Oklahoma City put together its most complete performance of the season on Sunday night as the Thunder cooled down the Suns by winning 124-103 to snap its three-game losing streak. A Dion Waiters bucket about a minute later pushed the Thunder lead 15 points, then on the next offensive possession, Durant pulled up from behind the three-point arc with confidence and electrified the home crowd by nailing the money ball to extend the Thunder lead to 18. The bench allowed large leads to slip away or was unable to keep games close. The Thunder starters pummeled the Suns and jumped out to an early 26-12 lead. The Thunder hit their first 11 shots in the ultimate quarter, and it wasn’t simply Durant doing the heavy lifting as we have seen in the past.
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The Thunder improved to 4-3 overall behind 64 points in the paint and 14 steals on the defensive end.
Russell Westbrook had 21 points and 13 assists, along with 6 rebounds. Waiters scored 10 points in the period, part of his 19 on the night on 6-for-9 shooting. Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight led the Suns with 22 points apiece while Markieff Morris chipped in with 18 points, but no other player scored more than six points as the Suns fell behind midway through the first quarter and could never quite catch up.
What is your initial reaction to tonight’s result?
All this game showed was what we already knew – if the Thunder play focused defense and get contributions from more than their stars, they’re nearly unbeatable.
Westbrook, who led the league in scoring last season, is arguably having an even better season through six games.
Kanter deserves mention because this is the kind of game they’re paying him for – to grab rebounds, get offensive put-backs, and finish PnR plays. “(Serge) Ibaka, Russell. And when (Westbrook) shoots the ball, by the time he hits the floor, he’s back going after the rebound”.
Durant looked up for a few help.
“We just have to figure out what we’re trying to accomplish out there”, Chandler said.
Well, not quite. Because the one guy who was the exception is the guy everyone has maligned since the day he arrived – Dion Waiters. Now, before you fly off the handle, you have to think waaaay back to 2011 when everyone…everyone…(well, except us at WTLC) thought Harden was a lottery draft bust. But then, Eric Bledsoe and the bench destroyed the Thunder’s reserves. A 16-3 run mid-way through the fourth quarter, fueled by Westbrook and Durant, ensured that this one would end with a Thunder victory.
“They are relentless”, Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said.
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Seeing his guard was feeling it, Donovan called a play for on the next trip for Waiters, and the attacking combo guard drove the lane and drew a foul while almost slamming the ball through the rim.
