The Thunder have a big game tonight at home versus the Boston Celtics. With a win, OKC can improve to 5-3 and have a three game winning streak in the works. So far into this young season the Thunder have emerged as one of the better defensive teams in the league. This should be of no surprise with the addition of Paul George, the re-signing of Andre Roberson, and the continual evolution of Jerami Grant. Throw Steven Adams’ defensive versatility into the mix and the fact Russell Westbrook was at one time a defense first guard—and you have the makings of a very good defensive team.
The Philly Sixers have always been my favorite team in the East. Like from the first grade to the present. It probably started for me with Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer–then went thru Dr. J and Maurice Cheeks–and in the present seeing all these young players assembled in Philly trying to restore the Sixer brand.
So what does Jerami Grant bring to the Thunder? He brings a freakish athletic frame and a versatile game. He can run the floor. He can defend. He can rebound. He can score, and unlike Andre Roberson, he’s not horrible from the line. He can be Billy Donovan’s do anything sub from the bench and play various positions on the floor in either a conventional lineup set or playing with a small ball unit.
Consider if OKC needs a unit on the floor to get a stop against the Warriors–Billy Donovan has the luxury of putting Westbrook, George, Adams, Grant, and Roberson on the floor together. Name five better defenders on the same team in the West currently. You might go…. Thompson, Durant, Draymond Green, Iguodala, and Za Za with the Warriors. To get these five I had to sit Carmelo and Steph, but still it was fun to do from a defensive standpoint.
What Sam Presti did this summer besides adding Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to the team was to turn OKC into one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Say what you want about the Warriors ability to score the ball, but defensive guru Ron Adams has the Warriors playing defense when it matters. The Warriors defense is a big part of why they are who they are currently.
I love Jerami Grant as a player. He reminds me a bit of Stacy Augmon back from his UNLV days. Moving forward–I’m hopeful Billy Donovan expands his role even more.