Golden State Does Enough to Force Game 6 in OKC

Golden State Warriors 120 — Oklahoma City Thunder 111

Thunder lead series 3-2

Game 6 in OKC on Saturday

It’s hard to tell if Golden State imposed their will or if OKC just fell back into some of the bad habits which nagged their season before these playoffs. Steven Adams was whistled for two very soft early fouls, had to sit, and then something happened we hadn’t seen to date in this series–namely, Andrew Bogut was a factor.

With Adams sitting early it was ugly for OKC while Bogut got going on his way to a 15 point, 14 rebound night. His breakout game was a big factor in this one as Golden State and OKC each had 45 rebounds in the game and it wasn’t nearly as easy for OKC to finish at the rim as it was in the two blowout wins in Oklahoma City.

But there it is–the rebounds. If Golden State can hang with the Thunder on the boards in this series they have a chance. A tough overall night for the Thunder and to me it’s actually amazing this game was as close as it turned out to be with the Thunder having a chance to cut it to three with around thirty seconds left when Durant missed an open three.

OKC not only didn’t win the boards, but they in no way resembled the team which made the cover of Sports Illustrated for their new look in these playoffs so far.

I thought Russell Westbrook had a very tough night as far as getting the Thunder into their offense. Some very bad live ball turnovers which got the Warriors into transition and accounted for the Warriors hammering the Thunder in transition  at times. On the night, Westbrook had seven turnovers.

The Warriors in essence won the rebounding battle, won transition points, won points in the paint, won the bench battle 30-13, and outscored the Thunder by 11 points from the free throw line. In reality, they should have won the game by a more comfortable margin than they did.

OKC reverted back to two man ball. Durant and Westbrook went 23-59 from the field combined. Of OKC’s team total of 91 shots, Durant and Westbrook basically took two thirds of the shots on a night when neither was having an efficient shooting night. It looked more like the Thunder of the past than the Thunder we’ve seen of late.

But to their defense, OKC got nothing from Dion Waiters or Enes Kanter in this game so with Adams struggling through early foul trouble, Randy Foye not really a serious threat, Andre Roberson not a double figure guy you can rely on offensively—it’s not like there were any other options other Ibaka who ended up having a decent offensive game with some made baskets in the second half.

Billy Donovan did try something different in this game as Anthony Morrow got some minutes and responded with 10 points making all four of his shots. I would have rolled a little more with Morrow in this one after he made his first three shots since the Thunder weren’t getting much of anything from Waiters and Kanter, but that’s just me.

Conversely, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson only launched 41 shots combined as the Warriors as in Game 2 got more people involved in scoring the ball. This series has been fairly simple—the team which wins the boards, moves the ball, and gets more players in double figures wins the games.

The two early foul calls on Adams were an early factor, but it can’t be an excuse because he came back and played the rest of the game.

To the Thunder’s credit they didn’t just call it in despite all the things which didn’t go their way. They competed even though it was ugly. So I can’t really sit here and be too negative because no one really thought they were going to win Game 5 in Oakland anyway.

Game 6 has always been the final point of OKC’s roadmap to winning this series. I don’t even consider a Game 7 a viable option for the Thunder if they lose Game 6. It’s win on Saturday night in Oklahoma City or spend an entire summer wondering if Durant and Westbrook will ever win a championship together.

Throughout the Durant-Westbrook years in OKC, the Thunder have never lost a home closeout game although they were closed out in 2014 at home by the Spurs, in 2013 at home in Game 5 by the Memphis Grizzlies, and in 2009 at home in Game 6 to the Lakers on the Gasol putback. So–I’m a little confused as to the Thunder’s home playoff invincibility in close out games according to the local OKC media.

So I guess it depends on how you view Game 6, is it a closeout game for the Thunder or the Warriors because the chances of OKC winning a Game 7 in Oakland are twofold, as in slim and none.

An historic Game 6 set to take place in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. The way this game goes will determine how we view Durant, Westbrook, and the Thunder in the big picture of things.

If I were the Thunder–I’d hit the boards with a vengeance, get out in transition, move the ball, and get something from its bench if it wants this to be a  happy ending in Game 6.

Mike Jackson

 

 

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