On this frigid dismal night in the Arctic tundra, the Thunder not only were walloped by Karl Anthony-Townes, but their reality made even worse as the healthy Houston Rockets zoomed past them for the No. 3 seed in the West.
Houston may or may not catch the slumping Nuggets for the No. 2 seed, but as the Rockets continue to show what they will be come April if Chris Paul can stay healthy—it’s anyone’s guess on how far the Thunder will fall by the time the playoffs start in mid April.
Keep this in mind, since the road loss in Boston on February 3rd, this Thunder team is a collective 1-5 on the road. I only write this because the next three games for the Thunder are at Portland, at the LA Clippers and then in Salt Lake City. All three of these teams linger behind the stalling Thunder and all three will be road games where the Thunder’s opponent has a great deal to play for as far as seeding position.
I had the Thunder at No. 4 on my Western Conference bracket sheet, but the reality looms Sam Presti’s team is in danger of falling to the No. 6 seed if they’re not careful.Paul George returned on Tuesday night against the Wolves, but it mattered little as the Thunder were virtually non-existent once again on the defensive end of the floor in giving up 71 first half points and 131 on the night. Allowing ‘only’ sixty points in the second half was the moral victory.
Karl Anthony-Townes destroyed the Thunder with a 41 point, 14 rebound night while Derek Rose made it appear the Thunder’s defense was running in quicksand. This wasn’t 2011 Derek Rose, but coupled with KAT he was enough of himself to make the Thunder look completely and utterly outclassed on the evening.
On the night, Westbrook and George took a combined 53 shots. As a pair they made 23 shots. As a team the Thunder took 94 shots…do the math.
You know, I sit here in Deer Creek, Oklahoma with my sleepy little obscure blog just doing my thing and following this NBA small market story. I don’t rant or rage anymore. I’ve settled into the reality of the situation in Oklahoma. The situation being, like as with education—these people seem fine was underachievement. It doesn’t seem to bother anyone.
The ownership group seems fine. The general manager seems fine. The players never seem overly urgent. The fans have never uttered a boo except for when the player who led them to the four Western Conference Finals comes rolling back to town with the Warriors. Then the fans boos like I’ve never heard fans boo in my like. It’s almost ugly.
It’s such an odd thing with the NBA in Oklahoma. It really is…almost like Mystery, Alaska for hoops. Yet, other than Jim Traber—no one seems to care on how much they spend and how little they have accomplished since Durant.
Very odd.
The Thunder in Portland on Thursday night in the late TNT game.
Awesome post! Can’t wait to find out more from you.