Wow. When I wrote my rant about how stupid OKC continually is and how KD should go somewhere else, it was right after Game 2 of the series against San Antonio when the Thunder made a series of horrific mistakes to almost blow the game. This was after their no-show in Game 1, some bad play against Dallas, and a regular season that featured a lot of ups and downs. I was sick and tired of seeing such a talented team do the dumbest things imaginable. I had actually been saying all season that OKC was the Warriors' worst matchup, NOT San Antonio, because the GS defenders matched up poorly against KD and Russ, but I did not think OKC would get that far due to the silly things they often did.
Whelp, ever since Game 4 against the Spurs, it seems like Billy Donovan figured something out and the Thunder have locked in on defense. I felt the need to write this to give Donovan mad props after that silly rant I made.
Everyone knows now that Donovan went to a big Adams-Kanter duo to pummel San Antonio on the boards. That lineup also looked a little dicey against the Warriors, where Kanter's defense could actually get exposed. And it has been, as Curry has already been featured in several Vines schooling Kanter. After the Game 2 blowout, it seemed like Golden State figured things out and that the Thunder would be searching for answers. After all, the Thunder could try going small, but their lineup with Roberson had been unsuccessful all year because of the offensive liability he creates. Using Foye brings better shooting but then creates a defensive liability. I knew Ibaka would be way more valuable this series than he was against SA, but finding that fifth guy who could allow them to play small seemed like a challenge.
Next thing you know, the small lineup of Westbrook-Waiters-Roberson-Durant-Ibaka has not only bested the famed Warriors' death lineup, it has flat out dominated that lineup. That lineup has outscored the Warriors 91-35. That is not a typo. And Donovan deserves a ton of credit for not only having the guts to use that lineup but for what he has done to mitigate the offensive problem Roberson brings. Sure, Roberson has helped by hitting a few threes, but Donovan has done an excellent job moving Roberson around, using him on screens, getting him rolling to the basket, and having him cut aggressively. The Warriors are trying to be cute by having Draymond "cover" Roberson so that he can ignore him and roam, and the Thunder are making them pay just enough to keep Roberson on the floor. Now all of a sudden, the Warriors' death lineup is staring right in the face of another lineup that may not have its shooting from top to bottom but is more athletic and longer.
This is the best OKC has looked in years, and Donovan deserves credit for that. I don't want to overreact; Golden State is still dang good and it is perilous to think that this series is already a wrap. However, even if Steph Curry goes nuclear and powers Golden State for three straight wins, I am still compelled to give Donovan his due. He's gotten guys to buy-in to whatever role they need to be for a series like Kanter, Waiters, and Ibaka, he's made the right lineup adjustments, and he's found ways to get production from guys who have limitations. It's the skeptics like me who look stupid now.
