5 takeaways from OKC Thunder brutal Game 3 loss

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 11: Coach Billy Donovan of the Oklahoma City Thunder speaks with his team before halftime during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 11, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 21: Carmelo Anthony /

Forget about posturing:

So far Thunder Nation has heard about ‘Playoff P’, how this team knows how to win, ‘we know how to win when it matters’ etc. Forget all this nonsense. The Jazz fans certainly have as they chanted ‘Push off P’ to Paul George throughout the contest. Sure, Paul George had a stunning first effort. Yet, unless he delivers that type of performance in four games his proclamations won’t matter.

The disconcerting part of George is how poorly he’s playing on defense. Joe Ingles has connected on ten shots from the perimeter and nine of those were wide open shots. NINE. It’s one thing for PG to help on defense, but to leave the NBA’s fourth best perimeter corner shooter wide open is unacceptable.

"Paul George and the OKC lineup with George and four reserves still ranks as the league’s second worst lineup (minus-21 points per 100 possessions) among those that have played at least 100 minutes together."

As John Schuhmann pointed out entering the playoffs the OKC Thunder reserve lineup plus Paul George was the second worst lineup in the entire NBA. The fact Donovan hasn’t done anything to tweak that is head scratching.

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