Thunder falls in OT
Extra minutes didn’t favor OKC, which lost to Denver, 126-125.
The Thunder looked sunk yet again until Paul George hustled his way to a jump ball, a reoccurring theme for the Thunder on a night in which it was ousted by inches yet again by Denver.
In the Thunder’s 126125 loss to the Nuggets in overtime, it wasn’t for a lack of effort that the Thunder dropped its third consecutive game, but a lack of execution. Again.
When George won the tip with 12.7 seconds
left, Jerami Grant had a chance at a dunk attempt with 6.7 seconds remaining in overtime. But Denver’s Mason Plumlee put a clean hand on the shot, and the Nuggets — on the final night of a seven-game road trip — were able to ice the game from the line.
The free throw line, the Thunder’s kryptonite all season, will be looked upon long and hard if the Thunder winds up in an unsavory first-round playoff seed or out of the playoffs altogether.
The Thunder shot just 15-of-27 (55.6) from the free throw line, including missing 2-of-4 in overtime.
This was despite the Thunder setting a franchise record for 3-pointers made (20) and acquitting itself for its last home performance in which it was battered by Portland on the offensive glass.
This time, the Thunder hauled in 18 offensive rebounds, none bigger than George flying in for an offensive rebound and buying an extra possession for Russell Westbrook in a 111-110 game.
Westbrook was spectacular, tallying 33 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, leading the charge as the Thunder rallied from as many as 15 points down in the fourth quarter.
He parlayed George’s rebound into a thunderous dunk that seemingly sucked the life out of the 10th-place Nuggets, losers of four of six on their arduous road trek.
But the play that bought Westbrook the bucket was indicative of the Thunder’s entire night — its entire season. OKC had recovered from a sluggish defensive performance through three quarters, but George’s rebound came off an Adams missed free throw.
George had a chance to put the Thunder ahead three with 15.6 seconds left, but missed 1-of-2 free throws. The Nuggets’ Will Barton answered with a spinning layup to tie the game and Westbrook’s missed 3 meant overtime.
So, for all of the hot shooting from Westbrook (4-of-9 from 3) as well as a hot performance from Carmelo Anthony (23 points, 5-of-10 3-pointers), the Thunder still left points on the board.
And that was just the free throw line.
The Thunder was just 12-of-27 in the paint and 10-of-21 within five feet in the first half. Add that to 4-of-10 from the free throw line and the Thunder trailed 62-58 at halftime.
In overtime, both the finishing at the rim and the free throws bit the Thunder again.
Both Corey Brewer and George missed a free throw each in the final 1:56, compared to 4-of-4 from the Nuggets. Denver didn’t make a basket in that time. It didn’t need to.
It had the Thunder beat where the Thunder has beaten itself all season.