OKC Thunder 117 – Dallas Mavericks 114
Good basketball game on Sunday evening as the OKC Thunder without Kevin Durant for the sixth straight game made a sequence of game winning plays in the final three minutes to end the Mavericks winning streak at six games with a 117-114 win at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Even though Russell Westbrook led the way with a 31 point, 11 assist evening, and several big buckets when it mattered most, for the first time since Durant’s hamstring strain- multiple Thunder players stepped up their games coming down the stretch to help OKC improve to 8-6 overall and 3-3 without Durant.
Serge Ibaka with 16 points and 9 blocks would probably lead my list of Thunder players other than Westbrook stepping up when it mattered. Ibaka’s block of a Deron Williams layup attempt with 8.4 seconds left… in essence clinched it for the Thunder.
Dion Waiters, in his second start filling in for Durant was solid with 14 points and several big plays.
Nick Collison continued his excellent play of late with ten points, but more importantly solid overall floor play.
Anthony Morrow from last season was actually spotted at Chesapeake Energy Arena with a 14 point night on a 5-9 shooting night in 24 minutes. For the first time in a while–Morrow looked like one of the league’s better three point shooters going 2-3 from behind the arc. I liked the confidence he showed with his stroke. Maybe the fact he played 24 minutes and Kyle Singler played 3 minutes is significant in this Eureka moment provided by Billy Donovan.
Kanter chipped in 12 to round out a night in which six different Thunder players scored in double figures. Tough call, but I think I’ll go with Serge Ibaka as the OKCThunderGround No. 1 Star of the Game.
Deron Williams led Dallas in scoring with 20 pts. Wes Matthews had 18 points. My favorite name player in the NBA…Zaza Pachulia had a 12 point, 10 rebound night.
Dallas drops to 9-5 on the season which is good because I have them at No. 8 on my Daily Thunder Western Conference Regular Season Seeding Bracket Sheet.
Other things:
- After going an abysmal 3-29 from behind the arc against the Knicks, OKC got back to normal with a 9-22 night from three point land.
- 25 assists to 16 turnovers is something the Thunder can live with every night. Good ball movement which was rewarded with a 52.2% shooting night from the field overall.
- Kevin Durant missed his 61st game out of his last 96 games if you’re counting.
- Best win of the six game stretch of games without Durant.
- Possibly the second best win overall of the young season falling behind the opener against the Spurs.
- Golden State tied the NBA record of going 15-0 to open the season. Play the Lakers next.
- Rookie Cam Payne got torched again defensively when he set foot on the floor in the second quarter.
- Steven Adams missed two very big free throws at the end which fortunately didn’t cost OKC the game. It must be the hair. Unless he’s auditioning for a part in a Quinton Tarantino movie he should get rid of the hair. He doesn’t need that hair.
- Kevin McHale got fired earlier this week by the Rockets.
- Hope we’re seeing a new trend in the distribution of Morrow-Singler minutes.
Tomorrow night in Utah against the defensive minded Jazz and Enes Kanter’s old teammates.
Note to Steven Adams–If you’re hell bent on this new hair look—this would be better. Just trying to help. This would be a better look.
Or, maybe keep it long without the tail. That would work. Let it flow.
In the end I like Adams so it doesn’t really matter about the hair I guess. Seems like a very funny, genuine guy. Just make the free throws.