The OKC Thunder were unable to overcome Russell Westbrook’s absence, losing 116-107 to the Miami Heat. TI presents three takeaways.
Coming into Monday night’s matchup versus the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder held the season advantage in the series, having won their one and only meeting this season in commanding fashion, a 118-102 win on the road in their first matchup of the 2018-2019 campaign.
Both teams were hungry for a win, as the Thunder recently slid to the fifth spot in the Western Conference after having been firmly positioned within the top four spots throughout the majority of the season; while Miami, despite their 33-36 record on the year, precariously clung to the eighth playoff spot in the East.
The Thunder entered the game shorthanded as former MVP Russell Westbrook was bridled with his sixteenth technical foul of the season two nights earlier during the Thunder’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, resulting in a mandatory one-game suspension. A game time decision, OKC was also without the services of backup big, Nerlens Noel, who was sidelined with a quad contusion. When the dust settled, the Heat would prove to be too much for the undermanned Thunder squad, handing them their second straight loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 116-107.
The Thunder got off to an uncharacteristically hot start from the tip, quickly building a 13-0 lead off a balanced attack facilitated by Dennis Schroder who got the starting nod in Westbrook’s absence. More than five minutes had elapsed in the first frame before the Heat were able to notch their first points of the contest, but by the 2:12 mark, Miami guard Goran Dragic drained his second of his game-high six threes, giving the Heat their first lead of the game, one which they would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest.
Despite a masterful performance by Jerami Grant who finished the game with a 27 point, 10 rebound double-double and a stoic 31 points from Paul George, frequent defensive lapses, shooting draughts, foul trouble, careless ball handling, and an overall lack of urgency ultimately spelled the Thunder’s demise.
Here are three takeaways after OKC drops to 4-9 since the All-Star break.
Falling behind by large deficits
Since entering the All-Star break as one of the hottest teams in the Association, the OKC Thunder, while undertaking the league’s most daunting post-All-Star schedule, have struggled to generate any traction of late, dropping nine of their last 14 contests. One tendency that has consistently plagued the team since returning from the annual late-season recess is an inability to muster necessary urgency in the opening minutes of games.
The Thunder’s propensity for surrendering double-digit first-half leads have served to create self-inflicted hills that have, most often, been too steep to climb. Leading up to their Monday night matchup with the Miami Heat, the Thunder, in 7 of their 8 losses since returning in late February, have given up double-digit first-half leads to the Kings (16), Nuggets (13), 76ers (13), Spurs (16), Timberwolves (17), Clippers (14), and Warriors (19).
Conversely, in their five wins since the break, the Thunder have avoided giving up double-digit first-half leads in four out of 5. Versus the Heat Monday night, the Thunder had seemingly shucked the bad mojo that has haunted them early in games over the last month; however, by the end of the opening period, despite their hot start, they found themselves trailing. With barely two minutes gone by in the second, OKC again found themselves desperate for daylight, at the bottom of another double-digit first-half deficit.
Defense comes and goes
Even in their recent losses, the Thunder have shown remnants of the stifling defense and subsequent pace and transition offense that have proven to be the thing of nightmares to even the leagues stoutest competition. Unfortunately, too often of late, the Thunder does not unleash this two-headed monster until the closing minutes of games when, short last-second heroics, contests are all but out of reach.
Home court advantage is on the line as the Western Conference playoff picture begins to take shape. If the Thunder are to make a splash in the post-season, it is imperative that “do or die” urgency become the cornerstone of this team’s identity from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
Jerami Grant has arrived
With 11 games remaining in the 2018-2019 regular season and desperately vying for home-court advantage in the playoffs, there are few moral victories that can or should be taken away from a home loss to an Eastern Conference foe with a losing record. Jerami Grant, however, is consistently posting performances that make a viable case for the moral victory, and his performance Monday should not be overlooked in the face of a loss.
Grant finished the game with a spectacular 27 points and 10 rebounds, a bright spot on an otherwise dismal night. As has been the case throughout the season, Jerami Grant’s offense is a sort of “found money” for the Thunder, as the points he generates through hustle plays and hitting open jumpers when the defense has keyed in on one or both of OKC’s All-Stars, often come during stagnant offensive stretches, stopping opponents runs and keeping the game within reach.
The OKC Thunder’s road does not get easier throughout the final gauntlet leading up to the playoffs, with 7 of 11 games coming against playoff teams, and 5 of those 7 against teams currently occupying spots in the top 4 of their respective conferences. The Thunder can right the ship and finish the season on a high note, but in order to do so, continued high-level play from Jerami Grant will be crucial to the team’s success.
His hustle to create extra possessions and his ability to fight through contact at the rim are factors that make OKC a formidable opponent against the upper echelon of the NBA.
OKC best offense is predicated off its best defense
There are a number of factors that play into the Thunder’s loss to the Heat Monday night. The absence of Russell Westbrook cannot be understated as OKC’s energy was lackluster until the closing minutes of the game. Steven Adams‘ fifth foul early in the third quarter exacerbated the absence of Nerlens Noel and highlighted the fact that, even with the addition of Markief Morris, the Thunder have no viable third option at the five-spot should Adams or Noel go down.
That being said, the Thunder are capable of winning games with small ball lineups when they are able to speed up and control the pace of games. The Thunder are at their most dangerous when their offense comes off of defensive stops and forced turnovers. Versus the Heat on Monday, the Thunder turned the ball over 19 times while only forcing Miami into eight total turnovers, pushing the Thunder into half-court sets and grinding the pace to a crawl at times.
Reminiscent of a scenario present in numerous Thunder losses over the past month, when OKC buckled down on the defensive end, on several occasions the Heat were bailed out by Thunder fouls late in the shot clock. The Thunder play their best basketball when they are able to balance energetic aggression with tempered discipline.
The Thunder’s best offense is predicated of its best defense. The team has demonstrated time and again an uncanny ability to rattle off a flurry of points in a flash when they are able to play the brand of defense the team survived on when the three ball was an endangered species in the Thunder eco-system. OKC’s defense to offense mentality that once had them squarely in the “contender conversation” was lacking against Miami Monday, and has only sporadically made appearances during the season’s home stretch.
Final Thoughts
The Thunder have 11 games remaining to inject themselves back into the conversation, but in order to do so, they must regain their sense of urgency, receive consistent and substantive contributions from Jerami Grant and OKC’s cast of other role players, and must once again embrace the gritty defensive identity that defined them throughout the majority of this season.
Sound of Thunder 