they wanted to offensively and, at times, it felt like they’d put up 150. Though the defense was less than stellar — it was abysmal — the Thunder felt like they were figuring out how to compensate. I know that Jordan Clarkson went for thirty, but maybe, you tell yourself, maybe when the Thunder knows that they need stops, they’ll be able to get them. They did just beat Atlanta.
Then last night happened, which felt like a coming together of all our worst fears about this team with no Durant or Ibaka. I’m not of the opinion that we should start lowering the life boats. One game is one game, and thanks to the Rockets and Kings it doesn’t affect the seeds the way it might have. But last night was a tad depressing, no? A sad reminder that an Ibaka-less Thunder is a Thunder team that really has no shot at knocking off the Spurs.
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After the twentieth, failed Perry Jones post up last night I gave serious thought to changing the channel to HBO. Devil Wears Prada was on, and I haven’t seen that movie in awhile, and Miranda Priestly treated her Emilys better than the Spurs offense treated the Thunder’s defense.
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It has gotten to the point that when Anthony Morrow misses, it’s news. I haven’t seen a release like his before. He’s beyond just being ready when the ball gets to him. He’s already shooting when the ball arrives. And the celebrations! Go HAM Anthony! He’s going to bruise his own chest before it’s all over, or yank his arm out of socket pointing up to the sky.
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Mitch McGary is a year away from being a complete terror to deal with. His offensive skill is starting to surface, and with time, his defense will catch up. He’s playing entirely on effort right now. When he’s able to slow the game down for himself, and take advantage of bench units, he’s going to wreak havoc consistently. The guy is smooth with the ball, he can move, and when he’s able to come into a season un-injured, and establish conditioning from the jump, look out.
And it’s been mentioned elsewhere, but up until last night, with Ibaka and Collison out, the trio of Kanter, Adams and McGary had been amazingly productive. If we do make the playoffs, and Ibaka is able to come back, this stretch could prove crucial. McGary is getting baptized daily, being thrust into new situations, having to adapt. It can be ugly at times — him on Diaw last night — but this bodes well for his future, and the future of that frontline. It’ll take a monster effort to out rebound a healthy Thunder going forward. Durant, Russ, Adams, Kanter, McGary, Roberson, all those guys are capable of grabbing double digits in rebounds on any given night. Glass will be eaten come next year, assuming full health — and that sure seems like a safe assumption — isn’t going to be had this year.
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I don’t mind Novak playing. He spaces the floor even more, and can really open up the lane for Westbrook and Adams/Kanter on those PnR’s, especially when you also have Morrow out there. But maybe we hold off until Ibaka is back. Ibaka can erase many people’s mistakes. Adams just scratches the words out. McGary isn’t sure what certain words are. Kanter can’t even speak the language to do any editing.
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There is still plenty of basketball left. Still plenty of chances to extend that lead on the eighth seed, and plenty of chances to lose it. I’m proud that they haven’t let the injuries do them in. A lesser team would look around and shout, “Why?!” The Thunder just keep playing, and whatever you think about Brooks, let’s all at least remember that when we talk about him.
