Thunder Show Little Interest In Playing Defense in New Orleans, Lose To Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans 123 — OKC Thunder 119

OKC’s Thunder on the second night of a road back to back showed why it’s unlikely this season will provide any kind of a deep run into late June. Namely, the team loafs defensively and doesn’t seem all that locked in on getting better in that regard. Tonight in New Orleans was further evidence as the Thunder lost to previously 22-34 New Orleans by a 123-119 count.

This isn’t a juggernaut offensive team the Pelicans put on the floor. They’ve been decimated by injury. They’re basically playing for nothing, and yet they were the team which played harder and looked like they cared.

Anthony Davis scored 30 points and is my No. 1 Star of the Game. He had some great help though from Ryan Anderson with 26 points, Jrue Holiday with 22 points, and the Pelican bench.

Durant and Westbrook both had massive offensive nights, but it doesn’t matter if you have no defensive leadership on the team. There appears to be no defensive leadership on this basketball team. When you score 119 points against a team averaging 103 points a game and lose…. the check engine light comes on, but unless the Thunder organization all have their heads in the sand—that light came on quite some time ago.

This basketball team is going absolutely nowhere because at this point you have to question if they have the collective defensive heart to go any further than the first round this spring.

It’s not a cliché, defense wins championships, yet the Thunder and their two stars don’t seem to buy into the axiom.

OKC drops to 41-17, yet 1-3 since the All-Star break when their schedule got markedly tougher and they started playing better teams.

I’m cutting this short tonight, the GOP debate in Houston was far more interesting than the Thunder effort in New Orleans. The post debate shows are on and there’s really no point going any further with this recap.

The Thunder host Golden State on Saturday night on ESPN.

Mike Jackson