Thunder coast past the Lakers, 127-117

Royce Young -

BOX SCORE

With about three minutes remaining, I looked up and saw Jeremy Lamb checking in and realized I should’ve had way more of this recap written than I did. The Thunder were cruising to a unremarkable win over the Lakers, and the thing keeping my interest most was looking up stats for no reason at all.

The summary of the 48 minutes: The Lakers closed to 72-65 midway through the third quarter, Russell Westbrook checked back in, the Thunder went on a 13-2 run that featured back-to-back Westbrook layups and a staredown of the Laker bench, and then it was all formality from there.

Enes Kanter double-doubled in the first quarter and finished with 25 points, 16 rebounds and four assists. Westbrook had his 15th double-double in his last 17 games with 27 points and 11 assists (but only two rebounds pfffft). Steven Adams had 16 and 10. Dion Waiters had 23 on 10-16 shooting and once again somehow resisted the siren song of the long step-back jumper to instead attack the rim.

Annnnd that’s about it.

Sure, you can overstate things from this one if you really want something to TAKE AWAY. The Thunder gave up 117 points to a horrible Lakers team, and didn’t seem all that interested in stopping the ball, allowing more than a few direct paths to the rim. Defense has certainly been an issue, but watching this one, I think it was mostly a boredom issue. Of course you want to develop good habits and a high, consistent standard, but had the Thunder won this one 93-75, would it really be all that different? Would you really feel that much better?

The fact is, the offense hummed along effortlessly again, the Two Towers dominated the interior, Westbrook did plenty of Westbrooking, and Waiters had another game that teases us into thinking that maybe he really is getting it. (I kind of think he is!)

The most notable thing is what this game concludes. That’s the end of the Thunder’s significant home stretch, what most of us saw as the make-or-break point in their season. Remember how everyone freaked out after the Clippers loss, despite it being possible to still go what many felt like was the goal of 7-1? Well, they went 7-1.

It’s on to another crucial stretch, with road games in San Antonio, Salt Lake City and Phoenix. Twelve to play overall, six at home, six on the road. The Durant news knocked the breath out of everyone in terms of thinking big, but still, this team is just keeping the chains moving.

NOTES:

  • Obligatory: Enes Kanter with his 10th Thunder double-double (in 15 games) — and he got this one in the first quarter, with 15-10 in the opening 10 minutes.
  • That’s now six 20-10 games for Kanter. And six straight double-doubles.
  • Steven Adams had his fourth straight double-double, and fifth in six games. Somewhat amazing: Thunder centers produced one double-double last season. Adams and Kanter have had 10 in the last six games.
  • With Andre Roberson out, Kyle Singler started in his place and was decent! He hit 2-3 from deep, scored eight points, had some good passes and played moderately acceptable defense. One thing about Singler: He makes smart cuts. Times them well, and finds space.
  • Anthony Morrow went 4-6 from 3 tonight. He’s hit at least two 3s in eight straight games.
  • Morrow since Feb. 1: 50.5 percent from 3, hitting 2.3 a game.
  • Morrow started the second half in place of Waiters, who was said to have had a “stomach issue.” It appeared to me he was just a little late coming out for the second half, and when asked postgame about it, seemed a bit sarcastic about it.
  • Adams went 6-6 from the line tonight. Since coming back from his hand injury, he’s 20-30 from the line.
  • Westbrook was asked if he’s getting used to playing without KD: “You can never get used to playing without one of the best players in the world. But our job is to come out every night and compete at a high level.”
  • Anthony Morrow started the second half for Dion Waiters, with the official word being that Waiters had a “stomach issue.” It looked to me like Waiters was late coming out.
  • I found it weirdly poetic that Morrow started the second half for Waiters. Get it. Morrow wears number two.
  • During timeouts tonight and in between quarters, Durant was out dribbling and shooting a little. Nothing all that extreme, and probably not enough to qualify as “basketball activities.” Also, at one point he was air-dribbling, going through moves without a ball. That dude is missing basketball bad.
  • Ryan Kelly looks like such a mouth breather.
  • Jeremy Lamb played in the first half, and airballed a solid 30-footer at the end of the shot clock.
  • D.J. Augustin had five assists, and four of them were gorgeous.

Next up: At the Spurs on Wednesday