For the second time in three games, the OKC Thunder lost to a top three Western Conference team wilting under an avalanche disparity of made threes. Golden State buried the Thunder by being a +33 shooting three balls last Monday. This afternoon in Houston the Thunder were -27 in the three point scoring department. As was the case against the Warriors, the Thunder were never a threat to win this game beyond the middle of the second period.
This is very simple math, the OKC Thunder cannot spot the Warriors and Rockets 33 and 27 points respectively from three point land and have a chance to win games. Houston was 20-39 (51.3%) on threes, while OKC was 11-30. Overall, Houston shot 63.3 % from the field and it never really appeared the Thunder could defend a Rocket team which was missing Ryan Anderson and only used eight players in this game.
Four Rocket players scored twenty or more points with Lou Williams leading the way with 31 points. Trevor Ariza and Eric Gorden both scored 24 points for the Rockets. James Harden had his customary stat stocked game with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists. Houston won its 51st game of the season, but it’s still really hard for me to think of the Rockets in the same frame as Golden State, Cleveland, or San Antonio, but more like a next tier team such as the Boston Celtics in the East.
Russell Westbrook notched his 36th triple double of the season, but just didn’t get enough help from his teammates. Again, when you’re playing either the Warriors or Rockets it’s a math game. They’re making threes and you’re making twos. Even a Trump supporter can figure that deal out one would think. Look at it this way, in these two losses combined, OKC gave up 35 threes, while scoring only 15 three balls, even in Kellyanne Conway’s Alternate Universe that’s -60. Duh.
Westbrook’s line was 39 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists on a decent 13-28 shooting night. The Thunder are in serious trouble if either the Warriors or Rockets turn out to be a post season foe. I can’t think this game hurt Westbrook because it was apparent to anyone watching the game that Harden has teammates who consistently hit threes and Westbrook does not have that luxury.
Enes Kanter had another good offensive showing scoring 23 points in 22 minutes on a 9-12 shooting game. It has become apparent he’s Russell Westbrook’s only reliable game to game scorer at this point in the season with ten regular season games left on the slate.
OKC drops to 41-31 and has the tough task of playing a road back to back tomorrow night in Dallas. Of OKC’s ten remaning games, only four are against teams with a plus .500 record so in all likelihood a 47 or 48 win season is more in line as far as reasonable expectations.
I think most of us who follow the Thunder closely would have taken a 48 win season back on July 4th after Kevin Durant shared his secret with the world on the Player’s Tribune. So there’s no real reason to be down or dragging your head. We knew it was going to be the year of Russell Westbrook chasing Oscar Robertson and with ten games remaining Russell needs five more triple dubs to tie the Big O. I think he’ll do it. I do.
OKC in Dallas tomorrow night in a game which will be tough because as we know the Mavs can shoot some threes.