Oklahoma City Thunder vs Portland Trailblazers: Breaking Down the Game

This was a great game, if you only watched the second half. I hate to say it, but Portland just didn't show up in the first half and it looked like the Oklahoma City Thunder were going to win this one big.

Then something happened during the break. A different team exited the Blazers' locker room, and the real game was on. Admittedly, the Thunder came out looking like they thought they could coast to a victory, but after they got hit in the mouth they were able to turn it back up and secure a hard-fought victory.

I want to begin my analysis by saying this: there's only around three or four players in the League who can conceivably shut down Kevin Durant. The first that comes to mind is LeBron James, but he would have to sacrifice his offense to be able to focus completely on Durant so his overall production would take a hit.

There's also Ron Artest, but I don't think he has the stamina to do it over a complete seven-game series at his advanced age. Josh Smith is another possibility, but he plays the power forward so if he has to guard a three his team might have to play small ball.

The only other guy I can see effectively guarding Durant is Gerald Wallace; and tonight, in the second half, I think he did a lot of work into proving me correct. He bothered Durant into going 3-10 from three-point range and keeping him without a field goal in the entire second half. 

Fortunately for the Thunder, other players were able to pick up his scoring slack and keep the Thunder ahead. Westbrook dropped 28 points and added 7 assists and 7 rebounds. That kind of production needs to come from him when he plays the older point guards of the League (cough Derrick Fisher cough) and he can use his speed to dominate them on both sides of the ball.

Serge Ibaka chipped in with 18 points and 8 rebounds, while Kendrick Perkins had 6 points and 10 boards. With them playing at that high of a level, the Thunder actually look like a championship-caliber team. It's widely known that you need some size when the playoffs roll around. With those two and back-ups Nazr Mohammed and Nick Collison, the Thunder definitely have the front court to compete.

Speaking of back-ups, the Thunder bench had another good day at the office. They had 25 points to Portland's 11 and were able to add quite a few rebounds and assists. The obvious stand-out was, of course, James Harden who is quickly becoming one of the best sixth men in the League. He only had eight points tonight, but he played extremely well on both sides of the ball.

I know I already talked about his defense, but the player of the game was easily Gerald Wallace. He single-handedly kept the Blazers in the game with one of the best games of his career. In addition to lock down defense, he also had 40 points, 7 boards, 1 block, and 1 steal.

I've always thought Wallace was a solid second option for a play-off team, but if he could have that kind of a game once or twice a week he could be a first option. Sadly, that's probably not going to happen since he's already a nine year vet, but if you can get that every once in awhile, you have a great second option.

Speaking of first option, Portland's star (while Brandon Roy is out), LaMarcus Aldridge, had another solid game, putting up 20 points and 7 boards. I like to see him progress as a dominate post player because I've been a fan since he was drafted four years ago. He quickly becoming one of the better forwards in the West with that smooth jump shot. Here's hoping he actually makes the All-Star game next year.

Overall, this game should've been a blow-out, but, as I've been told many times before, basketball is a game of runs, so there's always a chance that any team could make a big run and make it back into the game. You see those big runs happen more frequently in the college ranks, but it's not unheard of in the NBA.

Maybe it's not a coincidence that this kind of a up-and-down game came on the same day we got to see some great games from March Madness. On the Thunder's side, it's good to see them take a punch in the mouth from a play-off team and be able to stay on top when the final whistle sounds.