It took two quarters to feel out the game, but in the second half, the Thunder, donning its sunset uniforms for the first time, got blistering hot and blew the game open.
It was a runaway 117-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, and one that helped propel the team to a 3-0 record to start the season. A complete, two-way effort, the Thunder matched its offensive output with a staunch defensive effort that stymied the Nuggets all night long.
"On both ends we played well and we made some improvements from our last game," said Head Coach Billy Donovan.
Precise team movement had stretched the Denver Nuggets’ defense, but as Russell Westbrook attacked the paint, the ball took a funny bounce, right in to the arms of Steven Adams.
With the shot clock nearly depleted, Adams spun and tossed up a jumper that bounced once high off the rim. Westbrook somehow collected himself off the ground, rose over two potential Denver rebounders, and slammed the ball, and nearly his whole right arm, through the rim.
"That was huge. It was good to keep me going and to keep the team and the crowd in to the game," Westbrook said of his slam, and the big run.
An emphatic exclamation point to the Thunder’s 18-4 surge coming out of halftime, Westbrook’s dunk was one of a number of special momentum plays created by a combination of athleticism, spacing and selfless passing.
"When we're up, we have to keep our foot on the gas," Durant said. "We got stops, steals and easy points on the offensive end by moving the ball."
Head Coach Billy Donovan’s squad racked up 32 assists on the night, including 17 in the first half alone en route to a full team effort where seven players scored in double figures.
Thanks to the electric run to start the third quarter, Thunder starters were able to get a rest and some Thunder reserves, including rookie Cameron Payne, got some time on the floor. Payne’s 4:27 minutes of action were the first official ones of his career, and he enjoyed every second of the experience.
"I'm happy I got in, but i'm just glad we got the team victory," Payne explained. "I wanted to come out and get people involved and try to see the floor the best I can and get back on defense." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ibaka an Absolute Force
After not playing up to its standards defensively on the road in Orlando on Friday night, the Thunder returned to form on that end in front of its home crowd, using a mentality of packing the paint and building out to shooters. When it was all said and done, the Thunder held Denver to 38.0 percent shooting, including a meager 18-for-41 (43.9%) mark inside the paint, where the Thunder held a 52-36 edge in points on the night.
Much of the credit in that department goes to Serge Ibaka, who swatted five shots, all in the first half, to set the tone for the entire night, while also playing a huge role in an early adjustment to switch on any actions between the Nuggets' small forward and power forward. The perennial All-Defensive Team member was also a major factor on offense, draining 8-of-13 shot attempts on his way to 18 points while adding seven rebounds and four assists, including a nifty backdoor bounce pass to a cutting Westbrook for an easy layup.
"Serge is one of those guys that is very versatile defensively because he's good enough that you can switch," Donovan said. "Serge has the ability to really move his feet."
"[Ibaka] knocked down open shots, blocked shots for us and ran the floor very well and defended very well," Durant said.
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Augustin Provides a Spark
Early in the season, the Thunder has talked about the depth and versatility of its team being perhaps one of its most important assets. Not only has that variety and unpredictability proven to be the case in crunch time in wins over San Antonio and Orlando, but also in the course of play tonight, accentuated by the play of D.J. Augustin.
"[Augustin] is so steady, calm always and not too high or too low," Durant said. "He was great, hitting big shots for us, penetrating, getting in the lane and finding his teammates. That's what we need from him."
The veteran point guard has been not just his reliable, steady self, but also an integral attacker and creator for the Thunder offense. Sparking an important second quarter burst when the Nuggets were putting pressure on the Thunder, Augustin helped calm the waters and give the Thunder some breathing room. On the night, he finished with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including four makes from behind the three-point line.
"I was just being aggressive and playing the game how it came," Augustin said. "We were sharing the ball as a team and playing great defense. That was the biggest thing, trying to bring energy."
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By the Numbers
13-for-25 - Three-point shooting numbers for the Thunder, good for 52.0 percent, with makes from seven different players
19 - Combined steals and blocked shots for the Thunder on the night, led by Westbrook’s three steals and Ibaka’s five blocks
50-35 - Rebounding advantage on the night for the Thunder, led by Enes Kanter’s 10 boards for his second double-double of the season
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The Last Word
"We did a good job of locking in on the task at hand, worrying about us and not worrying about the other team. We took care of business." - point guard Russell Westbrook