March 6th: Welcome to Views from OKC, Thunderous Intentions’ daily roundup of the best OKC Thunder content across the web.
New to Views? I’m really sorry you’re joining on a day like today. At least we can revel in our OKC Thunder pity together.
Thunder drop third straight, seventh straight road loss
“With 4:27 to go in the third, Westbrook shoved Harrison Barnes to the floor, earning a flagrant foul, penalty one. Those free throws, plus another one by Barnes when he was fouled again by Westbrook, put the Mavericks up 81-57 and the party was on. Westbrook would get his points, finishing with 29. He’s not leading the NBA in scoring for no reason. But his efficiency level was not great.”
Ugh. We all watched the game, or at least know what happened. Do I really have to talk about it? Fine. This was the third road game in four nights for the Thunder and they showed it. The problem is the defensive intensity wasn’t there in the first two games of this road trip either. This is a young team, tired legs should not be a major concern at this point.
Must Read: The key to the Thunder’s season may be the Utah Jazz
I WILL NOT LET THUNDER NATION PANIC YET
“Although those last two games were rough on the eyes, there is no reason for Thunder fans or players to start panicking. Basketball is one of those sports where a team’s performance can change in a matter of minutes. Look at this past years Western Conference Finals AND NBA Finals if you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
I will admit this article was published before the Dallas game. Although I still am not panicking, I am starting to worry ever so slightly. Still, everything that I wrote yesterday morning still holds true. Victor Oladipo did not play. Doug McDermott couldn’t buy a bucket. Taj Gibson and Norris Cole are still finding their role on the team. And it’s only been three games. R-E-L-A-X.
Views from Twitter
Am I the only one that thinks there's more to Vic's back "spasms?"
— 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗠. 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼 (@AddamFrancisco) March 6, 2017
This is the real reason why I am starting to worry. Oladipo is going to be back in time for the playoffs (at least we think) but he’s missing out on crucial time to build chemistry with the new additions. As a “secondary” second-unit player Oladipo will be playing with Cole, Gibson and McDermott more than the other starters so his absence is especially disconcerting.
Thunder had a chance to make a move this week with a cupcake road trip went 0-3 pic.twitter.com/2OUXYc4NG0
— Thunderous Intentions (@thunderousint) March 6, 2017
The losses hurt a whole lot more when you realize the Thunder had the potential of being one game out of the five seed. But here we are, now four games out of the four seed with 19 games left. The four seed is a distant memory after these losses, but it doesn’t change the fact that OKC still has the opportunity to be the sleeper out West.