3 takeaways from OKC Thunder bounce back win over the Los Angeles Clippers
Truth be told, I do not expect this to be anything more than an aberration. While Westbrook is capable of being an elite defender with his sheer size, length, and athletic ability, Russ takes plays off and that’s been a frustrating hallmark of his game. The Brodie had a career high six steals, hustling for loose balls and picking off passes in the passing lane.
But the aberration doesn’t lie in his defense, it’s in his 3-point shooting.
Westbrook shot just 1-14 from two but hit 3-4 from beyond the arc. The Brodie showed a sense of relief once one went down after starting 0-7 from the field.
Russ then went on two lands two more 3-point bombs and a timely mid-range jumper to finally find some confidence in his jumper. Westbrook understands its just a tough stretch offensively for him and believes its just a matter of time before he breaks out.
Russell Westbrook said he doesn’t need to adjust anything on his missed shots at the rim. “Just have to make them, concentrate. It’s getting there.” pic.twitter.com/8TpHzZY5Wm
— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) December 16, 2018
The team understands they need him and his reaction to his made 3-pointer shows just how close the squad is. It’s fantastic to see Russ contributing on the other side of the ball and hustling to make plays. In days past, Westbrook would’ve ignored defensive assignments in order to shoot him out of a slump or dig a deeper hole.
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If his shot isn’t falling, it’s nice to know “three and D” Russ will emerge.
Final Thought
Aside from some tense moments in the closing minutes, OKC controlled the game right from the tip. Oklahoma City is a defense-first squad that needs to show consistency on that side of the ball to be the best version of themselves.
While they are excellent at home, the Thunder must play with the same effort on the road to be a top tier team.
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This was a fantastic bounce back win against a top Western Conference team and should give the Thunder plenty of confidence heading into their next match-up against the Chicago Bulls.