CHICAGO – Leaving the huddle out of a timeout, two intense, playoff-tested teams stared down one another as they walked onto the floor. The Thunder and the Chicago Bulls were preparing to square off for the final minute and six seconds of play and there was plenty of basketball left for the fans to enjoy.
The Thunder led by four at 103-99, but Chicago came storming back in that final 66 seconds, outscoring Head Coach Scott Brooks’ club 9-2 behind a three-pointer from Nikola Mirotic and then a late dagger in the form of a contested three-pointer by E’Twuan Moore with 2.1 seconds remaining, which gave the Bulls the lead for good, and a 108-105 victory.
“It was a heck of a basketball game.” Brooks said. “We had a chance to win the game. A couple of things didn’t go our way. Our defense in the fourth quarter wasn’t as good as it has been. We have to be a better defensive team.”
Chicago scored 36 points in the fourth quarter alone, a complete departure from the 18 that a stingy Thunder defense allowed in the first quarter. As the game went along, the Bulls were able to open things up and get Mirotic, Moore and Mike Dunleavy going from the perimeter, while the Thunder went cold, missing nine straight shots during a nearly five-minute span late in the fourth quarter. Down the stretch the Thunder didn’t execute up to its normal standards on both sides of the ball, but the team is confident that it can learn from those mistakes moving forward.
“We put their big fellow (Mirotic) on the free throw line ten times in the fourth quarter alone,” Brooks said. “That’s easy points for them. They played a great game. They made big shots down the stretch.”
“We got the shots we wanted, we just weren’t able to knock them down,” Westbrook explained. “They made some big shots and got to the line and put themselves in a position to win the game.”
Despite the loss and missing a jumper with just 4.9 seconds remaining, Westbrook was again an undeniable force throughout the night. Riding a streak of four-straight triple-doubles, Westbrook nearly eclipsed those benchmarks again, scoring 43 points to go with eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in another relentless, inspired 38 minutes of action. He was the emotional, physical and mental leader on the floor for the Thunder, and although he knows he can improve and be better in certain areas, there’s no denying that Westbrook left it all out on the floor.
“My job is to come out and try to help us win games,” Westbrook explained. “Regardless of what it takes, that’s what I try to do… I’m always confident. My job is to instill confidence in my teammates.
The man who helped keep the scoreboard moving for the Thunder besides Westbrook was Serge Ibaka, who was accurate from midrange all night long. He went 12-for-19 from the field on his way to 25 points, with many of his shots coming out of the pick-and-pop with guards like Westbrook, Dion Waiters and D.J. Augustin. He also impacted the game in the lane, grabbing nine rebounds, blocking three shots and when doubled in the paint, passing for three assists.
“He was confident, played his game, shot the ball when he was open and played with aggression,” Westbrook said.
Stats of the Night
10 – Points for D.J. Augustin, all of which came in the fourth quarter, as he also added three assists and a steal
12-for-19 - Shooting numbers for Serge Ibaka, who finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks
43 - Points for Russell Westbrook to go with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals
The Final Word
“As a unit we can learn from some of those mistakes towards the end of the games. As a team, we can look at film and see what we’re doing to let teams back in.” – point guard Russell Westbrook