NBA Playoffs 2011: Oklahoma City Thunder: Things to Watch for in Round 2
Now that the Thunder have closed out the Nuggets, they'll have until at least Sunday to rest up and prepare for the second round. There are many things that both the Thunder and fans should watch for if this team is going to continue to do well in the playoffs. Each of these things are keys that could mean the difference between a Thunder victory or a Thunder defeat.
Maynor’s Assists
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Along with James Harden, Eric Maynor is a huge part of the Thunder bench. It is Maynor’s responsibility to run the second team offense and his ability to get good shots for his teammates is vital. Maynor averaged just two assists per game in the first round, a series in which the Thunder bench struggled greatly at times.
Although individually Maynor had a pretty good series, that is not enough. His primary function is to lead the second team by getting assists and limiting turnovers. He has done the latter, but he must do the former for the Thunder to be their best.
Perkins’ Defense
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No matter which team the Thunder play in the second round, they will face talented big men and it will be the responsibility of Kendrick Perkins to limit the offensive effectiveness of those players. In the first round, Perkins had a fair amount of difficulty in keeping Nene in check (Nene averaged 14.2 points per game and shot 47 percent from the field).
No disrespect to Nene, but Perkins will face much more talented big men in the second round (especially if the Thunder play Memphis). At any rate, Perkins’ defensive effort and ability to take up space will play a pivotal part of any subsequent Thunder success.
Harden’s Scoring
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Harden is the Thunder’s leading scoring option off of the bench. However during Round 1, Harden averaged just 10.4 points and three assists per game. Along with Serge Ibaka, Harden is the leading candidate for that third scoring option behind Durant and Westbrook that the Thunder desperately need to win.
The Thunder may have been able to get by the Nuggets in the first round with a sub-par scoring effort from Harden, but he’ll be key if they’re going to advance past the second round.
Team Defensive Field Goal Percentage
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The Thunder held Denver to about 42 percent from the field in the first round. This particular stat played a large part in the Thunder winning the series. Although the Thunder probably would have liked Denver’s shooting percentage to be even lower, 42 percent is a very respectable margin, especially against a team as offensively-balanced as the Nuggets.
If the Thunder can continue this solid defensive field goal percentage and make it a trend throughout the playoffs as the opponents get tougher, they’ll have a great chance at being the last team standing.
Team Turnovers
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The Thunder averaged nearly 13 turnovers in the first round. This number is too high, especially when you consider that a third of those come from Westbrook alone. He is the primary ballhandler for the Thunder, explaining his large amounts of turnovers and making turnover efficiency one of his biggest responsibilities.
Much like Maynor does for the second team, Westbrook must guide and direct the offense for most of the game, getting good shots for teammates and limiting the dumb plays that end in Thunder turnovers. Along with defense, this is one of the most important areas that will determine whether or not the Thunder have what it takes to win it all.
Westbrook’s Threes
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Not to hammer too much on Westbrook (plenty of people have done plenty of that in the last week), but his shot selection is important to the Thunder’s chances. Westbrook shot just 30 percent from three-point range in the first round.
Don’t get me wrong, he can make three-point shots. But he can’t go 0 for 7 in a game from three-point range as he did in Game 4 of the first round. If you take out that performance, Westbrook shot a very respectable 41 percent from three-point range.
Westbrook must take good threes and must not force the issue if he is not hitting on a particular night. As talented as he is, he is still only the fourth best three-point shooter the Thunder have.
I-Block-A’s Blocks
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Serge Ibaka’s stats speak for themselves. He has averaged 4.8 blocks per game in these playoffs and 7.25 blocks per 48 minutes of play. Joakim Noah of the Bulls is second with just 2.6 blocks per game while playing more minutes than Ibaka.
Ibaka is also averaging just three fouls per game, showing that he knows the difference between a good defensive play and a foul. It is important to remember that his blocks have made a 9.6 point per game difference for the Thunder.
Team Free Throws
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The Thunder have averaged 27.4 made free throws on 34.4 attempts per game. That’s an 80 percent mark. In Game 5 of the first round, the Thunder accomplished every team’s golden goal of free throw shooting: They made more free throws than their opponent attempted. This was crucial in helping the Thunder close out the Nuggets, despite allowing Denver to shoot 46 percent from the field to their 36 percent.
The main reason for the Thunder’s continued success at the charity stripe is the ability of their two young superstars to get to the line and make a high percentage. Westbrook and Durant combined to shoot 80 for 96 (83 percent) in the first round. This ability of the Thunder at the free throw line is what makes them tough in close games and can help make up for subpar offensive or defensive nights.
Durant’s Scoring
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Kevin Durant’s scoring was huge in the Thunder’s first round against Denver, just as it has been all season. Durant has averaged 32.4 points per game so far in these playoffs. He exploded for 41 in the first and last game of Round 1, proving that he starts and finishes things for the Thunder.
In fact, he finished off the Nuggets almost singlehandedly, scoring the Thunder’s final nine points in a game in which they were down by nine points with less than four minutes to go. In order for the Thunder to win, Durant needs to score and stopping him will be no easy task for the Thunder’s Round 2 opponent.
