I thought it was perhaps one of the best games the Thunder has played since their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2016. Sam Presti had to be pleased because what we’re seeing now in Oklahoma City are Russell Westbrook and Paul George flexing their superstar muscles in a seamless manner. The team we saw tonight in Portland didn’t look like a first round choker. Instead, it looked more like a team which in the end could possibly get beyond the first round and make the Western Conference semi-finals.
Paul George was magnificent scoring 37 points, but I didn’t think he was the Thunder’s best player in Portland. For me, this was vintage Westbrook playing with poise and calibrating his decision making as a championship point guard should do. It was beautiful. If Steven Adams and Paul George had made some shots during the last few minutes the game wouldn’t have been this close. Westbrook did his job. He deferred just enough.
Combined, Westbrook and Paul George scored 68 of the Thunder’s points. They were lethal, timely, and seamless. They appear to have an understanding on how they want to go about this. They no longer have to wait for Carmelo to lug his fat ass down the court and take his 18 shots a game. Those shots now go to Dennis Schroeder who I currently have in the lead for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
As far as MVP…right now I’m going 1 Harden, 2 Kawhi, 3 The Mad Greek, 4 Paul George, and 5 LeBron. Without LeBron the Lakers are still shit, with him they’re a top four team in the West. What is it exactly Adam Walton is doing over there?
I don’t have Westbrook on my short list just yet, but he could get there if he bottles his shot selection and decision making like he did in Portland where the Thunder won for the first time since 2014.
Nerlens Noel was once again excellent and I thought his second half play elevated him to my No. 3 Star of the Game. OKC has never had a big like Noels coming off the bench in their existence. I don’t know how much it will take to keep Noels, but what I’d do is take the money Presti was going to give Abrines and a good part of Andre’s money and keep Nerlens if possible as a versatile defensive specialist.
Of note also was a huge blocked shot at the rim by Jerami Grant with just over two minutes remaining. That play alone has Jerami as my No. 4 Star of the Game. It’s hard not to love Jerami Grant. I see Harvey when I see Jerami… and quite frankly Harvey is one of my favorite OU players of all-time.
Diallo and Nader not scoring in this game doesn’t concern me a bit because this was a road game and you expect your stars to deliver the goods on the road in a playoff-like setting. This was a play-off like setting.
Patrick Patterson is fine. I don’t worry about him either.
When Russell Westbrook plays like this the Thunder are a different animal. Maybe even a dangerous one.
But to get where Sam Presti wants them to get they need not only be dangerous, but very smart—and for the most part the Thunder were a smart team in Portland on Friday night.
Smart teams with talent advance, dumb ones don’t. This isn’t complex.
The Thunder host Scott Brooks on Sunday night inside the Peake.