George urges Thunder turnaround: 'At some point, it's got to stop'
Trouble is brewing in Oklahoma City.
After dropping yet another contest Monday - this time at the hands of the faltering Charlotte Hornets - some of the Thunder's stars couldn't help but let their frustrations show postgame.
Carmelo Anthony, who finished a minus-21 in 34 minutes, bolted from the arena before talking to reporters, according to The Oklahoman's Brett Dawson, while Paul George, who did stick around, issued a desperate rallying cry to his team to figure out their troubles.
"For the talent we have, obviously it's just not where we want to be. But we're going to remain optimistic of the future and what we can do," George told reporters, including Royce Young of ESPN. "Once we can find a way to really do it night in, night out. It's no panic mode, but we have to start playing better.
"We can't allow ourselves to be at this point. We can say we're going to figure it out - we can say all that - but at some point, it's got to stop."
Related: Westbrook's dunk ignites Hornets, not Thunder in another OKC loss
Despite boasting one of the most talented trios in the league in George, Anthony, and dynamic point guard Russell Westbrook, the Thunder has been a beacon of galling inconsistency all season. After a three-game slide to end November, it seemed the team was on the up to start December, rallying three straight wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz, only to drop the next affair against the Brooklyn Nets before needing overtime to scrape by the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
When asked for his take on his side's disappointing campaign thus far, Westbrook offered a more pragmatic approach.
"26 games. 82-game season," he said.