Two in a row
Thunder’s victory over San Antonio on Sunday gives them back-toback wins at home.
Forget for a minute that the Spurs were short-handed. Focus on the Thunder. Russell Westbrook was particularly focused during one third-quarter stoppage.
Steven Adams was fouled and Westbrook immediately yelled to official Kane Fitzgerald “That’s their second! We shoot free throws.” Westbrook was right. San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray tried to block a Westbrook shot after the whistle. It was San Antonio’s second delay of game violation, which meant a free shot.
Miss. Westbrook walked off the line and slammed his hand on the scorer’s table. Adams stepped up after ... and
missed two more. Uh-oh. The Thunder’s thirdquarter slump odyssey was underway yet again.
But in Sunday’s 90-87 win over the Spurs, the Thunder was able to gut out its second consecutive win against a Western Conference foe, overcoming some frustration and lapses in concentration along the way.
Every so often in the marathon 82 games of the NBA, opposing teams trot out second units or lineups devoid of stars in order to rest players. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is notorious for the tactic.
The Spurs were on the first night of a roadhome back-to-back, so LaMarcus Aldridge (rest), Rudy Gay (sore right heel) and Tony Parker (return from injury management) all were held out. All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard still hasn’t played a game all season due to a right quadriceps injury.
But through 21 games, easy wins have been rare for the Thunder, particularly in the second half of games when its most consistent attribute has been a lack of focus.
The Thunder didn’t settle in the final period, the apex coming on Westbrook’s drive and pass to Paul George for a 3-pointer with 4:28 to go.
“Just moving the ball,” Westbrook said of the continued offensive flow in the fourth.
As the shot fell, George screamed as if releasing the frustration of his 1-of-14 shooting night leading up to it. It capped a 9-0 run just as it looked like the patchwork Spurs were writing another familiar Thunder script.
“They were obviously playing free and loose with nothing to lose,” Donovan said of the Spurs. “That’s what to me made it a great growth opportunity for our team on so many levels.”
Carmelo Anthony and George shot a combined 6-of-27. Three fouls shackled George’s firsthalf rhythm. Anthony took his game to the post in the fourth, yet finished with zero free throw attempts.
The combination of George, Anthony and Westbrook worked masterfully as ballhandlers in pick-and-roll en route to a 54-43 first-half lead. Seventeen of Adams’ 19 points came in the first half, the 7-footer running to the rim and abusing Pau Gasol so much that Popovich didn’t bother to play him in the second half.
Popovich went to former Thunder big Joffrey Lauvergne and 6-foot10 shooter Davis Bertans after halftime. Bertans canned three 3-pointers in the second half, so threatening that Donovan opted for Jerami Grant over Adams on the final two possessions for Grant’s ability to switch on defense.
In a one-possession game, Grant slid over and contested a drive to protect the Thunder’s 90-87 lead. Grant contested Bertans’ missed 3-pointer a possession later.
Westbrook recorded his league-best seventh triple-double of the season (19 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) but committed seven turnovers. With 13.2 seconds left, he was doubleteamed at halfcourt on an inbounds play and jumpturned to throw a pass toward George on the right wing. When George was late to the ball, the Spurs stole and missed an open 3-pointer to tie.
“A win is always great in this league,” Westbrook said. “You don’t take anything for granted.”
The Thunder improved to 10-12, not where it or the NBA world thought it would be after 22 games.
But more importantly, faced with the threat of another second-half collapse, the Thunder didn’t break for the second time in three days.
“Forget about the score or the outcome,” Donovan said. “There were adversity and things going on inside the game that we had to address and deal with in order for us to get better as a team.”