Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

Preview: OKC Thunder host Jazz in Game 5, potential series finale

By Alex Mcewen

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 23: Paul George #13, Carmelo Anthony #7 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the OKC Thunder stand on the court during the game against the Miami Heat on March 23, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 23: Paul George #13, Carmelo Anthony #7 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the OKC Thunder stand on the court during the game against the Miami Heat on March 23, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 23: Russell Westbrook #0 of the OKC Thunder looks on during 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. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Russell must be Westbeast

Last season in the playoffs when Westbrook was off the floor Oklahoma City was minus-58 vs plus +15 when he was on the court. There has been a radical change in Westbrook’s plus/minus numbers this postseason.

During the 2017-18 playoffs when Westbrook is on the court OKC is an astounding minus-45 vs plus +16 when he is off the floor. Ricky Rubio has been the best point guard in the series and that is very bad for Oklahoma City.

Injured or not Westbrook has been dealing with some very real fourth-quarter demons since Game 2.

In order for the Thunder to mount an illustrious comeback, Russell must follow his good conscience, rather than give into bad Russell.

No more Melo

This is obviously figuratively speaking, Carmelo cannot be benched completely. Putting Melo’s poor play aside Patrick Patterson has simply been so much better.

Patterson has guarded Favors on 30 possessions limiting him to two field goal attempts good for four points. Patterson has played in all 86 of the Thunder’s regular and postseason games, yet he has only played 20 or more minutes 16 times.

As Thunderous Intentions own Tamberlyn Richardson  noted yesterday adjustments need to be made and it’s your move to make them Billy Donovan.

Play as a Team, Not Individuals

After the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Portland Trail Blazers Greg Anthony stated: “The regular season shows who you can be, the playoffs show who you are”. The OKC Thunder are a group of individuals, while the Jazz is a team.

The Jazz players even go to the podium as a team whereas Thunder players go solo or go in pairs. When they are up there in pairs a level of disconnect is present.

*Westbrook, George, and Anthony were all at the podium together after Game 4

Passing does not directly correlate with winning, however, the OKC Thunder take it to the extreme. The Thunder have passed the ball a mere 874 times in the postseason ranking them dead last. The Houston Rockets have registered 882 passes second fewest in the playoffs, no other team has fewer than 950 passes.

The Jazz has passed the ball 1168 times the fifth most in the postseason registering 85 assists to the Thunder’s 65 assists.  Don’t expect a lot to change in-game 87, however, OKC is getting worse averaging 36 fewer passes per game compared to the regular season. If OKC can be closer to their regular season form they will have a chance tonight.

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