The Utah Jazz aren’t going to make the Western Conference Finals, but they are the defending Northwest Division champions and on Saturday night in Utah they pretty much coasted to an easy 96-87 win over what appeared to be a confused Thunder team.
It was an ugly game to witness from a Thunder viewpoint. The Thunder are an athletic team which should thrive on transition baskets and the pure energy of Russell Westbrook. Instead, on Saturday night what we saw was too much of Melo and Paul George hoisting a combined 46 shots. OKC was passive offensively, never seemed interested in getting Westbrook to the rim and looked more like a bad Eastern Conference also ran than a team some have picked to win the NBA championship this summer.
On the night, Westbrook had six points on 2-11 shooting. Granted, Westbrook did have 13 rebounds and 9 assists, but the staple of his game is getting to the rim. Utah is one of the better defensive teams in the West with Rudy Gobert protecting the rim, but OKC just didn’t seem interested in doing more than chucking thirty-three three point attempts of which they hit eleven. Overall, OKC shot 41% from the field and give Utah some credit, but the OKC plan for this game was bad. This is a Utah team which lost Gordon Hayward and George Hill, this is a Thunder team which added Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. Give me somewhat of a break here.
I expect more from Billy Donovan as a coach. I’m all in with the concept of Westbrook being more of a Mo Cheeks type of point guard who facilitates George and Anthony, but I’m not on board with the thought of Donovan neutering his best player and the league’s reigning MVP. Some middle ground would be nice. I’m not a shot counter, but I don’t see Carmelo Anthony as the guy who needs to have 26 shots flowing through his game on most nights this season.
I wrote about this before the season in relation to Mo Cheeks and the championship he won in ’83 with the Sixers when he facilitated Dr. J and Moses Malone. Mo Cheeks in my mind was that team’s MVP as he weaved a game in which he scored, yet facilitated Julius Irving without draining the energy from his team.
If I’m coaching this team my mantra is transition, penetration, and then kick outs if the rim isn’t there. Plus, get Adams more involved on pick and roll.
I hated what I saw from the Thunder last night. This shouldn’t be a day care deal for Carmelo. He should be the second or third option. He should earn his touches based on based on his feel on a particular night. If it’s there, it’s there. Know what I mean.
I know it’s early in the season and this is a process…blah, blah, blah. Tell me if I’m wrong here– but if centering a team around Carmelo’s touches is the template then why were the Knicks the biggest underachievers in the NBA the past six seasons?
I want to see the ball move. I want to see transition created from our defensive length. I want to less chucking from Carmelo. But most of all I want to see Russell Westbrook play like Russell Westbrook.
Having written all that, Golden State is 1-2 this season and it’s early in the season.
Minnesota Timberwolves in town tonight to take on the Thunder.
Russell, please watch.