After playing uninspired ball in Dallas on Saturday night and losing their seven game winning streak, the Thunder got back to winning with a taking care of business 118-101 win over the pitiful Phoenix Suns. The main goal in Phoenix this season is to lose enough games to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for the honor of being the worst team in the NBA come mid April.
Paul George decided to play the Batman role and was superb in leading the Thunder to a coast to coast easy win. PG scored 32 points, grabbed 8 boards, and had 6 assists.
Dennis Schroder or DS from this point moving forward frolicked being Robin scoring 20 points, adding 9 assists, and making 4 steals. Steven Adams scored whenever he really wanted to while adding 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Jerami Grant was solid. Terrance Ferguson played the Andre Roberson role with effective energy and was +30 on the night.
The bench was much better tonight than it was in Dallas scoring 33 points. Wild Thing Jr. was excellent with 9 points and his usual high torque energy contributions. I love Diallo. I do. He’s my kind of ball player.
Russell Westbrook missed his fourth straight game and to be honest with you it appeared the Thunder never missed him in this game against the abysmal Suns. I would just keep Westbrook out until he’s completely healthy. The Thunder play the Warriors at home on November 21st and that’s where I would want Russell Westbrook back in complete and total good health moving forward. There’s no need for him to rush back. These guys need to keep getting better without him and develop complete confidence in their own play.
The West is shaping up as the Warriors and pretty much about six or seven teams who could be the second best team in the conference. Houston is not what they were last season. So..if I’m Donovan I want the rest of my players improving to the point where when Westbrook returns he can do it with reduced usage and for the first time in a long while concentrate on being an honest two way player. That means I want Westbrook playing defense much like the rest of the team is playing defense. The Thunder have done the Oscar Roberstson thing, it’s time to become a real basketball team. Period.
The Thunder host another bad team this Wednesday night when they play the woeful New York Knicks inside the Peake.
The Thunder behind their Big Three minus Westbrook need to come out fast and take care of business.
Because that’s what good basketball teams do.