Oklahoma City vs. Dallas: How Each Possession Looked in the Final 2 Minutes
The success of the Oklahoma City Thunder is heavily reliant on their two superstar talents in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, yet their relationship has been portrayed in a Modern Warfare 3 like fashion.
One day after the two were caught quarreling on the bench, the Thunder found themselves playing a close game against the defending national champions, the Dallas Mavericks.
Here’s how each possession in the final two minutes played out:
First possession of the two-minute mark—Westbrook is isolated on the right side of three-point line, with Durant watching from the opposite baseline. A screen comes and Dirk Nowitzki switches out onto Westbrook, who misses a mid-range jumper.
Durant fails to touch the ball.
Score: 96-93 OKC
1:39—Kendrick Perkins helps Westbrook on Jason Terry—leaving Dirk wide open for a three-pointer.
Score: 96-96 tie
1:21—Durant catches the ball in isolation between the free-throw line and three-point line with Shawn Marion guarding him. One hard dribble and pull-up later, Durant knocks down a 15-footer.
Score: 98-96 OKC
1:04—Dirk gets called for an offensive foul as he shoves Westbrook while setting a screen for Terry. On the way down the court, Dirk gets hit with a technical foul—one that Durant cashes in on.
Score: 99-96 OKC
0:46—Perkins frees Westbrook at the top of the three-point line with a screen, which forces Dirk to switch. Westbrook makes him pay for not stepping out far enough with a 17-foot jumper
As Dallas calls timeout, Durant is the first one to congratulate his teammate.
Score: 101-96 OKC
0:39.5—Dirk mishandles the ball, but luckily gets it to Terry for an open three.
Score: 101-99 OKC
0:22.9—Westbrook brings the ball down court and gives it to James Harden on the perimeter. Following the pass, Westbrook immediately goes to screen Durant, who gets fouled.
Score: 101-99 OKC
0:9.7—Durant has isolation beyond the arc and misses a three. Serge Ibaka rebounds the miss and is fouled for two free throws. He misses both.
Score: 101-99 OKC
0:1.4—Dirk catches the ball free-throw line extended, takes two dribbles towards the basket—which causes Durant to crash. Dirk flips the ball to a now wide open Vince Carter for the trey.
Score: 101-102 DAL
0:00—OKC inbounds from the right sideline and sets up in an off-stack formation. Westbrook lines up at very bottom and Durant stands in front of him.
As the play develops, Westbrook takes his man and clears underneath.
Harden, the second man in the "stack", screens Marion as Durant goes toward the ball.
Perkins steps out to pick off Marion one more time.
Just as Durant is about to receive the pass, Brendan Haywood leaves the paint to challenge.
Too late.
Final Score: 104-102 OKC.
Analysis
In the final two minutes, Westbrook attempted two shots, converting on one of his jumpers. Durant took three, including the game winner, but the balance prior to that is what might have kept Haywood in the key so long.
Terry was guarding Harden, who set the first screen for Durant. His awareness was sharper than Haywood's, as he stepped out to challenge the final shot.
I believe the back cut that Westbrook took was designed for a lob, but with seven-foot Dirk guarding the inbound pass, Thabo Sefolosha decided to hold on.
