The Thunder are not a top defensive team for one reason. They take time off the clock in a game where they just don’t play shut-down defense. All OKC fans need to realize that fact. I repeat, the Thunder will not play shut-down defense, and to qualify the statement, in the regular season. They, which includes Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, will play some minutes a game of great defense, or at least the team will come up with a couple of significant winning plays, usually at the start of the 2nd half and the last eight minutes if needed. But they are not going to bust a gut for a complete game. at least right now. Throw in Serge Ibaka and you have the “big” three with the same trait, which is a lack of emotion while on the defensive end of the floor in the mundane moments of an NBA game. There are some members of the team that always give the “all in” while guarding, but that is not enough for a consistently first line defensive team. Want names are always pushing it, defense, most every minute? Kyle Singler, Dion Waiters, Steven Adams and Andre Roberson to name four that are always mindful of a strong effort. That is is not enough. Matter of fact, effort does not equate to a great defense. But lack of effort does lend to an on-court sieve on “D”. And with a few players that can’t guard my best eighty year old neighbor, and Thunder fans know who they are, the Thunder continue to play just adequately on the stopping end of the court.
With the tougher schedule facing Oklahoma City to the playoffs, look for only a few more wins than losses…maybe six victories out of every ten games played. For the most part, the easy wins are over for this team, but that is not all that bad, Close games against the better teams will force the leaders, Durant, Westbrook, and if you want Ibaka, to play a more dedicated game in regard to defense. If they don’t, look for the Thunder to find them in many game situations as that are not good, as much as the twenty point deficit at Golden State. Sure, they made a run in the 2nd half with the Warriors, but it is evident that is not where the Thunder want to be in the later minutes of ball games. The fact of the matter, OKC could have beat the Warriors with a better first half on defense. They didn’t play together, and the stars played like James Harden on a bad day.
Hopefully with added enthusiasm, improvement in total minutes of tough defense played will correlate with better overall play. It is a given that the three above mentioned leaders can play at a high level, but they must want to. Plus silly missed assignments coupled with an attitude of wanting to get back on offense and to hell with this defense on this possession has to disappear. Again, this Thunder group will take their share of losses with multiple games against the Spurs, Clippers, Cavs, and Warriors. Fact is, OKC has maybe three guaranteed wins left on the schedule. And we all remember those guaranteed wins that ended up as L’s.
At playoff time later in the year, lets hope the defense will finally be one of forty-eight minutes of total hell for the opponent. That is what it is going to take for this team to challenge for an National Basketball Association title. After a first round win in the playoffs, the Thunder will probably get the Spurs of San Antonio. The team does not fear the Spurs. To be fair, for that series, we don’t know what kind of injuries either team will be saddled with. But knowing the Spurs, they will start shutting the regular season down once they are set in second or third in the West standing, with the older folks such as Parker, Ginobili and Duncan taking rests. Starters play more minutes in the playoffs and that is good for the Thunder against San Antonio. They are younger than the Spurs, even if the men of the Brazos River have the better bench. Plus, tt is not a given that GS will beat the Clippers, if it comes to be that the Wariors are in the Western Finals. You never know when the injury bug hits and one significant injury to any team can lead to disaster. Look for that to happen to at least one team in the West.
Feature Photo: Kyle Singler, Oklahoma City Thunder (Credit: Rick Scuteri, AP) Rick Press
Good read. The defensive inconsistencies will cost OKC big time. You are right on point, there is really little to no improvement on defense this season. Thus the crazy point differentials at the end of any game. As we approach the playoffs, I am curious to see what changes in defense, if any, the OKC THUNDER will employ.