For the fourth straight game, Victor Oladipo and Taj Gibson started together and for the fourth straight game the Oklahoma City found themselves in the win column while playing its best basketball of the season at just the right time of the year.
With the 123-102 win, the Thunder find themselves sitting at 39-29 and peaking with a relatively manageable schedule on the immediate horizon.
It was a surprisingly easy win for the Thunder as they led almost coast to coast. It was so easy Russell Westbrook notched his 34th triple double of the season with 3:56 left in the third period. It was so easy OKC led by as many as 32 points at one point in the mismatch. It was so easy Russell Westbrook didn’t need to play in the fourth period.
It was another stellar Westbrook line with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists. It was vintage Westbrook with only 17 shots attempted. It was a no sweat game which found seven different Thunder players scoring double figures and 33 assists for the Thunder. OKC shot 53.4% from the field and 56% from threes going 14-25 as a team.
For the fourth straight game, Victor Oladipo was excellent as his line was 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.
With the return of Oladipo and the insertion of Taj Gibson into the starting lineup the Thunder have turned themselves into a legitimate basketball team which doesn’t just stand around watching Russell Westbrook.
OKC has fourteen regular season games remaining and suddenly finds itself within a game of the Clippers and the No. 5 seed.
With the two straight road wins OKC improves to 14-20 on the road and with the addition of Gibson appears to be a much calmer, poised group.
To reach the 50 win plateau, OKC would need to close out the season going 11-3. With Kevin Durant’s knee injury and LaMarcus Aldridge’s heart situation all the sudden the West doesn’t seem as stacked against the Thunder as it was not that long ago.
Is this Fool’s Gold or has the Thunder turned a legitimate corner?
If they continue to play like this then it’s not crazy talk to visualize fifty wins.
The Thunder host the Sacramento Kings on early Saturday afternoon which should provide great odds for Westbrook’s 35th triple dub and the Thunder’s 5th straight win.
Playing the right way and winning are fun things. It was a very fun night for the Thunder and its fans in Toronto as the hope of a turner corned makes every Thunder fan think maybe there could be more to this season than just Westbrook chasing Robertson.