OKC Thunder Hanging on for Dear Life and Other Sunday NBA Takeaways
No Kevin Durant, no Serge Ibaka, no problem for Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As if Westbrook wasn't already defying logic individually, the Thunder (40-30) continue to spurn conventional wisdom by winning without last season's MVP and a premier stretch 4 while welcoming a cavalcade of newcomers who have admirably filled substantial voids.
Sunday afternoon, Oklahoma City kept rolling by downing the Miami Heat, 93-75, behind Russell Westbrook's 10th triple-double of the season. In 34 minutes, Westbrook finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high-tying 17 assists (10 of which came in the first half). He also tallied four steals and blocked two shots.
According to NBA.com/Stats, Westbrook has recorded a triple-double in more than 60 percent of his last 13 games:
The Oklahoman's Anthony Slater also noted that Westbrook's triple-double total is exponentially greater than any of his peers':
But Oklahoma City's perseverance transcends Westbrook's greatness.
En route to capturing a third straight win, Enes Kanter led the way with 27 points (12-of-20 shooting) and 12 rebounds following a one-game absence due to a gimpy ankle. Since Ibaka went under the knife to address knee soreness, Kanter has posted a double-double in five straight games.
"It was a balanced attack on both ends of the floor," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said following the win, according to the team's official Twitter account. "Everybody rebounded, everybody defended."
Balance would be the appropriate way to describe how Oklahoma City has thrived without Durant or Ibaka.
Westbrook has been the star, of course, but since March 13, the Thunder have boasted five double-figure scorers and shot 36.2 percent from three. That's up three percent from the team's 23rd-ranked total this season.
Not only is Kanter picking up the slack with his post-up and face-up offerings, but Anthony Morrow has started nestling into the long-range niche Oklahoma City envisioned him thriving in all season long.
Slater outlined just how lethal Morrow's long-range stroke has been over the past month-plus:
And as Bleacher Report's Dave Leonardis explained, Morrow's ability to consistently burn opponents from deep is an invaluable asset to a Thunder offense largely devoid of imposing perimeter threats.
"With Morrow coming off the bench, he brings a new dimension to the offense that isn't present in the current starting five of Steven Adams, Mitch McGary, Andre Roberson, Waiters and Westbrook," Leonardis wrote. "None of those players have a consistent enough outside jumper to space the floor."
| Team | Record | GB |
| 4. Portland Trail Blazers | 44-24 | 11.5 |
| 5. Los Angeles Clippers | 46-25 | 11.0 |
| 6. San Antonio Spurs | 44-25 | 12.0 |
| 7. Dallas Mavericks | 44-26 | 12.5 |
| 8. Oklahoma City Thunder | 40-30 | 16.5 |
| 9. New Orleans Pelicans | 37-33 | 19.5 |
| 10. Phoenix Suns | 37-33 | 19.5 |
Sunday afternoon, Oklahoma City was plus-29 with Morrow patrolling the perimeter, the highest differential of any Thunder player by a colossal 12 points. In the face of adversity, Westbrook's revolving door of sidekicks is improbably getting the job done.
And after the New Orleans Pelicans dropped their third straight game on Sunday to the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City is sitting pretty with a three-game cushion in occupation of the Western Conference's No. 8 seed. With New Orleans set to host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday while the Thunder get the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Oklahoma City can creep closer toward a playoff spot, a feat that's been put in doubt countless times this season.
Masters of rapid regeneration, the Thunder haven't just clawed back up an imposing cliff—they've taken a massive step back from the ledge.
Around the Association
The Master Bests the Student
Mike Budenholzer's Atlanta Hawks have done a brilliant job of emulating the San Antonio Spurs all season long, but his former employer reminded everyone who the master and who the apprentice is in that comparison Sunday afternoon.
In a 114-95 rout of the Hawks, San Antonio used metronomic execution, stingy defense and brilliant big-to-big passing as a way to capture a 2-0 season series victory.
Kawhi Leonard sustained his resurgent rampage, totaling 20 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals while interior staples Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan finished with 23 and 12 points, respectively. As a team, the Spurs outscored Atlanta 60-44 in the paint and shot an unconscious 56.1 percent from the field.
San Antonio is now 3-1 since Manu Ginobili suffered an ankle sprain on March 15 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Cleveland Blitzes Milwaukee Late
The Cleveland Cavaliers trailed by nine points at halftime, but you'd have no idea that was the case by simply glancing at the final score.
After turnovers plagued David Blatt's club for the game's first 24 minutes, Cleveland casually flipped the switch and scampered past Milwaukee, 108-90. That makes three straight wins for the Cavs and six straight losses for the Bucks.
While lackadaisical play ruled Cleveland's first half, LeBron James (28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, five steals) kick-started the team's second-half comeback with some ferocious defensive efforts.
"I was frustrated with our play," James said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "I know when to press the button when need be and tonight was one of those nights when I needed to press the button."
Once that tone was set, James, J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving took care of business scoring the ball. Smith poured in 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting from three, while Irving added 20 points (9-of-19 shooting) and seven assists.
Kevin Love was quiet with nine points and three boards, but Cleveland's bench hunkered down defensively and ravaged Milwaukee's second unit. Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova all posted point differentials of plus-22 or higher while on the floor.
Clippers Rise, Pelicans Fall
Near-perfection from Anthony Davis still wasn't enough to snap the Pelicans out of a slump that's plagued the Bayou Ballers since Thursday.
After dropping back-to-back road contests against the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, New Orleans fell to the streaking Clippers, 107-100, at the Staples Center on Sunday.
And that was with 26 points (11-of-13 shooting), 12 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks from Davis, who returned from a two-game injury absence. Talk about a wasted effort.
The Pelicans have now lost three straight and fell to 14-21 away from Smoothie King Center. For a team that's slated to play half of its remaining games on the road, the Pelicans can't be particularly optimistic about their chances as Oklahoma City continues to uncover winning formulas.
But while the Pelicans' star keeps falling, the Clippers' is starting to rise.
With four straight wins under its belt, Los Angeles is officially in the running for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs after Chris Paul racked up 23 points, 11 assists and four steals Sunday.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Westbrook is the only player who's scored and dimed at a higher volume:
Considering six of L.A.'s next eight games come against the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and Lakers, don't expect this run to stop anytime soon.
Toronto Wins the Bargnani Bowl
Andrea Bargnani finished in double figures (16 points) for the 11th straight game, but the New York Knicks didn't have enough offensive gusto to take down the Toronto Raptors.
DeMar DeRozan paced Toronto with 23 points (8-of-15 shooting), seven rebounds and five assists, while starting things off with a thunderous slam:
With 18 points from Tyler Hansbrough and 17 from Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto continually bludgeoned New York in the paint to the tune of a 52-38 advantage.
According to CBS Sports' Matt Moore, Toronto is inching closer toward clinching an Atlantic Division title for the second straight season:
"Raptors’ magic number for the division after this win over the Knicks will be 3.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) March 22, 2015"
Boston Can’t Capitalize in Overtime
Following the Indiana Pacers’ 123-111 loss to the Brooklyn Nets Saturday night, the Boston Celtics had a chance to create the slightest bit of separation in their quest to capture the East’s No. 8 seed.
Instead, they fell flat, blowing a six-point halftime lead to the Detroit Pistons while getting outscored, 17-9, in overtime to drop back into a tie with Indiana.
Sans the suspended Marcus Smart, Boston’s starting backcourt of Avery Bradley and Evan Turner shot 13-of-31 from the floor and 4-of-12 from three as the Celtics knocked down just over 36 percent of their shots.
According to MassLive.com's Jay King, Turner acknowledged that the team needs Smart to step up after he took an unnecessary shot at Spurs center Aron Baynes on Friday:
With a showdown against the Pacers at TD Garden looming on April 1, the Celtics will need to hope they snap out of their three-game losing streak for Indiana is able to halt its five-game skid.
Don't Reach, Youngblood
Big men everywhere, take notes. It's now officially an occupational hazard to try and swipe the rock away from DeMarcus Cousins in isolation situations.
Nene learned that the hard way during the Washington Wizards' 109-86 loss to the Sacramento Kings:
Cousins burned Washington for 20 points, seven boards, five assists and three steals to hand Washington a second straight loss.
Mo Williams Has His Revenge
You wouldn't think getting dealt away by the Minnesota Timberwolves would make a guy like Mo Williams mad. Instead of toiling pointlessly on a go-nowhere rebuilding outfit, he's getting to make a real difference in the Charlotte Hornets' playoff push.
Yet there was Williams Sunday, hanging 24 points on those beleaguered T-Wolves as the Hornets notched a 109-98 win. Maybe it wasn't revenge—not exactly anyway. But maybe he could have taken it a little easier on the team that was kind enough to trade him.
CanisHoopus noted how Williams' familiarity with Minnesota's sets gave his Hornets an edge:
The result ended a three-game losing streak and bumped Charlotte up to No. 8 in the remarkably congested lower reaches of the East. Thanks to the Milwaukee Bucks' six-game free fall, no fewer than six teams are vying for the last three spots in the conference.
With Kemba Walker rounding into form and Williams (averaging 19.4 points and 7.1 assists since joining the Hornets) producing, Charlotte looks equipped to hold on to its playoff spot.
Jeremy Lin Does Steve Nash Proud
Jeremy Lin may not have been invited to train with Steve Nash like teammate Jordan Clarkson was, but a day after the two-time MVP announced his retirement, Lin paid tribute anyway.
His no-look dime to a cutting Wesley Johnson was exactly the kind of highlight setup Nash had perfected in his prime.
And as the Los Angeles Lakers pulled away late, Lin whipped another beauty to a rolling Ed Davis, who finished inside. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News couldn't resist the comparison any longer:
Lin's Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 101-87 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, and his 29 points were his highest scoring total since Nov. 13, 2013.
L.A. seems committed to Jordan Clarkson, but Sunday's game showed Lin can still impress on occasion.
The Suns Haven't Quit
The Phoenix Suns held the Dallas Mavericks scoreless for a crucial four-minute stretch in the fourth quarter and rode a startling wave of intense play to a 98-92 home win.
Archie Goodwin provided a pair of improbable late hoops, and Phoenix's bench mobbed him in a show of unified support during the ensuing timeout. As a whole, the Suns hustled like mad down the stretch, pursuing loose balls and forcing Dallas to work for its looks.
Even with the victory, Phoenix remains two-and-a-half games out of the eighth playoff spot in the West. But with the Thunder facing a closing run without two of their three top players and the New Orleans Pelicans sliding, you never know what could happen.
If the Suns' effort in their fourth straight win is any indication, they're certainly not ready to give up.
