With the big show approaching, every moment of preparation counts. The Thunder’s 111-98 home victory over the Denver Nuggets was a dress rehearsal of sorts for the regular season, so Head Coach Billy Donovan and his club wanted to put its best foot forward.
Throughout the first two and a half quarters, this one was close in a healthy way, allowing Donovan go through what may end up being normal substitution and rotation patterns against a competitive opponent. The Thunder eventually broke away, using its depth, talent and flair for quick-hitting runs to give the home fans a happy exit. While it wasn’t perfect on either end – the team allowed 29 free throw attempts and giving up 17 turnovers – tonight’s performance was a continued progression in the right direction.
“I was really pleased. I thought we got better from our last game against Memphis. We moved the ball really well,” Donovan said. “We played really unselfishly.”
Donovan can thank his starting point guard for accelerating the process of helping his players develop a rhythm for how a regular season game may shake out. Russell Westbrook dropped off 12 assists on the night, including five in the first quarter alone as the Thunder made a total of 25 assists on the night, shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Five different Thunder players scored in double figures, including 18 by Serge Ibaka on 7-for-8 shooting.
“We’re getting closer to the season so we have to be able to get the guys some shots and get them the ball where they’re most comfortable,” Westbrook said.
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Rebounding a Factor
The battle of the boards is always a barometer that the Thunder utilizes to judge its performance, and the Thunder passed with flying colors tonight. By outrebounding the Nuggets 49-34, the Thunder was able to seal off possessions with stops and then also create second opportunities for itself, racking up 14 offensive rebounds that led to 17 points. Enes Kanter led the way for the Thunder on the glass with 11 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass in 26 minutes.
“Whenever the guards take a shot, I want them to trust that we’re down there to get the rebound,” Kanter said. “I want them to shoot with confidence because they know they have somebody down there to get the rebound.”
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Turning Point
The Nuggets made it 67-65 with just under six minutes to go in the third before the Thunder called a timeout and made a game-changing burs. From there, the Thunder generated a pretty play as Westbrook hit Durant out of a pick-and-roll with Steven Adams for a wing three pointer.
“Russell and Steven created that for me,” Durant explained. “He made the right play and I was able to knock the shot down. My guy had to help or else it was a layup. Those are the matchup problems we create having shooters and guys that can finish.”
“It was just a read for us,” Westbrook echoed. “Kevin’s guy helped in and Kevin was wide open so he knocked down the shot.”
Andre Roberson made a steal on an attempted backdoor cut on the next possession, hitting Westbrook in transition for a monster slam dunk. After another defensive stop, Westbrook attacked off the bounce, spun in the lane and hit a banked runner in the lane plus the foul to make it 75-65 and the Thunder’s lead wouldn’t dip below eight the rest of the way.
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By the Numbers
9-for-14 – Shooting numbers for Kevin Durant, leading him to an efficient 23 points in addition to six rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes
11 - Rebounds for Enes Kanter, in addition to 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting in 26 minutes of action
12 - Assists for Russell Westbrook, in addition to 17 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes
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The Last Word
“It felt good to kind of know the rotation. I’m sure [Donovan] is going to tinker with it a little bit more. It’s good to play more than just two quarters. We did a good job of moving the basketball and the defense picked up in the second half. It was a step in the right direction.” – forward Kevin Durant