{"id":1907,"date":"2016-02-25T12:37:50","date_gmt":"2016-02-25T18:37:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=1907"},"modified":"2017-07-08T15:59:45","modified_gmt":"2017-07-08T20:59:45","slug":"rotation-change-works-for-thunder-in-dallas-so-far-kevin-durant-good-with-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=1907","title":{"rendered":"Rotation Change Works for Thunder in Dallas; So far, Kevin Durant good with it"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Kevin<\/a>
Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) drives against Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) during the first half. Jim Cowsert Special to the Star-Telegram Read more here: http:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/sports\/nba\/dallas-mavericks\/article62356787.html#storylink=cpy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Billy Donavan made\u00a0a\u00a0rotation change in Dallas last night in their 116-103 win in the American Airlines Center.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Assuring\u00a0at least one of his two super-players, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, to be on the floor at any given minute of the game, OKC was just too much for the Mavericks.\u00a0 Kevin Durant, liking to play the initial first twelve minutes (1st quarter), was\u00a0taken out of the NBA game just\u00a0six minutes in, leaving Westbrook on the floor until his substitution later in the quarter, when Donavan put Durant back into the fray.\u00a0 That flip-flop continued until both stars played the final minutes of the half.\u00a0 It was repeated in the 2nd half.\u00a0 Examining\u00a0minutes, the two played less minutes together than what they had been averaging, dropping from 31 minutes to 25 for this night.\u00a0 With that, the\u00a0other three starters and the significant bench players\u00a0 fedd off both Durant and Westbrook and for this one game, the production of certain players was up.\u00a0 The Thunder offense was effective scoring above their game average of 110.<\/strong><\/h6>\n

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Asked about the rotation change Kevin Durant responded:<\/strong><\/h6>\n
“Man, whatever he wants me to do, I’m down. I felt good. I’ve been in this league long enough I can figure it out. Coach just came to me the other day and said he wanted to try it out, and I said it was cool. It doesn’t really affect me. At some point I’m going to get it going, at some point I’m going to make shots. Tonight it just started to come around. I’ve just got to stay patient. I can’t force anything because I’m coming out a little earlier, I’ve just got to play my game. What happens, happens. Just try to play winning basketball.”<\/em><\/span><\/h6>\n

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The fact remained that the Thunder as an offensive\u00a0have been\u00a0highly effective with both top players on the court at one time. Yet the ineffectiveness of the bench necessitated a change for Donavan. The Thunder bench was just not getting it done and was being punished by the better teams with stronger benches.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h6>\n

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Last night the\u00a0bench and role players\u00a0dominated Dallas where it hurt, outside shooting and post play, especially\u00a0by Enes Kanter and\u00a0starter Steven\u00a0Adams.\u00a0\u00a0Kanter<\/span><\/u> had 14 points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes and Adams had 15 points, dominating the Mavs in the\u00a03rd quarter with 13 of those points, and seven boards for the game.\u00a0 Dion Waiters<\/span><\/u><\/a>\u00a0broke out of his funk scoring all 14 of his points in the second half while\u00a0hitting 4-of-6\u00a03’s.\u00a0\u00a0New\u00a0man Randy Foye<\/span><\/u><\/a>, in this second game as a Thunder,\u00a0\u00a0nailed a pair of first half 3s. Serge Ibaka<\/span><\/u><\/a> had 13 points\u00a0 to go with\u00a0eight boards. \u00a0The Thunder\u00a0ran up\u00a0116 points on the home team as Durant and Westbrook both leading the visitors with 24 points each.<\/strong><\/h6>\n

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The change might not be permanent but Coach Billy seems to think anything that shores up the bench is a positive. The Coach praised Kevin Durant, letting it be known that the 6’10 meal ticket for the Thunder is “always wanting to do what is best for the team.”\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/strong>Donavan further commented, \u00a0“I just told him (Durant), in particular the fourth quarter, I think we’ve got to have either you or Russell out there to start that fourth quarter. I went to it early and we had talked about it the last couple days and he wanted to try it, he was all for it.”<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

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That beginning of last night’s fourth quarter started out with a 15-0 run, giving the Thunder an insurmountable lead of 21.\u00a0 .\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h6>\n

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This change might not be used for all games, but does give Coach Donavan and his players something to work around. Especially in the playoffs when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s\u00a0 minutes will increase.\u00a0 We shall see what happens tonight in New Orleans and Saturday on Reno Street in Oklahoma City against the Golden State Warriors.\u00a0 <\/strong>The Mavs were season\u00a0swept for the 2nd time in the short history with OKC, with the Thunder winning all four games<\/strong><\/h6>\n

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Top Photograph:\u00a0 Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) attempts a shot in front of Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) during the first half of a basketball game Wednesday.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Jim Cowsert<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Special to the Star-Telegram\u00a0 <\/span>Read more here: http:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/sports\/nba\/dallas-mavericks\/article62356787.html#storylink=cpy<\/span><\/p>\n

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Billy Donavan made\u00a0a\u00a0rotation change in Dallas last night in their 116-103 win in the American…<\/p>\n

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