The first thing I would do is do not panic, but at the same time realize this roster and this team need to be doing the things which it can do well and build the season around those things. Don’t overthink this. This isn’t Moneyball with this group of shooters on this roster. This team should be attempting 26-28 threes a game instead of 38-40 threes a game.
I’d do what Pop is doing with the Spurs this season with DeRozan and Aldridge who are my two best players. Anotherwords, structure the offense around what my two stars do well. Which in the case of Aldridge and DeRozan is the mid-range game. The game will be played from the top of the key and not the top of the three point arch. Pretty simple.
Okay, now, Billy…let’s get down to specifics with this 0-3 clusterfuck we currently have with the Thunder. For the time being, the Terrance Ferguson experiment is over. Terrance will become a two way player with the G League team and his development will be closely mentored this season at the NBA level. He will not be in the rotation.
Alex Abrines will not be considered as a starter for the simple reason is that he’s too frilly and friggin’ hurt every time you turn around. I keep Abrines though in my nine man rotation because he’s the best pure shooter on the team and if ever a team was in need of a pure shooter it’s our team in OKC.
I start Diallo with the premise that Andre Roberson even if he comes back will not be the same player he was before the injury in Detroit. Twenty minutes a game seems about right for Diallo. I like his body and his attitude. He’ll get better.
I limit Dennis Schroeder’s exposure against first team NBA players. Anotherwords, I don’t play Schroeder as a first unit player paired with Westbrook. I make sure the bulk of his minutes are against second unit NBA players.
I tell Jerami Grant if he shoots another three point shot I’m going to break his arm. I want Jerami getting to the rim. He needs to get to the rim because he absolutely sucks shooting the three.
Nerlens Noel is fine. It’s a scary situation when Nerlens Noel has been your most stable player to date, but that’s where this Thunder team is right now. Good job, Nerlens.
Patrick Patterson started off slowly last season, but came around to shoot 38% from behind the arc. I’d limit Pat to 16 minutes a game and give Jerami some of those power forward minutes with the starters provided Jerami understands if he shoots a three I’m going to break his fucking arm.
Okay…let’s start with Russell. You’re not Steph Curry. You don’t need to be chucking threes. You need to the toughest, grittiest point guard in the league. You need to get to the rim rolling with Steven on pick and roll. When that isn’t there you pick and pop with your fishing buddy Paul George. When that isn’t there you go to the elbow with that mid-range pullup which is the best part of your offensive game. Don’t feel bad because Steph Curry isn’t Russell Westbrook and he knows it. Be Russell Westbrook. and it wouldn’t hurt to show the world that part of your defensive game which you showed at UCLA.
Paul George, you’re not the best player on this team. Russell Westbrook is. You’re Robin, he’s Batman. When he sets you up you need to be burying shots and not going invisible into the night like you did in Game 6 in Salt Lake. I know Billy Donovan is too nice to say this, but I’m not as nice as Billy Donovan…pick it up. To be a star in this league you can’t just play well two out of every three nights. You can’t go invisible every third game. Russell needs you.
Steven, I’ll get right to the point. You’re being paid $25 million dollars. This team needs to see a $25 million dollar player every night. Your rebounding has been good. Your offensive production has been okay given how stupidly this team has been told to play these first three games. Get to the rim on pick and roll. Work on the baseline Euro step and keep going with the soft hook. Free throws are my biggest gripe with you. To make you an integral part of the offense you need to at least become a 68% guy from the line. Mentally bear down on your free throws. Good job, otherwise.
If I were Billy Donovan’s assistant head coach this is what I would have been saying to ‘my players’ today in preparation for Boston on Thursday.
Let’s go beat Boston and turn our season around.