Views from OKC: Thunder bust Bulls, all is well again
By Tony Heim
Welcome to Views from OKC, Thunderous Intentions’ daily roundup of the best OKC Thunder stories across the web.
New to Views from OKC? Glad to have you here, and I hope you’ll make this a daily destination. Well, let’s get started!
Thunder grab second win of 2017
“Westbrook assisted back-to-back Steven Adams’ baskets, Kanter found Victor Oladipo for a wide-open 3-pointer, Adams scoring again in the paint and Westbrook closed out the first half with a money ball from the top of the key as OKC’s 18-to-6 run put them up 61-46 at intermission as they never looked back.”
Look at the variety of scoring in that 18-6 run. It wasn’t the Russell Westbrook show, and that’s why this run/game was so important. Westbrook only had 21 points tonight, yet the Thunder dropped an easy 109 on the Bulls. They shot over 50% from the field in all four quarters, recorded a season-high 30 assists. 4 players scored in double-digits and 9 of 10 players had at least 5 points. THAT’S how they should play every night.
Related Story: Five shooters the Thunder should target
We have a Negative Nancy with Russell Westbrook
“Yes, Westbrook is as much of a freak as Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, whereas the latter is a youngster still growing into his game and is already a considerable force on defense, Westbrook is strictly a less-than-meets-the-eye sideshow act.”
Wow. If you follow Thunderous Intentions at all, you know I’m not the biggest Russ supporter. I realize his greatness, but I also realize his flaws. But dang, I could never say something like this about Russ. I mean a sideshow act?!?!?!?! C’mon dude, if you watch the Thunder night in and night out you know that he is a cyborg. Don’t hate on the incredible. Because that’s what Russ has been this year.
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
Sing the praises of Joffrey Lauvergne…even though he didn’t played
“After 38 games into the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 6 games above .500 and winning at a 57.9% clip. Interestingly enough however, the Thunder are slightly better when a player that was considered an off-season afterthought gets minutes. That player is Joffrey Lauvergne. When he plays, the Thunder’s record is 20 and 12, or 62.5%. When he doesn’t, the Thunder are 2 and 4.”
I like Joffrey Lauvergne a lot. R.K. explains his game very well; Lauvergne isn’t flashy, he’s just solid. King Joffrey does a little bit of everything, whether that’s rebounding, shooting, passing or defending. He isn’t extraordinary at any one thing, but he isn’t bad at any one thing either. If it wasn’t for Domantas Sabonis I think Lauvergne would be in the starting lineup. But that shows the depth Sam Presti has built even with a young team.