It was actually kind of boring even with Russell Westbrook sitting and it being the TNT early game of the night. The now progressive Oklahoma City crowd did the right thing and didn’t boo Carmelo even though he was vintage horrible only making one shot on the night. It was that kind of night. A night where the Thunder without their best player from last year in Westbrook and without their biggest defensive liability in Carmelo from last year coasted past a Rockets team which isn’t that good without Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute by a score of 98-80.
It was really just kind of boring.
If the NBA Executive of the Year award were to be awarded based on last night’s games then Sam Presti would have it on his office desk this morning. Presti would/could be the frontrunner if Billy Donovan can harness Russell Westbrook enough to get more defense from his star and less three point chucking when it’s not needed.
The fact Daryl Morey in Houston now has Carmelo as a Rocket and it’s not any longer Sam Presti’s problem in and of itself would qualify Presti as NBA Exec of the Year.
But enough of that.
Paul George isn’t Batman, but what he is when he brings his complete game to the arena is a very nice balanced player who ultimately could be the player to hopefully help Russell Westbrook get around this last bend in the point guard championship learning curve. Paul George was rock solid against the Rockets with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals and a +34. It wasn’t flashy, but it was winning basketball pure and simple.
If I could sit next to Russell Westbrook and tell him three things basketball related they would be.. 1 play defense with the same commitment as Paul George, 2 quit shooting bad threes, and 3 calibrate risk in a more sagacious manner in the last six minutes.. That’s it.
The whole Thunder team was good on Thursday. In all six players scored in double figures. Steven Adams looked like he was toying with the Rockets. Terrance Ferguson was excellent and won’t be headed to the G League as he hit 4-9 from three and was +24. Quite simply, Ferguson looked like the player we all hoped Andre Roberson could become if he ever figured out his broken shot. I don’t want to go too far with Ferguson this early, but we’re starting to see the rational behind what Presti is doing with this Thunder team. On this night Presti’s Thunder shot 9-37 from threes and yet still routed the Rockets in a game which was never close.
Here’s what Presti is doing, he’s putting a team together including Andre Roberson as the 11th or 12th guy who can all play defense when Russell Westbrook plays defense like he did at UCLA before he became a fashion icon.
Just look at the roster from a defensive standpoint and tell me who the pylon is amongst this group? There isn’t a horrible defender when Westbrook is trying. Presti has shored up the defense with the additions of Nerlens Noel and Diallo. With the addition of Noel this is the best Thunder defensive team in their eleven year existence if Roberson can come back and just play a role of any sort.
In this day of analytics you wonder if you can win it all doing it this way, but always remember this in closing, there’s a reason Ron Adams sits next to Steve Kerr on that Warriors’ bench…the reason being defense still wins championships.
With Golden State’s home blowout loss against Mike Budenholzer’s Bucks last night one should always be reminded nothing stays permanently stagnant in sports and life. Steph is getting an MRI on his groin today. Things always change.
The Thunder now have the league’s longest current winning streak at seven. The team appears to be listening to Billy Donovan. Life and basketball can sometimes be funny this way.
The Thunder in Dallas tomorrow night to play Rick Carlisle’s still struggling Mavs. If the Thunder beat Carlisle without Westbrook what does that say?
If Russell Westbrook isn’t a hundred per cent he should sit.
The Thunder have him covered.
The Warriors’ transition defense with Ron Adams. Ignore the audio. As Thunder fans we know how to ignore audio after ten years of Brian Davis.
Like with hockey, defense should seamlessly transition into offense. Defense kick starts offense. If only Russell Westbrook could become Bobby Orr.I could ascend to the basketball heavens tomorrow.