MINNEAPOLIS – The preseason isn’t about wins and losses, but rather about gains and strides. Regardless, for the Thunder, a victory and playing the right way is never taken for granted.
As the Thunder opened up its 2015-16 campaign on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 122-99 victory, it showed talent, versatility, depth, intelligence and diversity up and down its roster. Head Coach Billy Donovan was pleased with how his team played, but more importantly, the strides the squad showed in their implementation of the offensive and defensive systems he and the coaching staff have begun installing.
It will be a long process that requires patience, but preseason games like this one are a great opportunity to put the work done in U.S. Cellular Thunder Training Camp to the test. The offensive and defensive schemes will grow and change throughout the year, but executing the base package in game one of the preseason was a strong way to start.
“I still think that we’re going to continue to evolve,” Donovan explained. “During the course of a season, through scouting, you always have to be changing, tinkering, adjusting and countering. Every time you’re playing a game, you’re seeing a different system, style or how somebody is guarding you and you have to adjust to that.”
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Durant Right in Rhythm with Teammates
Both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook played 22 minutes, as Donovan eased them back into building up their minutes workload that will grow larger once the regular season arrives. It had been a long time since the entire Thunder team competed against an opposition foe, and a bit longer for Durant. With 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting, two rebounds and four assists, Durant was effective in creating for himself and his teammates while also playing within the team’s defensive shell.
“Once I got on the court, I felt right at home,” Durant said.
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On Defense
Long, athletic, quick and mobile, the Thunder defense is one that hopes to intimidate opponents with both its physicality and the space that it takes up on the floor. It was far from a perfect defensive performance, but Donovan’s club showed signs of how it can make opponents struggle when everyone is tied on a string defensively. The Thunder’s 17-4 run in the first quarter was predicated on turning defense into offense, which is what will be rocket fuel for what is already a potent attack.
“We got stops early on in the game and that was able to get us going on offense,” Durant said.
Serge Ibaka was a major factor on the defensive end for the Thunder, also picking up right where he left off last season. The rangy forward was denying shots at the rim, contesting others and one of the reasons that the Timberwolves shot just 17-for-34 in the paint on the night. In just 19 minutes, he also scored a game-high 18 points while grabbing six rebounds.
“He was really focused,” Donovan said. “His defense tonight was really good. He was a presence at the basket, he shot blocked and he ran the floor very well.”
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On Offense
The ball was whipping around the floor, and in the half court, the Timberwolves’ defenders were having to slide from side-to-side of the court to try to keep the Thunder out of the paint. All that movement was induced by the Thunder’s precision and commitment to playing with tempo on both the strong side and weak side of the half court.
When it was all said and done, the Thunder shot 55.6 percent from the field, including 11-for-22 from the three-point line. Donovan’s club racked up 34 assists on 50 made field goals, with seven players scoring in double figures.
“We had really good ball movement and player movement,” Donovan said. “We made the extra pass and had good looks. That was encouraging to see. They played unselfishly.”
“It felt like we were just playing our offense,” Durant explained. “That’s what we’ve been teaching for a week now. Moving, flowing, body movement, passing the ball and making the extra pass. Guys did that.”
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By the Numbers
13 - Assists for point guard Russell Westbrook, along with 14 points and eight rebounds, in just 22 minutes
26-10 - Advantage in fast break points for the Thunder, as it shot 11-for-11 in transition and held Minnesota to 2-for-5 shooting
58-34 - Edge for the Thunder in points in the paint, where it shot 29-for-44
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The Last Word
“Overall they played with really good energy, they played hard and played together. This gives us something to build off of going forward with practice.” – Head Coach Billy Donovan