Russell Westbrook slithered around a screen left, used an inside-out push dribble to get back to the middle, then flicked a slick pass to Steven Adams as his defender converged. The result? A wide open dunk for the Thunder center and one of a career-best 22 assists for Westbrook.
The Thunder dispatched of the Phoenix Suns 114-101 on Saturday evening, playing at 4:00 p.m. at Chesapeake Energy Arena in an early tip-off. Head Coach Billy Donovan’s club used a quick 10-3 burst to break open a double-digit lead in the first quarter, and its advantage in the scoring column never dipped below eight after that.
While Westbrook’s 13th triple-double helped fuel the offense, it was actually the Thunder’s defense that prevented any semblance of a comeback attempt by Phoenix. For the night, the Suns shot just 43.3 percent, including just 34.8 percent in the opening 24 minutes of action.
“Our guys did a great job tonight defensively, particularly in the first half,” Donovan said. “We were helping each other, rotating and scrambling. We did a lot of positive things.”
“When we defend we put ourselves in position to win games. That has to be our identity,” Westbrook added. “When we defend at a high level we usually have a good chance of winning the game.”
The main reason Donovan’s group was able to stifle the Suns was the way it defended in transition. In fact, the up-tempo Suns attempted just one shot in fast break situations and missed it, resulting in a 22-0 edge for the Thunder in fast break points. The home team, on the other hand, went 9-for-9 shooting on the break.
“We got back in transition. They’re a fast team and that’s how they score a lot of their points,” Westbrook said. “We did a great job of getting back, loading up and trying to make them score in the halfcourt.”
“That was really big in the game, especially in the first half,” Donovan added. “That was a huge key.”
The game’s start was crucial to the outcome, with momentum building as players stepped up and contributed. Starting in place of the injured Victor Oladipo, Anthony Morrow knocked down a corner three-pointer in the opening minutes as he helped the Thunder space the floor and get into an offensive flow. Donovan was then able to utilize Jerami Grant in a vital role, as a versatile defensive stopper who can play three different positions off the bench.
The other intriguing contributor was rookie forward Domas Sabonis, who scored on a layup in traffic then a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions, all while his father Arvydas Sabonis watched from the crowd.
“Domas continues to be a guy who improves and gets better and better with more experience,” Donovan complimented. “He’s a guy who is very internally reflective on ways he can get better and improve. I admire and love that about him. He’s gathering more information.”
The Thunder shot 50.6 percent from the field, including 7-for-16 from three-point range to go with 28 assists as five different players scored in double figures. The offensive outburst was of course spearheaded by the dynamic play of Westbrook, who seemed like a kid out on the court simply playing with his buddies. He racked up 26 points, 22 assists and 11 rebounds while shooting 9-for-17 from the floor. His 25-point, 20-assist triple-double was the first since Magic Johnson in 1988.
“My teammates did a great job of spacing, catching and finishing and making some shots,” Westbrook said. “My job is to be able to find those guys. The ball is in my hands a lot and my job is to be able to find the guys and make it easy for those guys to be successful.”
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By the Numbers
22 - Assists for Russell Westbrook on the night, a career-high and a Thunder single-game record
22-0 - The Thunder’s advantage in fast break points on the night a huge key in the game
50.6 – Shooting percentage for the Thunder on the night as five different players scored in double figures and the team racked up 28 assists- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Last Word
“We were really efficient on offense. A lot of that had to do with Russell and the way he controlled everything. When he is efficient like he was tonight in every aspect and was totally focused and locked in, it really helped our offense immensely.” – Head Coach Billy Donovan
Thunder Defensive Highlights