The time has finally come. The Oklahoma City Thunder, after a regular season full of injuries and boundless speculation, will now get the chance to enter the playoffs at full health.
Their first-round matchup, the Phoenix Suns, won't go away without a fight. They've cultivated a scrappy identity under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, and they've already far surpassed their pre-season expectations by making it to this point.
But if the Thunder play their game, the eight-seed Suns should be outmatched.
Any chance they truly have of pulling off an upset, however, rests in that physical, scrappy identity. Dillon Brooks, whom Phoenix acquired in the Kevin Durant trade, has been integral to the resurgence they've made this season.
Of course, he had some things to say about their upcoming matchup with Oklahoma City, playing into the "foul-baiting" accusations that have followed the Thunder all year long in league-wide discourse:
"There are a lot of foul baiters on that team. We gotta show our hands," Brooks said. "I hope it's the real playoffs. They call too many calls. Show your hands. We gotta follow the scout. Funnel them in the paint. Be able to have our rotations properly. They shoot it great at home. There's a reason they're the No. 1 team in the NBA."- Dillon Brooks,
Given the prevalence fouls have taken in the overall perception of Oklahoma City around the league, it was inevitable this would be a topic of discussion come playoff time. But Brooks, in bringing it center stage, has given the Thunder the opportunity to toss it aside in convincing fashion.
Thunder have the chance to put foul-baiting accusations to bed during this playoff run
This is not a criticism Thunder fans are unfamiliar with. Brooks' latest comments are simply his attempts to stir the pot, to draw the ire of fans and set the stage for a series where he'll do everything within his power to get under Oklahoma City's skin. It's his style of play, and it's a respectable one.
But let's dive into the stats.
The Thunder have more than their fair share of players who are capable of drawing fouls. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, at times, are prone to do it in questionable ways. But many of the regular-season accusations are overblown. This season, Oklahoma City was just ninth in the league in personal fouls drawn per game. They were 17th in free-throw attempts.
The playoffs, and their ability to find success on offense through drawing fouls, is what's in question here, however. During last year's playoff run, Oklahoma City averaged the fourth-most free-throw attempts out of the 16 playoff teams. The Houston Rockets, for whom Brooks played at the time, were first.
The Suns play aggressive defense, and they don't foul a ton. They were just 22nd in the league this season in average personal fouls. Playoff series aren't won and lost at the free-throw line, but in this case, the Thunder likely won't be able to carve out an advantage there.
If they're able to repeat as champions, or even go on another deep playoff run, without taking the outsized number of free-throws that teams around the league claim they're given by the refs, it will be an opportunity for them to buck the "foul-baiting" narrative once and for all.
At least for those who are paying attention.
Add us as a preferred source on Google