It looked as if the Thunder had evolved in the playoffs. They no longer looked unsure of themselves in the fourth quarter, taking out the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals with authority. Against the Warriors, Russell Westbrook was finally becoming the point guard his team needed him to be, showing that he could control the tempo against one of the best defenses in the league. Steven Adams and Enes Kanter were coming into their own as big presences on the boards. And for once, Dion Waiters was playing close to the first round draft pick that he was. The Thunder looked like they were going to crush the defending champions.
But when Russell Westbrook started playing out of control and turning the ball over, Kevin Durant started rushing his jumpers, and the Thunder botched two crucial out-of-bound plays in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Thunder looked like they did during the regular season. They didn't look like the closers they needed to be.
Although Klay Thompson shot the lights out and Steph put on his usual heroics, this game was very much the Thunder's to give away. They put the Warriors in a position to win and failed to play the altruistic brand of basketball they showed they could play against the San Antonio Spurs. It is understandable that Westbrook and Durant would want the ball in the clutch moments, but the way both stars attacked the Warriors showed a lack of team involvement. Thunder fourth quarter possessions utilized heavy one-on-one isolation plays which often resulted in Thunder turnovers or missed shots. The Thunder are best able to generate offensive rebounds when they have effectively shifted the defense by moving the ball; an out of position defense allows guys like Adams and Ibaka to crash against smaller players. However, isolation ball allowed Golden State defenders to remain in their favorable match-ups and secure rebounds to push the ball in transition, leading to key Golden State transition and semi-transition baskets.
If the Thunder have a chance in Game Seven, Westbrook and Durant have to elevate their play in the fourth quarter. As a Warriors fan, I hope they don't, but I expect Billy Donovan to call more plays in the fourth quarter to get his stars more effective shot opportunities. If they hit them, the Thunder have a chance to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 to upset the defending champions.
