I’ll start with this because I always try to be fair on my blog…I thought Chet was excellent last night. I might even go as far to write I thought it may have been his best game of the season.
I no have idea if he will make the All-Star game, I could care less. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t so as to cause him to play with a chip on his shoulder every night. It’s that Lombardi in me trying to find the mode in which to motivate Chet to be the best version of himself as a player.*
And let me add this as well…Mike J is weary of the two Thunder sychophants, Little Nick Gallo and Michael Cage pimping the notion Chet should be an easy pick to make the All-Star Game. Enough of the pimping from those two…it’s an embarrassment to OKC as a city. It undoes every pragmatic PR thing David Holt has tried to accomplish in representing the city as a big-time town on the way up.
But I know this—if Chet plays with that type of emotional engagement for four periods… the Thunder most likely will be having another parade in downtown Oklahoma City this June.
I don’t think that’s hyperbole or overstatement. If Chet brings last night’s game with him to the second half of this season, the Thunder will be extremely difficult for any of the other NBA teams to beat in a seven game series.
This Thunder win in Houston last night was about Thunder ‘signature’ defense and hitting some key threes to open the fourth period, but as was the case in the San Antonio win—it wasn’t about massive turnovers and Forty Minutes of Hell.
I’m not going to list who scored what for the Thunder last night. That’s not what this game was about. This was about the Thunder’s defense on their end of the court basically shutting down the Rockets the first ten minutes of the fourth period.
Here’s my stat of the game…the Houston Rockets scored eight points in the first ten minutes in the fourth period.
Ball game.
The Thunder shut down Kevin Durant as he went 7-23 on the night. The Thunder shut down Amen Thompson for a 4-16 night from the field. The Thunder shut down Jabari Smith as well minus a couple of early threes.
But most of all… the Thunder contained Alperin Segun enough when they turned this game into a rout in the second half of the fourth period.
The Rockets actually had more possesions and more shots from the field than the Thunder. This was about the Thunder collectively staying in front of their man defensively and shutting down the Houston Rockets because they can WHEN THEY COLLECTIVELY SET THEIR MINDS TO DO IT AS A TEAM.
Lu Dort was my No. 2 Star of the Game and Cason Wallace was my No. 3 Star of that Game.
The Thunder have now won five games in a row and stand 37-5 one game into the second half of the arduous 82-game NBA regular season. Why would I use the adjective ‘arduous’ all of the sudden? Because I feel I to need to in a manner a speaking to repair the damage Little Nick Gallo and Michael Cage are inflicting upon the national perception of Oklahoma City.
I thought for a second there we had Yassir Afarat Jr. now doing the Thunder post gamers over there at FanDuel. But…alas it was Little Nick Gallo going viral with the brand. I have to admit….I thought it was cute and branding genius. Lest we forget it was this kind of stuff which propelled Craig Sager to the top tier of NBA sideline reporting. It’s all about the brand, baby.
OKC Thunder at Miami tomorrow in a game in which I hope we see Bam, Tyler Herro, and Norman Powell all on the floor.
Have a meaningful NFL Divisional Round week-end. This is my favorite week-end of the entire NFL season.
Love and mercy.
- MJ footnore from above:Lombardi oncdce said you can find any coach to draw up a play or run a practice. But it’s that coach who can motivate his players who win the ultimate prize when it matters most who’s the guy you want coaching your team. That’s why the trophy is named after Vince Lombardi.
Mike J