Thunder click against the Grizzlies, 125-88
Well, what in the hell was that?
A 37-point win on the road against the Grizzlies? The ball whipping around so fast I had to pause the game to go vomit? Nineteen assists on 23 made buckets in the first half? Sixteen assists in 25 minutes for Russell Westbrook? Thirty-two points on 14 shots for Kevin Durant? Forty-nine points from the bench? Every single player in the box score at least a +3? Nine points in a quarter from Andre Roberson?
That was something else.
The game turned almost instantly when Billy Donovan went small with 6:50 left in the second quarter, playing Westbrook, Waiters, Morrow, Durant and Ibaka together. It was an onslaught of offense, with the matchup giving Memphis fits as Durant guarded Zach Randolph with ease which allowed the Thunder to completely destroy the Grizzlies on the other end. It was simple pace and space offense, with Westbrook running high screen-and-roll with Ibaka, and shooters lining the floor across the perimeter. Collapse on Ibaka’s roll, Westbrook dished to an open Durant. Stay wide, and Westbrook dropped to Ibaka for a dunk. Memphis had no answer and it led to eight consecutive made baskets at one point, and the Thunder finished the half making nine of their last 11.
But really, what was more impressive, was the response to the response the Thunder had coming out of the locker room. The expectation was a letdown, especially on the road against the grit’n’grinin’ Grizzlies, except the starters went on a 20-6 run themselves out of the gate, extending the lead into the 30s and putting things to bed after three quarters. Durant was absolutely impeccable: 32 points on 11-14 shooting plus 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Westbrook, simply absurd: 13 points on 5-7, 16 assists and five rebounds. Serge Ibaka was high quality with 17 on 8-15 shooting. And the bench provided the kind of steady play that has been expected of them this season.
It was a full, complete performance, the kind you’ve been waiting on. And yes, the Grizzlies have had their moments of futility this season, but this was still a 12-9 team coming in, going 7-3 in their last 10. Forget that, anyway. This could’ve been against the 76ers and there were very clear and obvious steps the Thunder made in the right direction here.
Obviously, those 48 minutes in Memphis has been exactly what Thunder fans have been waiting to see. The team has been spiraling a bit, or at the least, treading water, taking a step forward and a step back, but not showing the kind of gains we’ve expected. There have been positive flashes throughout the season, but the last week has been a trying one, with the close loss in Atlanta and Miami coupled with near disaster at home against the Kings.
So you have to ask yourself: Did it finally start to click?
Maybe that Kings win will serve as the turning point, the touchstone moment where the Thunder finally started to find themselves. Or maybe this was a perfect 48-minute storm where everything just went in and more of an outlier than proof to power.
Either way, the Thunder at least displayed what they are still capable of, the kind of fluid, beautiful basketball they can play that overwhelms good teams with talent, speed, athleticism and playmaking. This game felt big coming in, because the Thunder were either going to step forward, or invalidate that comeback against the Kings and prove it to be fool’s gold. For now, at least, they finally took two steps before taking one back. Let’s see what happens Thursday.
NOTES:
- My favorite play of the game without question was Durant picking Chalmers’ pocket and giving it up to Waiters on a the break. Durant had just scored like eight straight and was absolutely cooking, but dished off to Waiters, who got fouled for free throws.
- Westbrook’s 12 assists in the first half were a career-high. And he only had six points. He finished with the 16 and 13 points, which someone asked when the last time he assisted more than he scored. Last season, actually. March 22 against the Heat: 12 points and 17 assists.
- There was something on SportsCenter today discussing starting a franchise with Stephen Curry, and the anchor mentioned a couple other players — Anthony Davis, LeBron James — but left off a pretty obvious guy. It bothered me way more than it should have. Maybe it did KD, too.
- The Thunder somehow simultaneously made everything while also missing some very easy looks. I don’t know either.
- Donovan made a small tweak to the non-Durant/Westbrook lineup to start the second quarter, putting Serge Ibaka on the floor with four bench players. In five minutes and 10 seconds, the score was 11-9. Dion Waiters scored all nine.
- Psst. You when the Thunder started making everything? When Waiters scored those nine straight himself.
- Cameron Payne has just awesome feel. That cut he made with about 90 seconds left was just high basketball intellect.
- Still kind of chuckled at Mario Chalmers playing the only good game tonight. Of course.
- Craziest thing about this game? Andre Roberson scored nine points… in the third quarter.
- Gotta say, I get the idea of being unselfish and getting others involved, but KD, you can’t be turning down this shot to pass to Andre Roberson.
- However, Donovan postgame made the point he felt like Durant set a tone tonight by trying to make those unselfish extras. Maybe so. If that’s the key to unlocking that kind of ball movement and passing, so be it, I guess.
- That moment Kyle Singler checked in with the Thunder up 33.
- Those last 10 minutes Singler was in were seriously some of the most intense and enthralling I’ve watched this season. I was just consumed by him maybe getting an assist. Instead, make it 203 minutes without one this season.
- Enes Kanter was cut almost entirely out of the rotation tonight because of the smallball. He ended up with 15 minutes, mostly in garbage time.
- The Thunder ended up with 31 assists. That’s actually only the second most this season. They had 32 against the Nuggets.
- Obviously you can’t expect that kind of result nightly — unless you’re a Warriors fan — but that’s at least the kind of standard of play you want to establish. Play within that realm, and you’re going to win a lot more than you don’t.
- Brian Davis Line of the Night: “Durant drops it home like he’s dropping a bowling ball down the chimney.” I have no idea what that means, but I love it.
Next up: Home against the Hawks on Thursday
