roundone17

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HOUSTON – In Billy Donovan’s mind, tonight’s Game 5 in Houston might as well be Game 7. At some point in this series, the Thunder was going to have to win on the road. Tonight’s as good a night as any to get it done.

This Thunder squad may be the youngest team in the playoffs this season, but it does have leadership and even its youthful players have postseason experience. Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison have been through every type of playoff battle imaginable. Taj Gibson’s time in Chicago taught him a lot too. But even Andre Roberson and Steven Adams know what it’s like to go into a hostile environment and come out with a victory. That’s the task on the agenda tonight.

“We have to win one. That’s it,” Westbrook said. “We just worry about the next game and the outside people and outside things don’t mean anything. The only thing that matters is the people in this building.”

“We’re going to have to win a game on the road in this series at some point,” Donovan added. “The only thing that matters for us right now is focusing on what’s in front of us, and that’s Game 5 in Houston. That’s all we’ve put our mindset on.”

Down 3-1, it might seem that the Thunder has struggled in this series, but that’s been far from the case. In each of the past three games, the Thunder has held a double digit lead and has shown that it can impose its will offensively and defensively for large stretches of games. Tonight, it will be a matter of doing it for all 48 minutes.

“Every game we’ve played we’ve done things we need to do better and better,” Donovan noted. “There are still areas where we can get better and improve.”

Against this Rockets team, particularly on the road, the Thunder has to fight against the momentum Houston can create off of their runs. When the Rockets are firing from the three-point line and getting dunks in transition or the half court, the Thunder has to be able to settle down, execute on their possessions at a high level and then dig deep defensively to get stops.

“The game changes, so you have to be able to withstand runs especially against teams like that because they shoot a lot of threes and create situations where they make runs,” Westbrook explained. “You have to be able to withstand them for 48 minutes.”

During the regular season, the Thunder was better at home than on the road, where it finished with a 19-22 record, but that’s typical for any NBA team. There’s no special trick for winning away from home, or winning a closeout game. The work that’s required is the same as any other game – focus, concentration and determination for every minute of action and on every possession. Many of these Thunder players haven’t been in these situations before, but the Thunder has always thrived on young players performing in crucial situations. Tonight, they’ll have to do it again.

“Everyone’s grown up. They all know what’s at stake. I’m not going to tell them a bedtime story and they’ll come out all good,” center Steven Adams quipped. “It’s moreso they’re going to come out and make sure they’re going to do what they do at a high level. That’s everyone.”

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INTEGRIS Game Day Report: Thunder at Houston Rockets Game 5 – April 25, 2017

How many times this season have the Thunder pulled off a miraculous comeback? Just in the final weeks of the season alone there were three that stood out above the rest, when Russell Westbrook helped lead his team from late deficits against the Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets.

So can the Thunder do it again, this time trailing 3-1 in a playoff series rather than on the scoreboard? Why not?

As the Thunder got together for a quick practice session before shipping off to Houston to play Game 5 of its first round series against the Rockets, the team rallied, got in some work and ensured that everyone was confident in their chances to get one on the road to force a Game 6 back in OKC.

“The boys are still as positive as you can be after a loss and are looking to get better,” center Steven Adams said.

In order to make it happen, however, the Thunder has to maintain its focus, discipline and basketball intelligence for all 48 minutes. Head Coach Billy Donovan’s club has burst out of the gates of each game in this series with confidence, poise and precision. As the game has worn on, however, there’s been slippage.

“It’s the stamina,” Adams observed. “It’s the mental ones. Locking in on the gameplan. All the little things that make them miss and make it tough for them. We have to maintain those things.”

Donovan noted one specific area where that inconsistency showed itself in Game 4, in a quite remarkable way. After protecting the rim at an incredible level for the first 24 minutes, the Thunder didn’t get the job done over the final two quarters.

“There was a reason we had 14 blocked shots in the first half. We did a really good job of stepping up and challenging shots at the rim,” Donovan said. “When you do that, there are going to be guys along the baseline and that’s where you have to rotate down. In the second half we didn’t have any blocked shots and a lot of it was dump down passes where we have to make some rotations out of that.”

- Upon analysis of Game 4, that last point made by Donovan was the ultimate explanation for the perfect 12-for-12, 28-point night that Rockets reserve center Nene compiled on Sunday. Through difficult choices that arise in pick-and-roll defense, the Thunder surrendered too many offensive rebounds and simple catch and finish shots inside of two feet for Nene. In Game 5, the Thunder has to be tighter on its rotations and crash down from the wings to deflect those passes while still having the ability to fly back out to shooters.

- To negate some of those problems in pick-and-roll coverages, the Thunder has employed a strategy of switching everything along the perimeter late in the shot clock. Based on the exact situation, Thunder defenders have been switching out onto Rockets ball-handlers when there are around six seconds or less on the shot clock in order to prevent easy drives to the rim or chances to manipulate the transfer of defense between the Thunder’s guards and bigs.

- Houston has employed a similar strategy with Westbrook at times, being willing to put forwards and centers like Nene and Trevor Ariza on the Thunder point guard. Late in games however, in crunch time, Houston has not been switching, but encouraging the second defender in any pick-and-roll to blitz Westbrook out on the perimeter. In an effort to clog up Westbrook’s airspace and ability to make a play, Houston has denied driving and passing lanes. To negate that, the Thunder has to have all five players engaged offensively to recognize the situation and be in the right position to move the ball and make the right play.

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Playoff Practice Roundup – April 24, 2017

Hearts were stopped. The Thunder had just pulled off an unthinkable four-point play. Steven Adams hit his first free throw, then intentionally missed the second off the front iron, grabbed the ball and zipped it back to Russell Westbrook, who drained a three-pointer with 18 seconds left. The Thunder all of the sudden trailed by just one point, and tried to trap the ball in the backcourt for a steal. That’s when things went haywire.

The ball squirted out to Houston’s Trevor Ariza, who hesitated out behind the three-point line just long enough to freeze the defense and hit Nene under the basket. The Thunder’s Jerami Grant reached out to wrap up the Rockets’ center, but got there too late and surrendered the bucket, plus the foul. Although there was one harrowing loose ball situation left after that, the bounce didn’t go the Thunder’s way. Neither did the game. It was a 113-109 loss in Game 4, leaving the Thunder down 3-1 in the series.

“We made some mental mistakes, but I thought we played a good game overall. We obviously didn’t close the way we wanted to but we put ourselves in position to win the basketball game,” Westbrook said. “They made a run and some guys made some big shots for them down the stretch. There are some mental mistakes we need to fix.”

Head Coach Billy Donovan’s club built an 11-point lead late in the first quarter, but the Rockets quickly rallied with a run of seven straight points to end the period. The Thunder finished the first quarter with seven blocks, an Oklahoma City record, including four from Andre Roberson which was a playoff career-high.

Houston scores the first two out of the break as well while the Thunder went four minutes without a point. But when Westbrook checked back in, the Thunder racked up six points in a 31-second span on a Westbrook technical foul then two assists from the Thunder point guard, to Doug McDermott on a three and to Enes Kanter for a dunk. The Thunder’s lead waxed and waned the rest of the half and then throughout the second half as well. Houston always had an answer.

Despite 14 first half blocks by the Thunder, the Rockets managed to chip the lead back down to four at halftime. In those opening two quarters, Westbrook racked up his third-consecutive postseason triple-double, the most since Wilt Chamberlain put up four straight in 1967. He finished the game with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists and ignited a 12-2 Thunder burst to start the second half. But the Thunder’s offense stalled again by missing eight straight shots and Houston ripped off 12 straight points of their own in what was a defensive struggle in the third period when both teams scored just 19 points.

The fourth quarter was the complete opposite, as the Rockets outscored the Thunder 40-32 by hitting 12-of-14 free throws. Meanwhile the Thunder went just 8-of-16 from the free throw stripe due to the Rockets intentionally fouling to try to disrupt offensive rhythm. Houston again scored nine straight points early in the fourth quarter to take a three-point lead, their first of the game since the opening minutes. Westbrook helped ignite a quick 5-0 burst, but from there on out the Rockets were mostly in control of the run of play.

“We had some opportunities for our second unit to step up and make plays but the ball didn’t go in the basket,” Donovan said. “One thing about Houston is that they have a very explosive offensive team.”

The Thunder stayed within one possession for a few minutes, then the lead slipped to five on a second chance layup for James Harden, two of 25 Rockets points off missed shots on the night. Then Eric Gordon answered three Westbrook free throws with a three-pointer of his own and Nene tipped in a missed three-point jumper – part of a perfect 12-for-12, 28-point night for Houston’s backup center.

“They’re finding the pocket pass. I should have been more aggressive on some of them,” center Steven Adams said. “From there it was the offensive boards. He was getting us on that. We have to box him out even more.”

In the end, despite a masterful defensive performance by Andre Roberson on Harden, who finished just 5-for-16 shooting and seven free throw attempts, the Thunder couldn’t control Houston’s secondary playmakers. The Rockets’ bench racked up an unbelievable 64 points. While the Thunder out-played the Rockets in a bunch of categories, it was not quite enough to come away with a win.

Now, there’s a short turnaround and the Thunder’s backs are against the wall. Game 5 in Houston will be a dogfight, as the Thunder tries to force a Game 6 back in Oklahoma City. From there, anything can happen.

“We just have to keep our confidence, make adjustments and go back and look at the film,” Roberson noted. “We just have to move forward.”

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14 – Blocked shots for the Thunder on the night, all in the first half, including five by Andre Roberson

25 – Second chance points for the Rockets due to 13 offensive rebounds and a plus-five rebounding edge

1967 – The last time a player racked up three-straight playoff triple-doubles, as Russell Westbrook completed that feat with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists
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“We’re in this together. We play as a team. That’s all that matters.” – point guard Russell Westbrook

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Thunder at Houston Rockets Game 4 Recap – April 23, 2017

For nearly a week, the Thunder was chasing a victory against the Houston Rockets. After two losses, Head Coach Billy Donovan’s squad captured a vital win in Game 3 on Friday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Now, the last thing the Thunder can do is exhale.

The playoffs are all about making tweaks and adjustments that can change the game, but the Thunder cannot lose sight of the aspects of the game that got them to this point: sealing off the glass with defensive rebounds, getting back in transition to prevent fast break points and generating quality possessions without turning the ball over. If the Thunder doesn’t do those things this afternoon, it will be difficult to win, and must stay focused on those crucial parts of the 48 minutes.

“Coming into this game there will be different things to have to deal with for both things, but on the core of what you’re doing, transition defense is important, defensive rebounding is important, trying to defend without fouling is important and having quality offensive possessions without turning the ball over is important,” Donovan explained.

“The core of what both teams are going to do is going to stay the same,” Donovan continued. “It’s just maybe the tweaks and changes of how to go about doing it.”

An additional part of what the Thunder wants to do at a high level again today is the way they defended Houston in the half court. The Rockets registered just 10 assists compared to 16 turnovers in Game 3, and while that trend likely won’t continue in Game 4, it’s the style of play that the Thunder can try to replicate. With the way the Thunder stayed with its traditional big men in the starting lineup, went small to match Houston and then specifically paired up players in certain matchups, it forced Rockets players into going one-on-one instead of getting that drive-kick-swing-swing action it typically utilizes.

“We did a good job of making them play iso ball and taking away their shooters,” McDermott explained. “They don’t like taking those non-rim two’s. That’s what we’re trying to give up.”

“We’re going to live with those,” McDermott continued. “They’re going to make tough shots, but as long as we’re doing our job, running them off the line and taking away layups, we’ll be in good shape.”

Once it gets into those situations when isolated on Houston’s talented playmakers, the Thunder has to simply play with intensity, passion and tenacity. When Donovan’s club can utilize the shot clock as the sixth defender and force Houston into taking tough shots as time runs out, it will have to be on its toes, make sure it keeps its hands clear to prevent from fouling and then seal off those possessions to complete stops.

“There are going to be possessions for both teams where you get up against the clock,” Donovan noted. “When the clock gets inside six or seven seconds, those are moments in time where you have to do a great job.”

If it can rack up enough of those types of possessions, the Thunder could be well on its way to tying this series at 2-2, and ensuring a Game 6 back in Chesapeake Energy Arena.

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INTEGRIS Game Day Report: Thunder vs. Houston Rockets Game 4 – April 23, 2017

A lot has changed in Oklahoma City between the Thunder’s last home playoff victory and Friday night’s 115-113 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 3. But one thing that remained the same was the home court advantage that the fans inside Chesapeake Energy Arena provided to the home team, urging them on and pushing them through to a hard-earned win.

For veterans like Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison, the ‘Peake’s abilities are inspiring but also normal. For guys like Taj Gibson and Victor Oladipo, playing in their first postseason contests in Oklahoma City, the experience was so much more.

“Since I’ve been in this city, there’s a lot of pride here,” Gibson said. “Seeing the sea of white and blue in the stands was awesome.”

“That was amazing. They told me it was going to be crazy, but then to actually experience it was crazy,” Oladipo added. “There’s nothing like the “Energy Arena” right?”

While what actually happens between the lines, the x’s and o’s and the execution, is what determines the outcome of the game, there’s definitely an added boost to the confidence and vigor of a team when it can play in an environment like Chesapeake Energy Arena can create. As the Thunder regrouped on Saturday for practice ahead of Sunday’s 2:30 p.m. tip-off, the team recognized that their relationship with the loyal fans in OKC can make a difference in a tough playoff series like this.

“You can feel the crowd,” Oladipo explained. “You can tell they’re into every play and every possession. It’s kind of surreal.”

- One player who has definitely utilized every ounce of energy in his body this series has been Andre Roberson, the fourth year guard who has spent seemingly every single moment on the floor next to James Harden, the Rockets’ star guard. Staying in Harden’s airspace for all 94 feet doesn’t guarantee anything against the supremely talented scorer, but Roberson has found a way to make an impact on defense, while also providing a unique offensive punch too.

- Gibson himself spent some time on Harden, thanks to switches late in the shot clock that forced him to step up and slow down drives or contest three-pointers. He was at it on the offensive end again, early and often. The Thunder posted up Gibson on Ryan Anderson on multiple possessions in a row, and Gibson generated offense from there. He scored 20 points on 10-for-13 shooting in his 29 minutes while also playing his brand of tenacious defense.

- The way the Thunder utilized Gibson is similar to how it attacked throughout the game. Instead of hunkering down with defense-heavy lineups, the Thunder battled back against Houston by spacing the floor and putting the ball in the bucket more. In the second unit, Donovan ran Doug McDermott, Alex Abrines and Norris Cole on the floor alongside Jerami Grant and Enes Kanter, mixing and matching in Westbrook and Oladipo as creators. The Thunder’s reserves responded by racking up 35 points on 13-for-25 (52.0 percent) shooting, including a 5-for-12 (41.7 percent) mark from behind the three-point line. The veteran point guard and two-time NBA Champion Cole kept the pace high and moved the ball during his nine minutes on the floor.

- One of the other facilitators of offense throughout the night was Grant, but not in a traditional role. Grant, the Thunder’s very own Swiss Army Knife, has defended nearly all five positions with the team, and has been utilized as a spot up shooter and slasher. In this series, however, Donovan has begun inserting him more as a roll man in pick-and-roll actions. On Friday night he caught the ball in the pocket and either attacked the rim or swung the ball to the weakside for an open shooter or to keep the offense flowing. He finished with six points and two assists.

- An unsung hero of Friday night’s win who didn’t get a ton of attention was Steven Adams. He played only 26 minutes, took just five shots and scored only four points, but his final bucket was perhaps the most important one of the game. With the score tied at 111 with 35 seconds to go, Adams, who had just recently been re-inserted into the game due to the Rockets finally playing one of their centers, tipped in a Westbrook missed three, giving the Thunder a two-point advantage, which it held onto in the closing seconds. Despite sitting for quite some time, Adams was ready for his moment.

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Playoff Practice Round-Up – April 22, 2017

The ball hung in the air for an eternity for Thunder fans, but as it clanged off the rim and fell to the ground the buzzer sounded, and a massive exhale let out in Chesapeake Energy Arena.

With its backs against the wall, the Thunder made just enough plays down the stretch to back up its effort from the first three quarters to secure a 115-113 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of this first round series.

James Harden’s missed three at the buzzer would have won it for Houston, but as it stands Head Coach Billy Donovan’s group gets a chance to double down on its home court advantage, trailing 2-1 in the series heading into Sunday afternoon’s Game 4 at home.

“We came out and competed all throughout the game,” guard Andre Roberson said. “We came out with a victory. We know it’s only one win and it’s first to four. We’ll come back Sunday ready to go.”

The Thunder couldn’t have scripted a better start to this one, ripping off a 13-4 burst to begin the game with some suffocating defense that forced Houston into five turnovers and 2-for-9 shooting over the first six and a half minutes of action. The Thunder pressured the ball and forced Houston to try to execute for all 24 seconds of the shot clock. With the buzzer as the sixth defender, the Thunder forced Houston into countless possessions that were desperation situations, and into three shot clock violations for the game.

“We’re just trying to be disruptive as much as we can and take them out of their offense,” Roberson explained. “We did a better job in our pick-and-roll tonight, calling out coverages and staying man on man.”

Throughout the game there were a bunch of runs by each team. 9-0 here, 9-0 there as the game see-sawed, but never got out of the Thunder’s control. It seemed unlike in Houston, the Thunder had an answer in front of the raucous home crowd. As a team, the Thunder forced Houston into just 10 assists compared to 16 turnovers and 45.8 percent shooting from the field, including 10-for-35 from the three-point line. Houston did manage to rack up 33 free throw attempts, which made the difference to cause this one to be a close game.

Part of the reason for the Thunder’s stout defense was its prolific offense, which hummed by racking up 55.4 percent shooting, including a 9-for-19 mark from the three-point line. Behind Russell Westbrook’s 32-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist triple-double, the Thunder notched 24 assists through ball and player movement. Donovan utilized Jerami Grant, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams as rollers in the lane, and they found open shooters like Alex Abrines and Doug McDermott for jumpers. Eight different Thunder players recorded an assist on the night.

“When you catch it in the pocket they have to react to you,” Grant explained. “You either go up and dunk the ball, shoot a floater or find the open man.”

“That was our emphasis, really move the ball and make them guard multiple actions,” McDermott explained. “We did a good job of that. Everyone was involved in that.”

Westbrook was of course phenomenal, utilizing his relentless energy to turn the Thunder loose in transition to the tune of 19-4 over Houston’s fast break game. He hit mid-range jumpers over big men on switches, showed restraint on the perimeter and aggressiveness at the rim and then manipulated the pick-and-roll to generate high percentage shots for his teammates.

“He was unbelievable tonight, the way he played from start to finish,” Donovan said of Westbrook. “He got guys shots. He took advantage of switches when they switched.”

“They’re bringing the whole house once I cross halfcourt. They’re bringing everybody,” Westbrook said of the Rockets’ game plan. “So my job is to be able to find my teammates, guys like Taj, Steven and Dre and make it easy for them.”

Down the stretch, getting all of those guys involved came in handy. Grant scored on a driving lefty layup after Westbrook turned down a tough jumper, then Adams delivered with a tip-in with 35 seconds to go. On the ensuing possession, it was the defense that made the difference and helped seal the Thunder win.

After causing havoc along the perimeter, Harden slipped and fell and was forced to call a timeout with 7 seconds to go on the shot clock. Out of the break he missed a deep three. Westbrook split each of his six free throw attempts down the stretch, so with 8.4 seconds to go the Rockets still had a chance, but Harden’s final three fell short, and the Thunder survived.

11 - Assists for Russell Westbrook, part of his second straight postseason triple-double, the first player to do that since Jason Kidd in 2002

25-4 - The Thunder’s advantage in points off turnovers for the night, which led to a 19-6 edge in fast break points

55.4 – Shooting percentage for the Thunder on the night, including a 9-for-19 (47.4 percent) mark from three-point range- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“We had stamina and we stuck with it for the full 48 minutes.” – Head Coach Billy Donovan

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Thunder at Houston Rockets Game 3 Recap – April 21, 2017

A storm is threatening in Oklahoma City. The Houston Rockets have blown into town after winning the first two games in this first round series, but the Thunder is coming, and knows if it plays up to its standards at a more sustained level and for a longer portion of the game, it will have a chance to chip into that series lead.

The thunderstorms crashing down on Oklahoma City all day are the precursor to the booming noise that will be coming from the fans inside Chesapeake Energy Arena tonight. That sixth man will serve as an energy boost for the Thunder, who will have to stay emotionally regulated through Houston’s inevitable barrage of three-pointers or highlight plays. In kind, the Thunder will need to play to its style to match those runs, and to be the ones to persevere in the end.

“There’s going to be runs going back and forth,” Donovan said of the Rockets’ style of play. “And I think with us, because we fast break, there’s going to be runs. And you just can’t expect it to be smooth sailing for 48 minutes.”

In Game 2, Donovan played 12 different players, all but one of the guys who were active for the Thunder. Houston will mostly stay stagnant, playing the same eight rotation players throughout the 48 minutes. As a result, Donovan has been creative in utilizing the different talent on the roster, finding minutes for each player and mixing and matching those minutes based on the Rockets’ personnel.

It’s not always as simple as playing your best players for as many minutes as possible. In the playoffs, matchups are king, and so is exploiting them. For the Thunder to win, it has to make sure it has the correct personnel on the floor at the right times against Houston’s lineups.

“Sometimes it’s who is on the floor for them, what they’re running, what kind of situations and what kind of binds are we being put into,” Donovan explained. “When we get put into a couple of those binds, can you create a situation for somebody to go out there and take that bind away and force them to go to something else?”

While on the floor, the Thunder has to concentrate, focus and play with force for all 24 seconds of the shot clock, for all 48 minutes. It’s a test of will and endurance, both physical and mental, to be able to compete at that level for that long. The Thunder needs to take a one possession and one game at a time approach. Veterans like Russell Westbrook understand what it takes to look a 0-2 deficit square in the face and then come back to win a series.

Against the Rockets’ prolific attack, the Thunder has to make sure it is communicating defensively at an extremely high level, but it must also score enough to keep up. Executing, playing with precision and having the emotional stamina to maintain a style of play for an entire game will be critical factors tonight.

“You have to be able to dig in and make sure you are locked in on the actual play, kind of read the play in front of you, especially down the stretch and especially this time of year,” Westbrook said.

“We just have to make plays, make the right decisions,” Westbrook added. “The game will tell you what you need to do.”&lt;/p

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INTEGRIS Game Day Report: Thunder vs. Houston Rockets Game 3 – April 21, 2017

All season long Thunder Head Coach Billy Donovan has been using the words “stamina” and “consistency” when talking about his team’s performances. Those two words combine dissolve down into one general idea: can the Thunder execute at a high level on both ends of the court possession after possession, and do it for 48 minutes?

So far in the Thunder’s first round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, it has shown the ability to do both, just not for all four quarters or for without stretches of time where it doesn’t do so. In both Game 1 and Game 2, the Thunder burst out of the gates playing at a high level. On Wednesday, they even held a 16-4 lead to start the game, and led by as many as 12 during two other crucial junctures. Each time, the Rockets made a burst to get back into it. Then, with just minutes left in the contest, Houston embarked on one final run, a 10-0 explosion fueled by poor execution by the Thunder, which resulted in a 2-0 Rockets series lead.

Still, as the Thunder regrouped in Oklahoma City for practice on Thursday, there’s plenty to like from the Game 2 performance, much of which will need to be replicated at just as high of a level on Friday night in Game 3. This time, however, Loud City will need to help their squad maintain that level of focus, determination and discipline for all four quarters.

“If you look at the stat sheet, the first half numbers offensively and the first half numbers defensively and then the same thing in the second half, there’s been a big disparity in those two areas,” Donovan said. “The consistency of being able to play when we’re playing at our best and working to do it for longer stretches.”

“The one thing that was encouraging to see was coming out of Game 1 and going into Game 2, we did a better job in those areas and we had longer stamina in those areas,” Donovan continued. “It has to be something we keep building on.”

- The consecutive possessions inside of the final three minutes in which the Thunder got outscored 10-0 will be highly critiqued and analyzed, but Donovan and his staff, along with Russell Westbrook and other team leaders, are breaking down the execution from all four quarters of play. Each possession in the postseason counts and can’t be thrown away or lost in the shuffle. Being at that mental level for all 48 minutes will be crucial for a Game 3 win. Most likely, those possessions will involve Westbrook, who has shown the ability to both make the right play and make spectacular plays in crunch time all season long.

- One of the keys to the Thunder’s offense early in the game was the way Donovan utilized Andre Roberson off the ball. Teams tend to leave Roberson open along the perimeter, and the Thunder is at their best when they use that neglect against their opposition. On Wednesday, Roberson cut through the lane to get a head of steam towards the basket, caught the ball and finished at a high level. Generating layups in the flow of half-court offense is tough, but thanks to Roberson’s timing and instincts, Westbrook and his teammates were able to help Roberson rack up 12 points. He’s now averaging 15.0 points per game this series.

- Another player who got into the mix early for the Thunder in Game 2, and will be a factor again in Game 3 is Taj Gibson. The veteran forward served as a post-up threat when matched against Ryan Anderson and he took advantage by scoring around the rim. He also initiated double teams from that spot, which helped the Thunder get some swing-swing passes along the perimeter for other easy looks at the basket.

- A huge piece of the Thunder’s puzzle all season has been Victor Oladipo, the multi-talented combo guard who has worked to become an all-around impact player this year. In the offseason he was pushing himself in private workouts while his teammates played in Summer League. Later in the summer he worked with Westbrook. All of that preparation has gotten him to this moment as a dynamic two-way wing for a playoff team. His first time in the postseason hasn’t gone the way he’d hoped in the scoring column so far, but the Thunder staff and his teammates are encouraging him to keep shooting the ball, but also to devote much of his focus towards the other aspects of the game that he can control.

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Playoff Practice Round-Up – April 20, 2017

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