Thunder coast by the 76ers, 103-91
At this point, a win is a win is a win is a win is a win is a win, is a win for the Thunder. You take them however you can get them, against whoever got can get them against. At now 6-13, they’re record isn’t good enough yet to start griping about style points. They just need wins. And they got one.
Back to full strength — officially, as Perry Jones returned — the Thunder put together a pretty meh performance against the 76ers, coasting through large portions of the game. They led by as many as 17 in the fourth, but let it slip to seven with three minutes left. Kevin Durant came to the rescue — sort of — with a transition layup to stop the push, and Jeremy Lamb slammed the door with back-to-back 3s putting a cap on another strong bench performance.
Durant’s second game back was sluggish, a bit of a go-through-the-motions kind of night. He finished with only 10 on 3-11 shooting, and seemed to lack the kind offensive rhythm he typically has. The way he tonight was how he should’ve played against the Pelicans. With how easy things looked that night, with his scoring touch there, efficient as ever, it put off the impression that he wasn’t going to need much time getting back to himself. There was some clear rust popping up here, with him struggling to find his flow in the offense. And really, the points where the Thunder — namely Russell Westbrook — tried to get Durant going by force-feeding him, was when the Sixers made pushes back.
Obviously the context here is this was against the Sixers, but you could see tonight the benefits of November being reaped once again as the second unit provided the lift. Westbrook was terrific — 27 points on 8-14, five rebounds and seven assists — but the real difference came from the bench. Jeremy Lamb had another wonderful night (15 on 6-7 shooting, 3-3 from 3), Reggie Jackson was solid (11 and four assists) and Kendrick Perkins’ screening, rebounding and defense were extremely helpful.
In the two games with everybody back, the Thunder’s bench has been the actual story in both. That was the angle that we were all playing during the rough November, that this was an opportunity for the Thunder to develop some much-needed depth. That with these young players having their feet put to the fire, they’d have to cut their teeth now, or never. And with the way Lamb has responded the last four games — 64 points on 21-27 shooting, 10-12 from 3 — it seems like some of that is paying off.
The main thing I’m seeing with Lamb is in his offensive choices. In those four games, he hasn’t taken more than eight shots in any of them. He’s taking the looks that he gets and not forcing a single thing. He’s a total flow player, never one that’s comfortable trying to overly assert himself. Playing aggressive to him is just putting up the looks that he gets confidently. With players back, Lamb’s getting better shots and having less responsibility placed on him. He’s able to play the way he prefers, in that sleepy, coasting kind of way, which works for him. When he’s trying to force is when he gets off his game and things get ugly.
The Thunder’s performance in Philly wasn’t especially good, but it was good enough. And that’s all that presently matters. They can only win one at a time and while 6-13 still doesn’t look very good, it’s putting one away and moving on to the next. The Thunder have to climb this hill slowly, doing it by not just scrapping out wins, but by also rediscovering their identity and rebuilding their rhythm and chemistry.
Durant showed clear signs of some rust, and reminded everyone that even he needs a little bit of time to get back to top gear. The Thunder might need a few weeks to really completely get their form back, and the way they can not just survive, but thrive during that time, is with a sturdy bench.
It’s a nice feeling, though, to know the Thunder coasted a lot of this game and definitely were not at their best, and yet won by 12. That’s a product, of course, of the opponent, but also finally having the full squad.
NOTES:
- As good as the bench has looked the last two games, it makes me wonder how that group — which were essentially the starters — didn’t win more games.
- Michael Carter-Williams often does not do smart things. He tried to throw four failed alley-oops, took some really bad shots, and talked plenty of trash to Westbrook.
- Durant on Westbrook and Michael Carter-Williams talking: “Young dudes in this league tend to bark a lot but I think he put him in his place and let him know who the best point guard in the league is.”
- I had a few people tweet me after that saying Kyrie Irving wasn’t playing. Wait, some people think Irving is the best point guard in the league? Steph Curry, I get. Or Chris Paul, obviously. But Kyrie Irving? When did this happen?
- Perry Jones made his first appearance since bruising his knee Nov. 4 against the Raptors. Just six minutes and zero points for him, but good to see him back.
- I thought Perk played terrifically tonight. He pulled in nine boards, but added a clear physicality on the interior. He set probably 20 excellent screens and unlocked good shots all over.
- The Thunder were able to execute that Perk iso/screen play a number of times. It’s a simple, subtle set: If Perk’s man is playing in front of him to try and shadow Westbrook or Jackson, Perk brings his man up the lane like he’s going to come set a ball screen, but stops halfway up the paint and pushes him in the back into the on ball defender. With the explosiveness OKC’s point guards have, it’s really effective.
- One thing to note about Lamb: Don’t think this is the first time he’s played well. I liked Scott Brooks’ postgame answer after being asked if this is a “breakthrough.” Lamb played extremely solid basketball the first two and half months last season before stumbling. Consistency is his issue and he’s put together four brilliant games. He’s had some bad ones mixed in this season, but some other good performances. This isn’t completely out of nowhere here.
- It didn’t look to me that Durant played with much energy. Maybe he was a little gassed. But he didn’t find any easy buckets within the offense. He wasn’t cutting hard off the ball or attacking much off the dribble. Most his shots were contested post-ups.
- Every time Ibaka has his back to the basket and he goes right, he takes those two huge sweeping steps before putting up a shot. Why does he do this? Sometimes, all you need is a simple turn. But Ibaka always — ALWAYS — goes for those two big steps and either tries to dunk or throws up an awkward running half hook, half something.
- The Thunder have got some depth. There’s a really good dynamic on the bench. There’s a creator/scorer in Jackson, a sharpshooter in Morrow, a blend guy in Lamb, a stretch 4/defender in Collison and a great screener/defender in Perk.
- Perk got called for one of the worst flagrants I’ve ever seen. He went for a strip on Noel and followed through and hit his leg, and… was called for a flagrant.
- As Anthony Slater noted, KD’s substitution pattern is pretty clear: play the first seven minutes of the first and third quarters, the final eight of the second and fourth. That’s 30 minutes.
- For whatever reason, the Thunder’s energy level seems to drop when KD checks in.
- Really, the Sixers do a lot of good stuff offensively. They just do too many other bad things that cancels it all out.
- The up and down nature of fan temperature on Lamb is pretty similar to his actual game. Two weeks ago everyone thought he was complete garbage, a worthless waste of talent. Now? I’m getting a lot that he should be starting. When the shots go in, players start looking pretty good.
- Durant was in real jeopardy of seeing his consecutive games in double-digits streak snap at 406, but he found a transition layup with 2:40 left to get it to 407. Probably the last time we have to worry about that this season, but it was touch and go for a while.
- Last time Kevin Durant scored 10 points or fewer in a game? April 13, 2009.
- Interesting: The Thunder will play their first team on the second night of a back-to-back Sunday in Detroit. Last team in the NBA to play one of those.
- My favorite part of the game was as Nerlens Noel was throwing down a sick oop, Brian Davis was in the middle of telling the most boring story in the history of basketball.
- Really enjoyed Nancy Lieberman’s first words being “they played fantastic” after the game. I suppose it’s hard to retain perspective with what we’ve all watched the last month.
Next up: At the Pistons on Sunday
