Four game win streak! Its early December but stringing together wins like this is vitally important for this Thunder team. I think everone agrees that they are around a 45 win team. 4 games over .500 is easily attainable with a couple win streaks like this current one.
A matchup against the 7-13 Pelicans would appear to be an easy one, but their record doesn't reflect how well they've been playing since the return of Jrue Holliday. It will be a better game than anyone wants it to be, but we aren't here to look forward. These posts are about looking back and reviewing what has happened in previous games to give an idea of what to look for tonight.
Last Wednesday, the Thunder played a supremely head scratching game. The Thunder lead by as much as 16, but found themselves down 7 with 5 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Following a classic Russell Westbrook moment the game went to overtime where the Thunder were able to blow the game open and win "easily". The following plays stood out to me as interesting, noteworthy, or just downright entertaining.
Here comes the rookie! Domatas Sabonis has the most skill of any player the Thunder has stuck at the PF aside from KD. This kid has all the tools to be the unathletic Blake Griffin. Sure that sounds like a lazy comparison, but if you take away the high flying ability from Blake, what is left is Sabonis. The passing, the rangy shooting, a propensity for nifty moves. Its all there, and I'm excited to see how he grows.
Going into this season everyone was worried about where the Thunder could get outside shooting. It's been touch and go so far and I don't think anyone would call the Thunder a good shooting team, but they have found ways to make it work. The biggest surprise is definitley the fact that Sabonis can take and make a 3 pointer. He's shooting 44% on 2.5 attempts a game. Thats unexpected by just about everyone, considering how little he took 3's in college. The college game actually brings up an interesting point for the Thunder going forward. College defenses always pack the paint because so few teams have a good outside shooters. The offenses almost always ending up setting up with a player on each wing and one dead on above the 3 line. The 5 will stand on either side of the baseline, and the 4 will post up at the free throw line. College teams are typically awful at running a play, but whenever they can get a pass in to the 4 man at the FT line, everything opens up for them. A player with Sabonis' skill can be deadly with the ball at the FT line especially if he decent at each of the 3 tools you have available there (Pass, Shoot, Drive). Sabonis has shown each of those tools, I believe going forward we will see the Thunder putting him in a playmaking role and allowing Russ and Oladipo to wreak havoc on the defense off ball. It takes a lot of trust from the team to take the ball out of Russ' hands, but the results can be deadly. The play above is just a taste of the skill and control that Domas has already. The future really does seem bright for him.
This play was the next offensive possession after the previous video. Again, potential. I'm linking to this play, not because it was impressive, but because this is one of the Thunder's favorite sets and I always like pointing out when the play Robes as a 4 on offense. Russ brings the ball up the center of the court and has two shooters at each wing. In this case the Thunder is actually playing small with Roberson on the floor. Morrow is on the right wing and Vic is in the left corner. I previously explained one of the ideal college sets and this is very similar with one big exception. The Thunder don't post the 4 at the FT line instead they bring the 4 down to the baseline.
The reason for this is that Russell Westbrook is 10 times as dynamic as any college player. When he has the ball, giving him 4 passing options as well as a decently clear lane to drive is always the most ideal.
You can see the Wizards all shade to the paint the moment they see Russ begin his drive. Russ eventually drops it off to Sabonis who is able to avoid a contest and calmly lay it in, but Russ has Morrow and Oladipo both wide open and available. Later on you will see this exact set, again that results in a 3 point shot.
Both teams are playing small at this point. Here you see the Thunder's power forward defend one on one against the Wizards best wing option then completely stuff him. Going small against the Thunder is a dangerous proposition. Robes is the reason why.
I wanted to include this play because it is awful defense, but to point out that it is awful because you have guys forced to do things they never have to do. When a team that is unaccustomed to playing small tries to do so, problems like this occur. The Thunder start four spread with Sabonis under the rim. Sabonis sprints up to run PnR with Russ. Morris runs out with him and when Sabonis starts his roll, Wall and Morris show hard on Russ. That's all well and good, and probably the smartest way to defend Russ. The issue becomes obvious quickly. The Wizards aren't used to playing small like this and Marcus Thornton doesn't recognize that he needs to come over from the help side to defend the rolling Sabonis. The result is the easiest 2 points you can hope to get in the fourth quarter of an NBA game.
Here, the Thunder are still playing small, but have subbed Grant in for Oladipo. This slides Robes back to the 3, and Morrow to the 2. The play begins with a quick screen high on the right side for Russ by Sabonis. Sabonis rolls quickly to the baseline off this screen. Jerami Grant is posted on the baseline left side. Robes is in the left corner and Morrow at the left wing. As Russ probes with the ball (when he gets to the FT line) the off ball action begins. Morrow cuts towards Grant, Robes shifts over to the wing. As is usual for a Russ drive, Morris who had been covering Morrow, slides over to help on Russ' drive. Russ dumps a pass to Robes at the left wing. Meanwhile Morrow redirects his cut and bounces out the left corner. Bradley Beal jumped out on Robes, but is in no-man's land.
Robes sends a quick bounce pass to Morrow in the corner who lines up an uncontested three. It misses, but its a perfect play. You can see in the picture above, 4 Wizards are in the paint with Russ. Beal is completely on an island.
Above I mentioned that you would see another play with the Thunder running two wings and two bigs on the baseline. This is the play I was mentioning. Sure it looks different because the two wings overloaded one side of the floor, but it is the same concept. Every team runs this action, but the presence of Russel Westbrook makes it very effective. Just for grins, here is the same play foundation again. This time Russ is posted on the baseline with Oladipo starting the action.
So there it is. A few plays to look for, some thoughts about a developing player. When you watch tonight's game see if you see some of what is discussed here. I am certain you will.
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