OKC Thunder player grades: failure to execute early costs at the end

Final Thoughts

• A top priority for Westbrook is to teach both Schroder and Felton how to throw a lob pass. Seriously the Thunder are missing easy scoring opportunities by the failure of these point guards not being able to deliver on a fundamental skill.
• One oddity worth mentioning surrounded substitutions. I’d love to say the constant menu of  CD DNP (Coach’s Decision – Did Not Play) for Luwawu-Cabarrot was a factor of Billy D proving he isn’t allergic to TLC. The more logical answer however,  was the absence of Ferguson and Abrines.
• Nerlens Noel did not play based on an illness as per Brett Dawson’s tweet.

More from Thunderous Intentions

• Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
• Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
• 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

A comical moment occurred in the fourth with Westbrook examining the floor considering his options. The Brodie faked to put up a trey which spurred fans to boo. Come on Kings fans, you have to know Russ lives for moments like that. Instead of passing he used the boos to fuel himself as he dropped a 3-ball (to that point Russ was 1 of 6 from deep – he finished 4 of 10 hitting three of his last four attempts).

I’ve been screaming for Donovan to play Diallo (team high +5) and TLC (+3) more minutes all season. Perhaps it’s ironic that those two joined Westbrook with a positive differential (Patterson was also a plus one).

The simple and undeniable fact is OKC did not play to their defense first identity and it cost them this game. Sure, they were close but had they made immediate corrections earlier in the game this could easily have been a “W” instead of an “L”.

For the full box score visit ESPN. Check back tomorrow for Topic: Thunder analysis and TI’s key takeaways. With the loss, OKC is now 10-6 and travel to Oakland for a date with the Warriors Wednesday at a time when they are susceptible and Kevin Durant has reverted to iso-Kevin.