by: Michael Doutey
The Oklahoma City Thunder flipped the script in their 100-94 win over the Utah Jazz. The Jazz, who had won six straight games coming into tonight, built a 17 point second half lead on the Thunder before OKC made a thrilling rally to earn their third straight win. The Thunder were fueled by an intense defensive effort, only allowing 14 points the the fourth quarter. The Thunder’s Big 3 finally started clicking in the final frame as OKC used 32 fourth quarter points to complete the comeback. The Thunder have won all three on this win streak by six points or less. The Thunder hadn’t won a game this season that was decided by eight points or fewer all season. Here are your five observations from OKC’s thrilling victory.
1. Down 17
With 4:13 left in the third quarter, the Utah Jazz took a 17 point lead when Alec Burks drove in for a layup. The Thunder had gotten next to nothing from Carmelo Anthony and Paul George was really struggling on offense. But from that moment forward the Thunder defense was a force. OKC held the Jazz to 22 points the final 16 minutes of the game. The Thunder’s second unit really stepped up on the defensive end to start the fourth quarter, holding the Jazz to two points until Russell, PG and Melo came back in with 7:30 to go in the game. The Thunder’s effort on defense was noticeably different and that propelled the Thunder to this win.
2. Paul George: A Tale of Two Halfs
The Thunder star was indescribable bad in the first half. PG was 1-5 from the floor and 0-1 from three for three points and six turnovers. He had open looks that didn’t fall. He had really bad turnovers. He was visibly frustrated. But he turned it around in the second half. After the game, Paul said he hit the “reset” button and came out of the break on fire. He scored 18 points in the second half on 6-8 shooting and he nailed his two three’s. He had a monster fourth quarter as he scored 11 points. The Thunder are clearly better when shots are falling. PG was a huge reason the Thunder made this comeback. His defense and his ability to finally get shots to fall really was the catalyst in tonight’s win.
3. Melo’s 4th Quarter Spark
I don’t know who was playing in 7’s jersey in the first three quarters. Whoever that was scored just six points on 2-13 shooting. What was so bizarre was that he had wide open looks. Several times there was no one closing out on him and he was just not even close. It was terrible to watch. But just in time, the real Melo showed up in the fourth quarter to help lead the Thunder along with Russ, Paul and Steven Adams. Melo went 4-6 in the fourth for eight points. The Biggest difference I saw from the Thunder was really simple. They just made open shots. They didn’t do anything special or make any huge adjustments. But Melo and PG got shots to fall. The Thunder have generated good looks but for whatever reason shots aren’t falling. They did in crunch time tonight and that is why the Thunder won.
4. Scoring Adams
Over this win streak Steven Adams has been huge. He’s scored 66 points over the past three games, including 20 more tonight. Adams has been the consistent scorer in these last three games. He’s also doing it very efficiently as he is shooting 28-34 from the field over this three game span. He’s also shooting 10-14 from the line too. But his play late in games has been huge. He had a big offensive putback against Minnesota that secured OKC’s win on Friday. Tonight, Adams had a huge offensive putback late in the game to help the Thunder hold on to this win. Adams has made himself a force on offense. That $100 million contract isn’t looking so bad now, is it?
5. Russell Westbrook
Russ had his official seventh triple double (Sunday’s was taken away because he was credited an extra rebound) as he scored 34 points, assisted 14 times and grabbed 13 rebounds. Adams and Westbrook held the scoring down until PG and Melo came to the party. And Westbrook usually closed games out last season, especially when he was scoring like he did tonight. But Russ really looked to PG and Melo in the fourth. He found them both multiple times for good looks in the fourth to help get them to this win. Russ, as he can only do, was a beautiful mess today. A triple double, but there were times he was crazy turning the ball over (7 total) and settling for bad three’s (2-9 from beyond the arc). But he lead this team to tonight’s win. And you’ll take that every night in the NBA.
The Thunder will be back in action Thursday night in Mexico City to take on the Brooklyn Nets. It is a late tip, 9 p.m., as the Thunder look to hit .500 on the season.
