Views from OKC: Questions sprouting from last night’s win

Views from OKC is a daily diary about the current state of the OKC Thunder. Today we look back on the blowout that occurred in the Peake last night.

I’ll take that dub.

Yesterday I said I would only be happy if the OKC Thunder won this game by 20. And that’s exactly what they did. Still I left that game feeling slightly on the edge about the team’s performance.

First off they came out incredibly flat. That can’t happen come playoff time. The new and improved starting unit is built on pure athleticism – each and every starter is an above-average athlete at their respective position. When Oklahoma City allows their opponent to set the tone physically from the start blowouts like Monday tend to happen.

Luckily for the Thunder they played Philadelphia Wednesday night. As hard as the 76ers play there just isn’t enough talent to win many games without Joel Embiid. Now if Philly had been the Jazz per say? I’m not sure OKC would have been able to fight back from what would have been a much bigger deficit.

Couple more quick questions

What is going on with Jerami Grant?

19.8, 22.6, 22.4, 19.8, 10.1. That is the progression of Jerami Grant’s minutes per game each month since joining the Thunder. I legitimately have zero ways to explain this.

Related Story: Jerami Grant can be a spark off the Thunder bench

Maybe they are planning on signing Grant to a contract extension this offseason so they want his stats to be low as possible? (best case scenario, kinda plausible)

Maybe they have forced him to lift weights four hours a day instead of actually working on his skills? (average scenario, not very plausible)

Maybe the team hates him? (worst case scenario) Nope that’s definitely not it.

Something is going on here and I’m just not sure what. His numbers are slightly down on the offensive end this month, but it’s not that great of a sample size. Grant’s ability to feasibly guard 1-5 on any singular possession is something not even Andre Roberson can match. This kid ultimately has more potential than Domantas Sabonis (not saying Grant will reach it) but OKC is not doing a good enough job getting him in-game reps.

Which leads me back to Option #1. For the Thunder to compete into 2020 they are going to have to sign somebody to a Jae Crowder-like contract. Grant fits that prototype perfectly.

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

Does Nick Collison deserve consistent playoff minutes?

Hahahahahahahahahahaha. No.

I respect the crap out of Collison’s 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block in 8 minutes but c’mon now. The ol’ vet proved he can come in for three minutes in one-two games a series, but that’s about it.

Keep in mind who he was going up against: Shawn Long. Did I know that name prior to last night? Nope. Do I know who he is now? Not really.

I will say this though: it is very nice knowing Collison can still hit a mid-range jumper. He probably won’t get three more the rest of the season, but at least opponents know a mid-range machine is capable of coming off the bench at any time.