OKC Thunder: 3 lessons learned from Wolves Dec. 6 replay

Three lessons the OKC Thunder can utilize in Orlando from their December 6th overtime win vs. Wolves.

Fox Sports continues to entertain OKC Thunder fans by replaying great matches out of their 64 games played. The most recent featured the December 6th overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This win featured so many dramatic turning points it registers among the top games of the season. No, the Wolves aren’t a defensive squad so perhaps it’s odd to include them in the top match category. On the other hand, the drama and all offensive breakout of the team at this point in the season showcased why this OKC Thunder was better than their early record.

With the Thunder traveling to Orlando today looking back at these types of wins is a great way to help prepare for the bubble. To that end, we’ve heard from several of the players who’ve held virtual media sessions that the Thunder employed a ton of film reviews in the hiatus. Danilo Gallinari and Luguentz Dort both mentioned this in their sessions.

With that, we highlight three key takeaways from the overtime win.

Three lessons from OKC Thunder defeat of Wolves:

This was an offensive showcase as the Thunder got drawn into the type of game the Wolves like to play. Or to put it succinctly – it was a match featuring lots of offense and no defense!

Use your big man more to set up plays:

Several members of the T.I. the writing team has been screaming for plays to run through Steven Adams more. Much of that is due to his ability to check out the defensive coverage and make the right play. The other part of this equation is the Big Kiwi is a really good passer.

Although there are ample film clips showing Adams fumbling the ball it’s often in plays where he’s involved in a pick and roll set and is having to catch the ball on the move. Given his height, he needs to get the ball in a specific location and when he doesn’t it can lead to a turnover.

But, those aren’t the types of plays we’re suggesting — rather it’s with Adams positioned near the free-throw line and surveying the floor.

And this match offered up evidence of his passing skills in a very dramatic fashion. At the end of regulation through a series of events (see below) Adams delivered a football pass on the inbounds play that dropped into Dennis Schroder’s hands allowing him to lay it in and send the game to overtime.

Granted, we’re not suggesting Adams should be making end zone passes on a regular basis, we’re simply pointing out his ability to drop dimes is underrated.

I.Q. can win games:

Virtually any article analyzing Chris Paul will note his leadership and his intelligence. This match served up the perfect example of both.

Late in the game with time running out and the Wolves at the line poised to capture the win, Jordan Bell checks in with his shirt untucked. Immediately, Paul yells at the refs “Delay of game” pointing out the untucked shirt.

After the match, he was asked if he knew at that moment the Wolves already had a delay of game. It’s funny because if you know much about CP3 you knew he did otherwise he wouldn’t have pointed it out. The only reason he did is two delay of game calls gets you a technical free throw which is what the Thunder needed to afford them a chance of tying the game.

The other point that is speculation on my part — post-game Adams and Schroder noted they had practiced the long bomb pass. I’m willing to bet Paul was the one who said to the duo – run that long bomb. I can’t confirm it but that’s how highly I respect Paul’s intelligence and read in games.

This iteration of OKC Thunder can score!

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Looking back on recent seasons the Thunder had superstar talents who dominated the ball and were a strong defensive squad. Thinking back to the first season after Durant exited, it was the season Westbrook won the MVP while averaging a triple-double and dragged his team to the playoffs.

But, one of the things that stood out that season was how poorly the team played when Russ sat. Numerous times the Thunder held double-digit leads when Westbrook sat and the team coughed up the lead. Despite having Victor Oladipo

there simply wasn’t enough offensive talent on the team.

That is no longer the case and much of the credit for that is this iteration of the Thunder play team ball. Plus the ascendance of Dennis Schroder. This match highlighted this point. To wit, five OKC Thunder players scored 20 or more points. That was something OKC hadn’t done since their first season in 2008-09.

Although the Wolves didn’t play any semblance of defense this breakthrough offensively was witnessed several times in the team’s 40 wins. That ability and the club’s clutch time skills should provide the players with confidence as they head into the bubble.

For those interested in further insight on the victory check out our post-game grades, the three highlights from the victory or ESPN box score.