Thunderous Intentions
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Thunder in the News: Tonight is not our last night together

By Tony Heim

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: The Oklahoma City Thunder honor the National Anthem before the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: The Oklahoma City Thunder honor the National Anthem before the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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We will not spend potentially the last day of this OKC Thunder season reveling in misery. It’s not healthy, it’s not worth the pain and it’s certainly not going to make tonight any better.

Gather round Thunder Nation, as I attempt to soothe your soul in preparation for tonight’s contest in Oklahoma City. Now is the time for us cheer without a care in the world – with our backs against the wall it’s all we can do. The odds of the OKC Thunder pulling off a comeback are extreme, but it’s possible. That puts us in a beautiful situation where a loss tonight won’t sting as much as Game Four, while a win will only lift our spirits a bit higher.

If we’re listening to the players, we should expect to feel better after tonight.

The Thunder remain optimistic even though down 3-1

Of course Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Billy Donovan are going to make statements like this. And of course, I’m going to take them to heart. Even though all signs indicate that the Thunder are struggling to find a solution to stop Utah on both ends of the floor, I still can’t shake the immense talent OKC possesses.

All it takes for one of Russ, PG or Melo to get hot to open up Oklahoma City’s offense. And if two of them do? It’s essentially a wrap for the Jazz (for one night at least). With their offensive stars unable to find a rhythm this series, maybe all we need is the regression to the means phenomena to kick.

"You can admire the commitment but wonder if maybe it’s not best mantra for an Oklahoma City team sitting on the brink of elimination as the Jazz visits for Wednesday’s Game 5."

A possession-by-possession approach is the best way to look at this

This philosophy makes sense in theory. The OKC Thunder can’t win three games in one night and they can’t score 20 points in one play. What they can do is play hard-nosed defense every possession and actively work to find a good, open shot every possession.

Oklahoma City has played lazy all series, as if it were destiny that they would win this series. The only way for them to come back is to engage themselves in every play. Sadly that’s better said than done.

"This isn’t where the Thunder thought it would be heading into a Game 5 at home against the Utah Jazz, with its back against the wall. Needing to win the next three games of the series in order to advance is obvious, but it’s more of a matter of how those games are won, starting with this first one on Wednesday night."

Please, please stop Donovan Mitchell tonight

Going into this series we thought shutting down Mitchell would end the Jazz’s chance of offensively keeping up with OKC. While we’ve learned that isn’t necessarily the case, it doesn’t cease the importance of slowing down the talented rookie.

Our talented writer Gideon Lim broke down the three key reasons why the Thunder have struggled with Mitchell, then provided potential solutions to fixing it. Is it possible we see Josh Huestis rise off Oklahoma City’s bench? We’ll find out tonight.

"Averaging 27.5 points per game in the series, Utah’s fearless rookie, Donovan Mitchell, has revealed himself as the cornerstone to Utah’s foundation. The game film shows how exactly to slow the ROY candidate down."

Next: Previewing potentially the final game of the season

That’s it for today’s issue of Thunder in the News! This is it everyone – tonight is Oklahoma City’s last chance to turn these Playoffs around. A win means we’re still alive, and that’s all we can hope for at this stage of the season.

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