I took a little breather from NFL football last night to watch the Thunder play a 20-14 Phoenix Sun team on the road. The reason I did this is because OKC’s schedule these first 36 games has pretty much been trash and perhaps the easiest schedule of any team in the NBA a mere five games away from the halfway point of the regular season.
When Phoenix has a healthy Devin Booker and can keep Dillon Brooks’ worst instincts under control, plus get some offensive help from a third player…like in the case last night…Jordan Goodwin–this is a Phoenix team with the way they play defense who could be interesting to watch in the Western Conference.
Devin Booker may have slayed the the now 30-6 Thunder with the game winner, but it was Jordan Goodwin who put the Suns in the position to take down the Thunder with a career scoring night. On the night…Jordan scored 26 points and dropped eight threes to give the Suns a three headed scoring triangle which in essence outplayed the Thunder’s three stars of Shai, JDub, and Chet.
In the NBA you just have to have that third guy who gives you offense on every night and if Jordan Goodwin can evolve into that role for Phoenix…I would say the Suns who now sit in the No. 7 spot in the West will be fun to watch.
One game means nothing for the Thunder. They still sit atop the West with a comfortable margin over second place San Antonio, but the schedule will get much tougher starting January 13th when the Thunder play at San Antonio in a game which will signal the first half marker of the 82 game regular season.
When you’re playing shitty teams with suspect guard play..its easy to turn on the Forty Minutes of Hell routine and create turnovers which create transition points.
I’ve written this a hundred times at least on this blog the past two to three seasons. If a team takes care of the ball, plays tough-minded defense, takes care of their boards, and has three guys who can consistently score the ball the Thunder are mortal even though I love calling Shai… Superman.
So…you know what?
Since Jordan Goodwin played like Superman last night in Phoenix-I think I’ll play Shai’s song for him.
Have a wonderful Monday and maybe tomorrow I’ll discuss our NFL Playoff schedule.
Mike J