Five takeaways from OKC Thunder first loss of season

Just two games into the season the OKC Thunder have experienced both ends of the spectrum. Yet, the lessons learned via the Utah Jazz, who thoroughly beat OKC will offer far greater tangible benefits than the Thunder’s opening night win.

It was inevitable there would be growing pains.  Still, coming off a resounding thumping of the Knicks on a night where the OKC Thunder weren’t particularly offensively fluid, the swagger was already on display

If OKC arrived with an air of confidence, they leave with a renewed focus.  Clearly, ample home work is yet to be completed. Expect all the pundits to return chanting their familiar mantra with wild aplomb. Renewed criticisms ‘this’ trio of  super stars won’t work will be reintroduced. The theories offered will be due to the uniqueness of the OK3. This stemming from the fact each was ‘the man’ for their previous respective squads.

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That said, being unselfish isn’t the issue, nor is trust.  If anything, part of the major problem is finding a balance. After all, there is a reason why they call them growing pains. Point me toward a squad where success occurred organically without tribulation on the way. Odds are for every team containing this much talent it took time — time to develop chemistry and time to learn what doesn’t work as much as what does.

To wit, chemistry, timing, fluidly and playing without over thinking remains at the top of the ‘to do’ checklist.  An old adage a grandparent shared stuck with me throughout my life. It applied in school, in sports, in relationships – everywhere.  “You can learn a lot by things done right. But, you often learn more by things done wrong.”

With that, let’s dive into the five takeaways from the OKC Thunder loss to the Utah  Jazz