OKC Thunder in the news: recent losses put Billy Donovan in the hot seat

OKC Thunder creates another slump in the worst possible time of the season as they vie for playoff seed. What or who is to blame for the losses?

OKC Thunder is in a slump once again and at the worst possible time of their season. Yesterday I came across a puzzling headline: “Is Billy Donovan safe for next season after this Thunder slide?”.

The article was posted on NewsOK.com as a members-only article. Though I was unable to read the factors that lead to a headline like such, it did ignite questioning for me. Are the numerous slumps on the shoulders of a faulty coaching staff or the players?

To answer this question, I looked to the only reasonable source. Antonio Daniels, of course.

"The one thing that doesn’t allow for greatness, is inconsistency."

As always, Antonio phrases it perfectly. Though there is blame to give Head coach Billy Donovan, the blame is not solely on his shoulders. The players know what they have to do. Especially with veteran players like Russell Westbrook and Paul George leading this team.

They know the mentality it takes at this point in the season to make the plays and win the games that are desperately needed. It may be an unpopular opinion, but Donovan is not the sole blame for this team’s disparity. He can draw up game plans, he can give motivational pep talks, but he CAN’T be on the court and make the players follow through.

The debate of whether he is the right coach for this team is for another time. But as of now, Antonio says it best stating, “If you’re a player in that locker room you have to look at yourself as well, the same way he is looking at himself”.

OKC Thunder have dance moves:

On a lighter note, three OKC Thunder players are impacting the local community with their dance moves.

On Tuesday, Steven Adams, Dennis Schroder, and Terrance Ferguson ventured to Northridge Elementary, part of the Putnam City school district. The experience was outlined on NBA.com/thunder by Jimmy Do.

Apparently, the big Kiwi was put in his place by the students pointing out his wrong dance moves.

"“I thought it was a beginner’s class,” said Adams. “One of the little girls was telling me I was doing it all wrong.”Used to getting the oohs and aws, the Thunder trio was impressed with the kids in a fun-filled Tuesday afternoon of cha-chas and foxtrots.“It was rather fun, but also very intimidating at the same time because these kids are really good,” said Adams."

I think moments like this are important to highlight during times like this. Though we are all basketball junkies and want a team and playoff experience to brag about for years to come, it is also important to note that these people are more than players and are still impacting the community in ways immeasurable.

And who knows? Maybe a little fox trotting with some kids will carry over a bit of rhythm to the court.

Transition scoring proves beneficial:

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TI writer Jordan Buckamneer took a look at the scoring differentials for the OKC Thunder, highlighting an unfortunate deficit.

For March, the Thunder landed in the last place for perimeter shooting, dropping 4.9 percent since their best shooting month of December. Although that may not seem like much to the naked eye, it is extremely apparent when watching the games.

I am sure you can all relate as I relive the countless moments of sitting in front of my TV screen shouting “WHY WOULD YOU SHOOT THAT”. It’s a relief when PG and Westbrook land those otherwise unnecessary shots, but lately, that feeling of relief has been a distant memory.

Buckamneer highlights the 4.9 percent shooting change in a way more realistically understandable, as well.

"It may not seem like a significant decrease from their best shooting month, December, at 46.9 percent, but the 4.9 percent is the difference between a top-10 shooting team and league worst.The decrease in shooting percentage is particularly apparent when watching the Thunder struggle to keep their head above water in otherwise winnable games. Seeing open shots clank off the rim at a league-worst clip is painful to sit through. Especially when the opponent is breaking down the Thunder defense and scoring at will."

Buckamneer does highlight a positive note for OKC. There have been games in which they revert to their fast-paced transition scoring mentality, slightly enclosing the statistical shooting gaps.

This point circles all the way back to the first point of this article. The problem with this team is inconsistency. Buckamneer alludes to this as well, also noting that opponents have begun to shut down MVPG forcing the team to reevaluate gameplay.

However, this is normal NBA behavior. We are single-digits away from the playoff season. Teams know teams. They know strengths and weaknesses and how to exploit those. For the OKC Thunder, sometimes it seems we exploit ourselves. If we have any chance of drawing a reasonable opponent for a playoff push, this team has to be consistent.

Consistency in mentality, consistency in shooting, consistency in coaching and substitutions… it all adds up when you are 70 games deep into the season.