Sticking to the script
For all the back and forth between the Rockets and the Thunder, the outcome of Game Five — and of the protagonists’ first- round series — could not have been more predictable. The red and white were favored from the get- go; all other things being equal, their deeper talent base figured to outlast the uneven roster of the blue and yellow. Lest fans forget, the composition of the latter was dictated by, and premised on, the return of erstwhile top dog Kevin Durant for the season and beyond; once he chose to pack his bags, its deficiencies became more evident, and not even trade- deadline acquisitions, however, key could boost its ceiling enough to stay competitive against the higher seeds.
For the most part, the script was the same in every outing. The Thunder would start fast, buoyed by preemptive Maurice Podoloff Trophy recipient Russell Westbrook’s always- onattack predilections, and then taper off as the minutes pile up. After halftime, they would get a second wind and again forge ahead, only to run out of gas in the crunch. Not for nothing were they outscored in the payoff period of every game, and by a lot; their collective output in the last 12 minutes of all the contests fell a whopping 50 points short of the Rockets’.
To be fair, the Rockets didn’t just boast of a superior skill set. They likewise benefited from more cohesiveness and fit; head coach Mike D’Antoni’s long-or-short-ball-only system catered to their strengths, especially under the leadership of Most Valuable Player candidate James Harden. And as outstanding as the Thunder’s defense was, their relentless assault on the basket — not to mention free-throw-friendly style — made the denouement inevitable.
No doubt, the Rockets will find the slugfest to be of help in preparing for the challenge posed by either the Spurs or the Grizzlies. Meanwhile, the Thunder have no reason to hang their heads; as overmatched as they wound up, they exceeded expectations; that they reached the playoffs after being abandoned by a surefire Hallof-Famer speaks volumes of their resolve. That said, they need to get busy in the offseason; in the deep, driven National Basketball
Association, one man is never enough.