Since the beginning of round two, the Thunder have played like the bear who was poked too many times. It took just one blowout loss against the Spurs in Game 1 for fans and media alike to begin asking whether Kevin Durant would join San Antonio or Golden State this summer.
Maybe it was Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban who really ticked them off. But the Thunder certainly seemed aware of the fact that nearly everyone had counted them out of the championship conversation. Then Durant gave the reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year the business while running mate Russell Westbrook went off as well. The series versus the 67-win Spurs was over in six games, and before we knew it the Thunder had taken a convincing 3-1 series lead against the 73-win defending champs.
But that has since evaporated.
Game 5
Jonathan Tjarks effectively summed up Game 5 for The Ringer on Facebook, as Andrew Bogut’s huge performance helped the Warriors turn back time to avoid elimination at home.
Dion Waiters struggled off the bench (0-4 FG, zero points in 26 minutes), Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant committed turnovers and missed shots down the stretch, and the Warriors steamrolled Oklahoma City for 39 fourth-quarter points. Durant scored 40 points on 31 field-goal attempts. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry got his swagger back, passing Wilt Chamberlain for most points scored by a Warrior in the franchise’s playoff history. He and Thompson combined for an efficient 58 points on 41 shots compared to KD and Westbrook’s 71 points on 59 shots. Andre Roberson foulded out and Steven Adams was held in check after becoming X-factors over the first four contests. Shaun Livingston and Marreese Speights were especially strong to start the fourth quarter, and the mixed bench unit to start the fourth quarter helped widen what was ultimately an insurmountable lead for Golden State. Andre Iguodala was also excellent, scoring eight points and dishing eight assists off the bench.
Game 6
A lob from Westbrook to Roberson put the Thunder ahead 33-21 early in second quarter, and things were looking good for the home team. Just when the Warriors began to narrow the deficit, Adams threw home a vicious one-handed slam followed by a quick bucket by Durant on the next possession to push the lead back up to 11. Again, a Durant foul-line jumper out of a timeout stretched the lead to 13 later. However, immediately afterwards, Thompson sunk his second triple on what would become a historic night. The very next Golden State possession—another trey for Klay, 34-41.
Golden State kept fighting to stay in the game with Thompson raining from beyond the arc, but the Thunder re-established an eight-point lead with less than two minutes in the first half.
Every time the Thunder seemed like they might run away with the game, the Warriors closed the gap. If at any point early on things seemed truly destined to go OKC’s way, it was late in the first half when Stephen Curry missed two straight free throws that led to a Westbrook transition layup in the blink of an eye. But again the Warriors responded, this time with Harrison Barnes converting an and-one to bring Golden State within five at the end of the half.
The Warriors were likely happy to be breathing at halftime after they shot 36 percent in the first half compared to the Thunder’s 44 percent. Going nine-for-21 from three-point land was their saving grace, but Thompson was only getting started.
The Thunder bench was really into the game during the first half, partying it up, full of smiles and laughter. Thompson splashed his fifth three of the night to open the third quarter, bringing Golden State within two. Then he gave them a brief lead with another three on the next possession. The Warrior bench got into the game and crowd got quiet. Curry was more active in the third, attacking the paint, earning trips to the line, and shooting from deep without conscious or hesitation. Roberson picked up his fifth foul in the third while Green picked up his fourth. The Thunder closed the third quarter on a 9-2 run capped by an Anthony Morrow airball landing right in the lap of Enes Kanter for a lucky layup. Oklahoma had to be feeling pretty good up 83-75 at the end of the third quarter.
Thompson started the fourth in style with yet another three. Durant drove hard at rim on other end, as Speights receives no respect from the Thunder (they attack the rim relentlessly whenever he’s on the floor). Kerr subbed Speights out immediately for Bogut, but the Australian big man would head to the bench for good just before the halfway mark in the final quarter as the Warriors went small.
A Klay for trey (his eighth of the night) with just under 10 min left answered Durant’s drive before another Westbrook strike. With an 89-81 lead and just under nine minutes, the season looked like it was starting to slip away from Golden State. Behold, Klay answered with another raindrop. The Thunder’s good fortunes continued to ring though, a Serge Ibaka airball landing in the lap of Adams for another fluky layup. Barnes then answered with a corner trey.
After Bogut exited and the Dubs went small with Green at center, Russ dove towards the rim for an easy basket. Green missed a simple put-back layup, then committed his fifth foul with Adams tumbling to the floor. Dray hurled some expletives at Adams, then the Thunder big man made one of two from the stripe to give the Thunder a 94-87 lead. A rare two-pointer for Thompson off a curl to the basket brought the Warriors within five, and after that Curry and Thompson sealed the deal with no shortage of help from Iguodala—who stripped KD several times on defense while forcing him into an inefficient night. Curry and Thomspon finished with 72 points on 52 field-goal attempts while KD and Russ managed 57 points on 58 field-goal attempts. That type of efficiency is not going to get the job done against this Warriors team, and Oklahoma City knows it.
Looking Ahead
The Thunder allowed the Warriors to get out in transition during Game’s 5 and 6, which is a recipe for disaster back at Oracle Arena. Oklahoma City cannot have lapses where Thompson or Curry aren’t accounted for in transition. Westbrook has to stop ball-watching and letting Curry sneak away to an uncharted territory where he is then fed the rock. If Curry is going to cross up the Thunder’s lengthy defenders and splash from beyond the arc, you do your best and grit your teeth—but Oklahoma City will kick themselves all summer long if they keep allowing Curry to get wide open looks because of laziness or lack of attention to detail.
On offense, Westbrook is probably better off being the original attacker as opposed to Durant. Durant will fill it up on anybody, but if Iguodala is going to be matched up man-to-man with help waiting it’s just far too predictable. The Warriors are completely thrown off course by Westbrook’s downhill speed in the pick-and-roll game, and Durant is much more effective away from the ball than Westbrook.
After laughing when asked whether Curry’s defense was underrated following Game 5, Westbrook had arguably his least impressive showing of the series in Game 6. I fully expect him to go at everyone and anyone who steps up to cover him in Game 7, and it won’t be a shocker if he and KD lead the Thunder to victory. Nevertheless, it does feel like the Thunder have let the series get away heading back to Oracle Arena for Game 7. Having won Game 1 on the road, they know it’s possible—but the Thunder surely wish they had buried this team ages ago.
Last year, the Cavaliers went from winning a third straight lottery to landing LeBron James and reaching the NBA Finals. After missing the playoffs last season for the first time since year one in Oklahoma, the Thunder look to reach the Finals for the first time since 2011-12 and earn a rematch versus James.
Having come back from 3-1, it all seems to be slipping away from Oklahoma City—but Game 7 on Monday night might boast the best ratings in basketball history. Foul trouble will be a massive key to the contest, as will the efficiency of both backcourt tandems. Stars may win games, but role players have to step up as well. Who will be the difference-maker in this all-important Game 7? The battle sets the stage for what should be an outstanding NBA Finals, as Cleveland is peaking here in the postseason. It’s either a short turnaround for Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals or a month-long wait until July. I still have a tough time imagining Durant leaving this squad in free agency, but the very same questions will re-emerge should they fall in Oakland. Game 7 can’t start soon enough.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
