5 Observations from OKC’s 121-108 Loss to the Orlando Magic

Posted on November 29, 2017

By: Michael Doutey

Exactly one week ago the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors. We all thought that could be the turning point of the season. A week later and the Thunder has lost three games in a row to the Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavs and now the Orlando Magic. The Magic were on a nine game losing streak coming into the game and OKC lost to this team and trailed by 20 points at one point in the fourth quarter. Aaron Gordon looked like a superstar tonight, scoring 40 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Now, the Thunder falls to 8-12 on the season and has lost seven straight games on the road. Here are tonight’s five observations.

1. Who Is to Blame?

With 8:48 left to play in the game, Billy Donovan called a timeout after DJ Augustine nailed a three in front of the OKC bench to lift the magic lead to 100-80. I, like many of you, are dumbfounded watching this talented Thunder team trailing a below average Magic team. Something isn’t working, clearly. And it has to start with Billy Donovan. He is trying to get the players to play a certain way. We’ve seen them do it for a whole game three times this season. Those resulted in blowout wins over the Bulls, Bucks and Golden State Warriors. But the most of the time, the Thunder struggle to put up complete games. The high’s are really good and then the lows are awful. It makes it hard to win when the majority of games are spent in the lows. The Thunder can play well in Billy Donovan’s system. They’ve done it and they typically start games that way. But as the game goes along the players get away from what works and the result has been a loss. OKC had 14 assists at halftime and just three assists in the second half. Yeesh. The Thunder took a 73-70 lead midway through the third and immediately gave up a 30-7 run that leaked into the fourth quarter. Boom, ball game and the Thunder couldn’t get a run together in enough time to overcome such a deficit. The Thunder seem to take a lead and think they’re work is done. They go completely away from whatever got them that lead and it usually results in atrocious basketball. So me, it seems Billy wants the players to play one way and the Thunder players want to play another. And Billy’s way results in leads and the players version results in blow leads.

2. Billy is Trying Everything 

The lineups choices have been different seemingly every game recently. Alex Abrines got a DNP-coach’s decision tonight. Billy went with rookie Terrance Ferguson for the second straight game. With Steven Adams in foul trouble the majority of the first half, Dakari Johnson got some run. He didn’t play very well either. Personally, I think Nick Collison would have been a better option. Billy is trying everything to figure out ways to help that second unit. But he isn’t coming up with anything. He is scrambling with the starters and he is really struggling to find consistent production out of the second unit besides Jerami Grant and Raymond Felton.

3. Russ’ Breaking Point?

After the game, the camera’s caught Russell Westbrook in a state we’ve never seen: a state of despair. I think every Thunder fan has had this look a few times this season. But for Russ, the one who never lets anything get to him? That is concerning and I think it is a look that accurately depicts what this Thunder team is feeling right now. I think the players are shocked that this is what is happening. They know how much talent they have, which might be part of the problem. Russ thought this season would going to be easier. So did PG and Melo. Yet, through 20 games the Thunder are four games under .500. I think this bad start is starting to get to the team. This shot of Russ says it all

4. Effort 

The Thunder have a very nonchalant style of play. You see it clearly in the past couple games. It was glaring tonight when they Thunder really pressed the gas as they feverishly tried to get back in the game after they fell behind 20 points in the fourth quarter. Why don’t they play that way all the time? Why do they have to fall in a huge hole before they show a sense of urgency? They know how good they are and they simply rely on their talent rather than their execution and effort. If they want to win games, these guys have to be at maximum effort for 48 minutes. This all goes back to the players. They have to bring it every night. That isn’t on the coaching staff. That is all on the players. This is the NBA. This is the biggest flaw the team has. The have an entitled mentality. They aren’t good enough to throw their jerseys on the floor and win games. But the Thunder seem to play that way.

5. Antonio Daniels

Thunder studio analyst Antonio Daniels was right on tonight. No one has said it better about this Thunder team. I can’t say it better than this

I don’t know where the Thunder goes from here, but I do know the Thunder are back in action on Friday night to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in OKC. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. inside the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

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