Oklahoma City Thunder: Durant Shows Up

The Oklahoma City Thunder split Games 3 and 4 against the San Antonio Spurs. Who stepped up, what needs work, and can they pull of the upset?

Game 3: If buzzards were circling around Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder before Game 2, the wild one-point win only temporarily shooed them away. The Spurs’ starting forwards continued their run of dominance, as Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 55 points, 19 rebounds and 24 free-throw attempts. Russell Westbrook affixed his blinders and kept shooting, ending up 10-31 for an inefficient 31 points. Leonard cemented the outcome with a key offensive rebound in the final seconds and the Spurs took back home court with a 100-96 win.

Game 4: With those aforementioned buzzards circling, the Thunder entered Game 4 in “must win” mode. The Internet was filled with headlines about Durant’s final game in Oklahoma City – that is, if the Spurs won the next two games and Durant left in free agency, Game 4 would be his last home game in a Thunder jersey. Durant apparently did not appreciate the sentiment and had one of the best games of his career. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs to a quick double-digit lead in the first quarter before Durant and the Thunder came roaring back. Coach Billy Donovan made the strategic decision to ride Enes Kanter and Dion Waiters down the stretch, a move that worked brilliantly as the Spurs were outscored 34-16 in the final frame. Durant matched the scoring totals of Leonard and Aldridge combined, going 14-25 en route to 41 points, and the Thunder evened the series at 2-2 with a 111-97 win.

The Good: Scott Brooks was often criticized for his unwillingness to change up rotations, but Billy Donovan has been willing to think more out of the box. Although Ibaka is theoretically the team’s third-best player, Donovan didn’t like his effort or matchup and paired the twin towers, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter, in the 4th quarter. He also has rotated different options at the 2-guard next to Westbrook, using Anthony Morrow, Dion Waiter, Cam Payne, and Randy Foye in various games.

The Bad: Russell Westbrook attacked the basket in Game 2, ferociously driving past defenders to take high-percentage shots at the rim. Those shots have disappeared, and Russ is taking a collection of jumpers from all around the court. He has shot 15-49 over the last two games, an abysmal 30 percent from the field. His shooting woes from early in Round One allowed the talent-barren Dallas Mavericks to steal a game in Oklahoma City, and they have reared their ugly heads again. Westbrook has averaged 11.5 assists over the last two games, so he’s contributing, but he needs to attack the basket and take high-efficiency shots to help his team win another game in San Antonio and advance to the Conference Finals.

Looking Ahead: The Thunder head back to the Alamo Tuesday night in a pivotal Game 5; in best-of-seven-series when the home team wins Game 5, they go on to win the series 92% of the time. Game 6 takes place Thursday back in Oklahoma. The Thunder have defended much better in the three games since their Game 1 shellacking; if they can keep up that intensity, maximize their rotations, and take smart shots, they have a shot at taking this series to seven. If Kevin Durant continues to play like he did Sunday night, then they have a shot at much more.