In a season which has brought torment, angst, and even some tears during the low points— the OKC Thunder put it all together on Sunday at Toronto in snapping the Raptors eleven game win streak by winning a 132-125 slugfest which might have been the best game of the season.
This game had everything. There were forty something lead changes. Multiple ties. Ebbs and flows from both teams which usually floor an opponent. But not in this game. The Thunder and Raptors went toe to toe for forty-eight minutes and when the smoke cleared the Thunder had their sixth straight win and a season best record of 43-29 at fourteen games over .500.
There was Serge Ibaka accidently doing a Draymond Green on Steven Adams. There was Adams coming back and giving the Thunder some toughness. There was Russell Westbrook playing brilliantly in the fourth period and making all the plays which put the Thunder over the top. And then there was Kyle Lowery, DeMar DeRozan, and Serge Ibaka all getting ejected at the end. Even Raptor head coach Dwayne Casey got heaved as well, but he simply folded his jacket and left the floor as the Toronto crowd heaved their vocal displeasure on the zebras. This game basically had it all. Bravo.
All five Thunder starters scored in double figures with Westbrook leading the way with a 37 point-headed triple double that was perhaps as good as you’ll ever witness Westbrook in a game against a team as good as the Raptors.
Steven Adams was excellent and virtually unstoppable on the pick and roll in scoring 25 points. If Ibaka hadn’t derailed Adams with a Draymond Green kick it appeared Adams would have scored in the thirties and established a career high.
Both Paul George and Carmelo Anthony had nice games as well as there seemed to be an understanding amongst the starters that Westbrook and Adams were very much on and needed the ball in their hands.
Then of course there was Corey Brewer once again scoring in double figures, making a couple of steals once again down the stretch, and doing a myriad of little things which have brought this Thunder team from the edge of the abyss to the point where they seem to be what we thought they might be way back when this season started back in October. Namely a contender.
The Thunder are now 6-1 in the Corey Brewer Era and winners of six straight with a road game at Boston on Tuesday night with a real chance to extend the streak to seven games against a banged up Celtics team which is limping towards the finish line. Suffice it to say if the Thunder go 2-0 on this East coast road trip the Thunder will have done something very nice in this tough closing round of games which should bode well for their playoff seeding.
As Thunder fans we waited, we waited, and we waited—and now it appears the Thunder are perhaps the team we hoped they might be back with all those airport arrivals last summer.
But with this team I won’t go there just yet. In my heart I want to believe these guys could be the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. My heart wants me to believe it, but my head tells me to tap the brakes and be cautious with my heart.
But I do know this, since Corey Brewer became a starter this Thunder team is playing beautiful team basketball. There’s a flow on both ends of the floor. It isn’t ugly and you don’t want to scream in horror. There’s a feel of optimism in the city about the basketball team which hasn’t been here for awhile. You can feel it. You really can and that’s what makes a small market team very special in a place like Oklahoma City.
The Thunder at Boston tomorrow night.