First quarters have not been OKC’s strong suit as of late. They’ve allowed quick starts by teams in their previous three games. The Los Angeles Lakers got up big early, as did the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Toronto Raptors. The Miami Heat came into town and did the exact same thing, shooting 6-of-7 to start and putting up 40 points.
BOX SCORE:
The Thunder essentially started the game in a hole and they couldn’t pull theirselves out of it like they have throughout the entire season. Miami handed OKC their third loss in four games, 114-107.
OKC’s offense hasn’t been that bad. It hasn’t been on fire or anything like that, but it hasn’t been poor by any stretch of the imagination. Where in the past the Thunder were able to make 20-point comebacks, they haven’t been able to do so lately because they’re missing one important factor as to why they were making comebacks in the first place: on the defensive end.
Through every comeback, yes offense is a huge factor but they’ve gotten their start on the defensive end; stopping the opposing team from making shots and capitalizing on the offensive end. As of late, they haven’t been able to do so.
Miami’s Kendrick Nunn, Meyers Leonard and Duncan Robinson combined for 9-18 from three and that absolutely killed the Thunder.
As stated before, the Thunder have lost three of their last four games, but luckily they’ll return home to face a listless Portland Trail Blazers team tomorrow night to get the Thunder back into their winning ways.