Thunder finally get to .500, 109-102 over the Wizards

Royce Young -

BOX SCORE

On Nov. 23, the Thunder had slipped to 3-12, in a nine game pit of despair that some feared might be too deep to climb out of.

On Jan. 2, they’re back on level ground.

It took four attempts, but the Thunder have finally reached .500 at 17-17, taking down a good Wizards team in an impressive crunchtime clinic. The way they did it? Kevin Durant. What do you think happened?

It started with a perfect 2-for-1 to finish the third quarter, with Durant splashing a 3 off a high screen and then following it up with a pull-up to bring the Thunder back from six down to tie it, 82-82. It ended with Durant scoring nine points in the final six minutes, which included a Reaper-esque 3 from the wing, a stupid step-back fadeaway, and a backdoor and-1.

But the way the Thunder closed it out actually didn’t involve much Durant. His and-1 put them up eight with 1:30 left, but another late slip and the Wizards pulled within three on a Brad Beal corner 3. Russell Westbrook came up short on a tough midrange jumper, and now the Thunder were sweating a late possession again.

Serge Ibaka switched out on a red hot John Wall, shutting down his drive and attempt to step back for a potential game-tying 3. Wall swung a pass that Westbrook was all over, but the Thunder’s All-Star guard blew his layup. Ibaka, who’s seen Westbrook doink plenty of fast break dunks, followed the play and finally got his crunchtime bucket, putting back the miss for the dagger with 22 seconds left.

“That was big,” Durant said. “Him and Russell made a big play at the end getting the steal. But we always tend to look at the late game plays, but the plays the start the fourth, the defense was really good. Perk did a great job, our second unit was great. And that gave us an opportunity to make those plays as well. We’ve got guys that have been in battles before and know how to handle themselves and we did tonight.”

Here’s how Westbrook described the steal: “Ummm, just locked in and did what I was supposed to do.”

The story of the night, though, was Durant and how he completely transforms the Thunder into maybe the best team in the league. Tonight: 34 on 12-18 shooting in 31 minutes. Including that first half against the Warriors, he’s played 90 minutes, scoring 108 points (43.2 points per 36 minutes), and done it on 35-54 shooting (15-24 from 3). Here’s some perspective on that: Durant has missed 19 shots in those three games. Westbrook missed 15 tonight alone.

Durant’s evaluation of how he’s played since returning from that ankle sprain: “I could be better. I could be better. All aspects of the game.”

With Westbrook and Durant in the lineup, the Thunder are now 9-2. They’ve shown their power, how they can overwhelm teams with waves of immense athleticism and offensive explosiveness. They aren’t perfect and they need to clean up a number of areas. But they’re on their way to where they need to be.

Consider: Last season, the Grizzlies started 10-15 and won 50 games. They didn’t get to .500 until Jan. 15. The Thunder have 48 games left. What’s their ceiling for those 48 if Westbrook and Durant play in all of them? At this point, you could talk me into just about any number over 30.

NOTES:

  • Durant only had eight shots late in the third quarter because of foul trouble, and was asked if he felt like he had trouble getting into the game because of it. And I thought he made a really interesting point: “I didn’t rebound in the first half, and usually when I rebound I feel good, I feel part of the game, I feel like I’m touching it even when I’m not shooting the basketball. So I told myself to come out and try and grab as many boards as I can and initiate the offense and I was able to grab some and score.”
  • In the second half: Durant had eight rebounds. And 23 points.
  • Durant on sitting the start of the fourth after finishing the third hot: “Ah, whatever coach wants me to do. I trust in the bench. I trust in whatever he wants me to do. I’m one of those guys, no matter if I’m the floor, no matter how I’m shooting, no matter how my minutes are like, I’m going to be aggressive and I’m going to feel confident. So it doesn’t matter to me.”
  • What are your thoughts on being .500, Russ? “We’ve been feeling good all season.”
  • Durant’s last three games: 30 points on 10-13 shooting, 44 points on 13-23 shooting, 34 on 12-18 shooting. That is so damn good.
  • The Thunder bench showed up tonight with 40 points, led by Nick Collison’s 10. Reggie Jackson had just nine, but with eight assists. Anthony Morrow hit two 3s (eight points). Perry Jones played well with seven and Perk had six. Good balance, great production.
  • Westbrook outplayed John Wall in their showdown, I think. Westbrook had 22, but on 8-23 shooting, with six assists, three rebounds and just two turnovers. Wall didn’t get going until the second half (two points on 0-2 at half), with 14 on 5-13 with 12 assists, two rebounds and a turnover.
  • Serge Ibaka played a really solid second half. He had 13 with six rebounds, and got going with four buckets in the third quarter. He only had the one make in the fourth on the putback, but late Durant skipped a pass crosscourt to him in the corner for 3. That’s a different Durant makes with inclusive mentality. He’s not going to force one up himself for the sake of it. He’s willing to lead by example, making the right pass.
  • Steven Adams got dinged up in the first quarter, it appeared on a bit of a shot from Nene. The two got tangled up and Adams picked up a foul. Nene was given a technical from what I think was an attempted leg sweep. Adams limped away badly and went to the locker room for a long time before returning for just a few minutes.
  • After shooting 49 free throws and only missing five two nights ago, OKC shot 19 with 13 makes tonight.
  • Perimeter defense continues to be a nagging issue to clean up. The Wizards hit 11-21 from 3.
  • That dunk Westbrook missed in the first quarter. MAN.
  • Westbrook picked up his ninth technical foul. Reminder: 16 is a one-game suspension.
  • Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison, or as I call them, Bunk and McNulty, were excellent in the first half.
  • You know what we need? A video of Perk and Collison going through a play and saying only one word. Pick. Picccccck. Pick pick pick. Back pick. Pick me. Motherpicker. That one’s on the house, Thunder video people.
  • According to Basketball Reference, tonight’s officiating crew has the highest combined bench press of any in history.
  • I liked Scott Brooks going with the high school coach move letting some of the bench guys get in with a solid 5.9 seconds left.

Next up: At the Warriors on Monday