Isolating the 3 games which changed the OKC Thunder season

Following an early-season of major criticism, the OKC Thunder is finding their rhythm; three specific games isolate when everything shifted.

As 2017 draws to a close perhaps no NBA squad enters 2018 with as much momentum as the OKC Thunder. This, of course, wasn’t true through the initial six weeks of play. But, as the calendar flipped to December three specific games contributed to the change. In each case, the games outlined below provided direction and insight for the squad which wasn’t living up to expectations.

Pundits dissected, naysayers criticized, and perhaps it’s as simple as the big three stars reached a point of embarrassment over the constant ridicule. Personally, I doubt it’s that simple, although when your career is often based on crushing egos, your own is definitely part of the equation.

For one of the OK3, it may well have been the determining factor that led to acceptance.  But, let’s not jump ahead – this too will present itself as I layout (from this scribe’s perspective) the three pivotal games which are directly related to the shift of the OKC Thunder.

Two unblown whistles are difference in home court seeding :

As the Thunder ready to finish the last game of the 2017 calendar they do so feeling much more confident having recognized a series of successes. Moreover, the cohesion and chemistry which eluded the big three for what seemed an eternity are finally clicking and equating positive results.

Prior to the match versus the Mavericks to finish the calendar, the OKC Thunder sit in fifth place with a 20-16 record. In fairness two whistles which never found the referees mouths likely took two additional wins off the total. Say what you will about calls evening out, but those two missed calls are the difference in the Thunder currently sitting with a home-court seed.

This because an uncalled illegal screen allowed an unimpeded Andrew Wiggins hail Mary shot to add the ‘W’ to Minnesota’s total instead. Therefore the Wolves with that win sit in the spot directly ahead of OKC. At season end if the Wolves end up tied or one game ahead then the blown call will need to be revisited.

https://twitter.com/Yg_Trece/status/946945397104226306

Beginning to recognize the promise

This season has been punctuated by microscopic dissection of the team and particularly the OK3. Until week six of the season, the OKC Thunder often looked stuck in cement offensively, seemingly experiencing the early stages of rigor mortis. At this stage, OKC was floundering with an 8-12 record. Specifically, during this stretch, the OKC Thunder were having issues with a number of items:

• Beating West teams on the Road
• Hanging on to double-digit leads
• Maintaining ball and player movement
• Closing games within five points (Clutch Time)
• Rotation consistency (giving player and lineups consistent minutes)
• Executing equally as well in the second half as the first
• Bringing the same effort to play (on paper) less talented teams
• Utilizing an offensive style which capitalized on the talent

As the calendar shifted to December however, a massive shift occurred. Since that point, the Thunder has checked off many of the above items or demonstrated significant improvements.

And, the record reflects these shifts as the team garnered a 12-4 record or  75 percent win percentage. Again, but for an unblown whistle the tally might be 13-3 with an 81.2 win percent. Alas, the cat is drinking the spilled milk, so let’s move on.