OKC Thunder season review: Why the addition of Markieff Morris did not work
By Alex Mcewen
Highlights and Lowlights
Below is a look at some of Keef’s best and worst moments as a member of the Thunder, including some abysmal defense. But first, take a look at Morris’ per game season averages.
| Season | G | MP | FG | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 24 | 16.1 | 2.5 | .391 | .339 | .423 | .455 | .737 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 6.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/28/2019.
Stand and Stare
Morris appeared lost in this play. He made virtually no effort to contest the offensive player. This is not an uncommon sight in the NBA. However, it is far too familiar in OKC. Russell Westbrook routinely sags off on defense. Therefore, the rest of his teammates do as well. This is an area the coaching staff must address moving forward.
Momentum Swinger
Morris made only one shot versus the Raptors on March 22, but it was a timely field goal. When he hit his first and only trey the Thunder trailed by four with just under two minutes remaining in the third. Including Markieff’s three OKC closed the game on a 41-30 run, which earned the Thunder a split in the home-and-home set with the eventual East Champions.
Lost in Nowhere Land
This was a particularly poor sequence for Morris. First, he failed to secure the rebound; which led to the Pistons second chance opportunity. Secondly, he did not read the play while it was developing correctly. The end result was an easy Detroit layup.
Best moment: Feb 28, vs Sixers
In his first OKC Thunder start, Morris provided a spark in the absence of traditional starting small forward Paul George. Markieff shot 58.3 percent from the floor, pulled down four boards, and grabbed a steal in 17 productive minutes. In the match, Morris provided the above dunk, which was one of only three slams for Keef in an OKC Thunder uniform.