Thunder get their most complete win of the season against nemesis Warriors
It's amazing what motivation can do for some.
Nine months after Kevin Durant made his initial return to Oklahoma City as a member of the Golden State Warriors and walked away with a 16-point win, the Thunder pummeled the Dubs 108-91 on Wednesday in their first visit to OKC this season.
Never mind Durant going face-to-face with Russell Westbrook in the third quarter and then soaking up the end of the game from the bench. This was the Thunder's best win of the season - at the right time and against the right opponent.
While OKC holding leads this season has been no sure thing - they were helped Wednesday by the fact Steve Kerr pulled his starters midway through the fourth - their performance was a glimpse of what this team can be.
Paul George is an amazing disruptor
Much of the consternation over the Thunder's 8-9 record has been the tendency for the Westbrook-George-Carmelo Anthony offense to plod. George's defense, however, can be a game-changer. He had four steals Wednesday and leads the league at 2.6 per game. When he's not outright pilfering, he's disrupting passes all over the place.
Paul George is everywhere. pic.twitter.com/GRRkDEVVxd
— Up The Thunder (@UpTheThunder) November 23, 2017
While much of the talk coming into this OKC Big 3 experiment was how Anthony would acclimate at this stage of his career, it's actually George who has had to adapt to the whirling style of Westbrook. He's had half a dozen quiet nights so far this season, but he's also been efficient in what he's done. The Thunder offense is still a work in progress, but George is a big reason they have the third-best defensive rating in the league.
Melo is great on catch-and-shoot
Catching and shooting is what Anthony should be doing most of the time now with Westbrook and George dictating the offense, but that will take time to sort itself out. All three of Melo's treys Wednesday came in that format, and he's shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc on C&S.
However, Anthony is averaging the lowest amount of assists per game of his career, something not ideal for a stretch four. And Westbrook's force of nature alone - he scored a season-high 34 points against the Warriors, coming up one assist short of a triple-double - makes streamlining that offense difficult.
Higher energy can crystallize things however, and they got it Wednesday. It should be a template for the Thunder going forward.