Thunder close the Bulls this time around, 109-100
Ten days ago, the Thunder led the Bulls by a point with 30 seconds left, searching for a crunchtime dagger to put away an important win. Russell Westbrook had 43 points, and was doing that thing where he carried the team, but instead of finding an open Serge Ibaka on a pick-and-roll, Westbrook looked for his own, firing up an airball. The Thunder lost when some guy named E’Twuan made a 3.
Following the game, Westbrook responsibility for the error, putting the blame on himself. It was an opportunity for growth, for develop, for maturation. But saying one thing and doing another has long been a disconnect in Russell Westbrook’s game.
This time, though, he walked the walk.
Today, the Thunder led 99-95 with a minute remaining. Westbrook ran pick-and-roll with Enes Kanter, and had a path to possibly attack the rim, but instead, swung a bullet pass to Anthony Morrow on the wing who buried a dagger 3. It was pretty basketball. It was perfect playmaking. Ideal point guarding.
“We did a good job learning from our mistakes, because the first time we played them, I had a chance to hit Serge [Ibaka ]on a kick-back, two guys were on me,” Westbrook said. “Tonight, same situation, two guys on me, I kicked to [Anthony Morrow], trusted my teammate and he knocked it down.”
That play is one they like to use with Kevin Durant a lot, a little screen-and-roll, using the attention Westbrook draws to occupy the big, with a hard roll from Kanter sucking the baseline defender up for help. Morrow drifted up the wing into the slot, and was open to drain it. Who says the Thunder can’t execute crunchtime?
“It was drawn up, but Russell did a good job of finding [Morrow],” Scott Brooks said. “Russell’s a great player, he’s going to draw a lot of attention. And then he has to trust guys making shots. Those are plays we have to continue to make for one another. It’s the best shot in basketball, the open shot.”
To me, the growth from 10 days ago until now is striking. It’s not that Westbrook played poorly or something against the Bulls that night. He just didn’t make the right choice in a critical moment. This time, he blended it all, following up a brilliant steal and coast-to-coast layup with pulling back to trust Morrow. Simply fantastic.
To get to that point, though, it took some survival. Westbrook finally shook lose for 36 on 12-27 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists, but the Thunder starting five struggled mightily offensively. Brooks made what appeared to be a wise adjustment, starting Kanter and Steven Adams together to match the Bulls’ imposing frontline of Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol. At times, the lineup looked to be an offensive disaster, because of the lack of space on the floor with two roll bigs occupying any room for Westbrook to attack.
Other times, it was dominant, because of the offensive rebounding ability. Adams and Kanter combined for 15 offensive boards, dominating their matchup with Gasol and Noah. Kanter finished with 18 and 18, Adams 14 and 11, to Gasol’s 20 and eight and Noah’s 15 and three.
“They rebound the basketball,” Brooks said of Kanter and Adams. “You rebound, you put yourself in a position to win games. Our record indicates that over the years. I like their toughness. I like their ability, one’s is to roll. And then Enes, he has the ability to roll and catch and pick and pop.”
It’ll be interesting to watch, if Brooks will keep shuffling starting lineups based on matchups, or if he’ll just stick with the same five once Durant returns. Either way, he’s shown the willingness to flex, which is important.
And Westbrook has shown the willingness to learn from his mistakes, which is even more important.
NOTES:
- Serge Ibaka missed his second straight game because of knee soreness. I did not see him at the arena anywhere.
- So it must be said: Serge Ibaka was out a second straight game with knee soreness that coincidentally coincided with his premiere in Austin at SXSW.
- Kanter had his sixth double-double since joining the Thunder. Adams had his sixth in the last two seasons.
- That’s not to discount Adams by any stretch. It’s just to say, wow, Kanter.
- Kanter had 10 rebounds in the first quarter, which set a new Thunder record previously held by Kendrick Perkins.
- Westbrook missed having the space Ibaka creates. He found some space late, but for a lot of the game there was just no room to operate at the elbows.
- 2-0 in the gross jerseys.
- Nikola Mirotic gave the Thunder a lot of problems. They kept trying to stay big with Kanter on him, but Mirotic was able to take him off the dribble easily. The guy the Thunder really needed out there to guard him today? Kevin Durant.
- People, just because Perry Jones is a “stretch 4” doesn’t mean he was the right matchup for Mirotic.
- Adams fouled out with 2:09 left and Brooks went with a quietly slick move, inserting former college power forward Andre Roberson in to guard Mirotic. The Thunder switched everything, which caught Westbrook on Mirotic, something that didn’t bother Russ much.
- Roberson also finished a nice crunchtime lefty layup that I can’t believe went in.
- Not the best game for Mitch McGary — zero points, one rebound in nine minutes. Scott Brooks knew what he was doing not starting him. Just a really bad matchup game for him.
- D.J. Augustin is one of those when-he-shoots-it-I-think-it’s-going-in-every-time guys.
- Brooks also had a nice move inserting Dion Waiters in an offense-defense move late, and Waiters paid it off with a big strip of E’Twuan Moore.
- Hey, only four turnovers for Westbrook! #progress
- The Bulls are a really good rebounding team, and the Thunder just destroyed them 52-33. The options OKC has, man. The options.
- I kind of think Pau Gasol is a decent Kanter comparison. Gasol is so unbelievably intelligent and polished, and handles better than Kanter, but remember, Kanter is just 22. He had a bit more low block physicality to him, but I feel like Kanter can emulate some of what Gasol would’ve given them has he picked OKC in the summer.
- Maybe my favorite pregame moment of the year: The locker room opened, and ESPN and NBATV’s camera crews rushed in, only to find one Thunder player in there — Steve Novak. Instead of getting some footage of Novak, the camera guy was literally shooting the floor, where the Thunder logo is. I like to imagine the conversation going, “OK, we’re in, what do you want?” “Get some player footage.” “Novak is the only one in here.” “OK, just get the floor or something. Maybe an empty locker.”
Next up: At the Mavs on Monday
