Shumpert surges a reflection of Kings’ pace
The Thunder has had a serious issue with stopping Kings guard Iman Shumpert in two games. It seems crazy to be at the mercy of the 28-year-old NBA journeyman, but it's a reflection of the Thunder playing into the Kings’ style of play.
Shumpert has missed the Kings’ last two games due to a bruised hip and personal reasons.
But if he plays Wednesday in Sacramento, watch out. He's had two 20-point games this season, and both have come against the Thunder.
“Where he’s always hurt us has been in transition shooting threes,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “Getting back is really important, getting our defense set is really important.”
Two Thunder games against the Kings have resulted in a frenetic pace.
The Thunder averages the most field goal attempts per game in the NBA (92.2), but that has skyrocketed to 106 per game against Sacramento this season.
OKC is sixth in the league in possessions per 48 minutes (103.26). Sacramento is No. 2 in pace at 105.35 possessions per game.
Not far off. The difference is when the shots are coming.
The Kings take 22.4 percent of their shots between 22 and 18 seconds on the shot clock, the highest frequency in that shot clock range of any team in the league, according to NBA.com.
That quick trigger takes a particular awareness and communication on defense.
The Thunder wants to play fast, but not Kings fast.
“He made some tough shots the first game, but some of it got going by him making some threes in transition," Donovan said. “That starts with the offense — taking care of the ball, generating good shots.
Whether it's a missed shot or a turnover, by the time the Thunder recognizes where Shumpert and the Kings' bevy of 3-point shooters are, the ball is out of their hands.
The Thunder has the No. 1 defense in the NBA per 100 possessions, but it can’t get its defense set if its offense is turning the ball over or taking bad shots against the rapidfire pace of the Kings.
"Sometimes with the pace, a lot of it has to do with being able to set your defense, but what kind of offensive possessions do you have?" Donovan said. "If you have a high number of turnovers, especially live-ball turnovers, now the game is getting into a situation where they’re out in transition. The same thing for us — when we’re forcing a lot of turnovers, that ignites us on the break, that gets us out going, that allows us to put up points quickly and go on runs. The biggest thing is you want to have good, quality offensive possessions.”
THUNDER AT KINGS
•When: 9 p.m., Wednesday
•Where: Golden 1 Arena, Sacramento, Calif.
•TV: FS Oklahoma (Cox 37/ HD 722, Dish 412, DirecTV 675, U-verse 751/1751); NBA TV (Cox 256/HD 726 or 1322; DirecTV 216; Dish 402; U-verse 632/HD 1632)
•Radio: WWLS-AM 640/ 98.1 FM
Three things to know
•In two meetings against the Thunder this season, the Kings are shooting 43.3 percent from 3-point range against the Thunder and have scored an average of 124 points — OKC’s highest opponents’ points per game average allowed this season.
•In December, Paul George is fifth in the NBA in scoring (28.5 ppg), seventh in plus/minus (10.5), and fifth in 3-point percentage (44.1) among players averaging six 3-pointers or more per game.
•The Thunder is 2-3 in its last five games in Sacramento, including 0-2 this season.