THUNDER AT HOME
Oklahoma City hosted last season's champs Wednesday night
Terrance Ferguson stepped backward under Pascal Siakam's weight. The Raptors forward inched Ferguson into the low post, where Siakam had the advantage.
Siakam spun off Ferguson and flew to the rim. No one was there to pick him up.
“We've got to be able to support each other and bring help to each other,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “The size can overwhelm you, and their length.”
Ferguson, who has been at horn in the side of the best offensive players who have faced the Thunder this season, was the clear choice to guard Siakam. In OKC's 130-121 loss to the Raptors on Wednesday, the Thunder almost overcame the size discrepancy, which was exacerbated when Steven Adams left the game in the second quarter with a right knee contusion.
But its final comeback push fell short.
The last time these two teams played, Siakam was sidelined by a groin injury.
Toronto was also missing center Marc Gasol. The Raptors' guards were t he ones who gave the Thunder problems, with Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet scoring 20 apiece. But those small lineups were a good matchup for the Thunder, who beat the Raptors 98- 97 back in
December.
By Wednesday, Siakam and VanVleet ( right hamstring strain) had traded places. Gasol had also returned. That created a mismatch in the Raptors' favor whenever Siakam and Serge Ibaka were on the floor together.
I baka a nd Si a kam were exactly the type of players the Thunder used to fill its team with. Ibaka played for the Thunder for seven seasons. Siakam is even longer and more athletic.
But this new Thunder team is small and scrappy. It plays with three-and fourguard line ups. Despite its lack of size, it entered play Wednesday with a top -11 defense.
It didn't look it in the first half of the game Wednesday. The Thunder' s match up issues were made even worse in transition, and the Raptors shot 4- of- 4 on fast break opportunities. The Raptors led by as many as 30 points.
But twice, the Thunder took advantage of either Siakam or Ibaka subbing out and went on big runs.
Gasol replaced Ibaka with 2:22 left in the third quarter. About a minute later, the Thunder started its first comeback effort. OKC closed the half on a 12-0 run.
It culminated in a buzzerbeating 3- pointer by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Veteran guard Chris Paul drove and then kicked out
a pass to Dennis Schroder. Schroder made the extra pass to Gilgeous-Alexander in the left corner. Gilgeous-Alexander pump-faked and sent his defender flying into the his next shot, a wide open 3-pointer, to cut the Raptors' lead to 73-55.
Si aka man dI b aka led Toronto with 13 points apiece as they headed into the locker room at halftime.
Then, the Thunder staged another push. This time it started when Siakam left the floor.
About two minutes later, with about 1:45 left in the third quarter, the Thunder crowd was still on i ts feet cheering on a 3- pointer by Dennis Schroder, when Schroder grabbed a steal and headed back the other way for a layup. The Thunder had finally cut the Raptors' lead to single digits, and it did it with a 12-3 run.
The Thunder' s final comeback push had to come against the pair.
“In the second half I thought we did a better job with our physicality early, meeting them a little earlier,” Donovan said.
When Ibaka left the game, with 2:39 on the clock, the Thunder had cut the Raptors' lead to three points.
That was as close as OKC would get. The Thunder missed three straight 3-pointers to end the game. Meanwhile, Siakam's final shot, a layup, gave him 21 points.
I baka, who f i nished t he night with 15 points, exited to a flurry of cheers.