The third time's the charm - First Round Series vs Portland

[Jstock12]

Enes was too good

now i've really heard it all

Certainly wasn't a perfect defensive game from him (2nd quarter especially was BAD), but he was better defensively than his usual self, that's for sure. I thought he did a really good job in post-defense. But the real difference were those 7 offensive boards by Enes. They won them the game.

[Pillendreher]

George shot better from 3 than the rest of the team combined. And he made 4 of 15 3s.

[ThunderBolt]

It’s the same crap every year. We’re so incompetent. I’m done with Presti.

[Bergmaniac]

When did the shoulder issue with PG13 become known? Before or after you signed Markieff?

[Osirus89]

Before anyone feels doom and gloomy, if Portland loses gm 2 they will still lose HCA. As long as the team doesn't get lit up in the first quarter like they did today, they will be just fine in the series going forward.

Portland pretty much will have the production that was seen today. Some combination of Dame, CJ, and Kanter will basically carry the team. If any of those guys gets limited in any way, it becomes very difficult for that team to hold OKC off. Lillard will probably get his, not at the level he did today probably, but still... Measures need to be taken to faceguard Kanter and prevent him from giving them second chances. If Lillard penetrates into the lane, you have to live with it. This team can't live with giving up second chance points and offensive putbacks.

Having said that:
PG is going to be problematic this series because you can't just remove him but if he shoots like this it dooms the team. That shoulder isn't going to get better playing every other day and even if they get through this series, it will just be a lingering problem that carries over into the next series. Partially why I don't care if they win this series or not. It would be nice to win, but do any of us feel good about having Raymond felton in the rotation going into a WCSF series or even a WCF series. The horrid way this team is constructed will catch up with the team at some point. Round 1, 2 , or 3 is anyone's guess, but it feels like we are just playing a waiting game.

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

If we were to assume that this was a 100 possession game, we had a 156 DRtG in the 1st quarter and a 87 DRtG afterwards. I know I'm repeating myself, but we just have to stop doing this. You can't expect to win games when you allow the other team to get up by 17 points within the first 10 minutes of the game.

[Thundershock88]

All things considered, we had a chance in this game. There is still a long way to go. We all know 1-0 doesn't mean ****. Just as 3-1 doesn't. Need to win the next one and we'll be alright. Have to get more out of Ferguson next game.

[anthony00]

the only real problem was effort

[1bigfan13]

This game was lost when this team decided to mail in the 1st quarter.

I've never seen a playoff team consistently get off to slow starts like this OKC team. You spot teams 19 point leads in the barely a quarter into the game, you don't deserve to win.

Also, I think it's safe to say that Paul George can't be counted on in the post-season. He's a regular season All-Star.

[Pillendreher]

It’s the same crap every year. We’re so incompetent. I’m done with Presti.

https://247sports.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/Article/Sam-Presti-Thunder-need-to-improve-teams-shooting-from-within-122260660/

"Second thing would be guys can step up and make some shots. Like that's another way you can get better is we need some guys to make some shots. I think that all of our guys are capable and talented and I expect them to make some shots. That's another way you can become a better shooting team.

Says the guy responsible for a 200+ million dollar investment each season.

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

I had not realized that bricking shot after shot and being down by almost 20 in the first quarter was a bad thing. Thank God our mastermind is here to figure that out. Not like we have been doing this 1st quarter nonsense for the last 20 to 30 games.

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

If we were to assume that this was a 100 possession game, we had a 156 DRtG in the 1st quarter and a 87 DRtG afterwards. I know I'm repeating myself, but we just have to stop doing this. You can't expect to win games when you allow the other team to get up by 17 points within the first 10 minutes of the game.

stats.nba.com:

Q1: 150.0 DRtG
Q2-4: 85.5 DRtG

[Osirus89]

It’s the same crap every year. We’re so incompetent. I’m done with Presti.

https://247sports.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/Article/Sam-Presti-Thunder-need-to-improve-teams-shooting-from-within-122260660/

"Second thing would be guys can step up and make some shots. Like that's another way you can get better is we need some guys to make some shots. I think that all of our guys are capable and talented and I expect them to make some shots. That's another way you can become a better shooting team.

Says the guy responsible for a 200+ million dollar investment each season.

The problem is effort you see. Guys need to lock in, step up, and knock down shots. It's really that simple. Shooting is purely mental.

[Pillendreher]

It’s the same crap every year. We’re so incompetent. I’m done with Presti.

https://247sports.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/Article/Sam-Presti-Thunder-need-to-improve-teams-shooting-from-within-122260660/

"Second thing would be guys can step up and make some shots. Like that's another way you can get better is we need some guys to make some shots. I think that all of our guys are capable and talented and I expect them to make some shots. That's another way you can become a better shooting team.

Says the guy responsible for a 200+ million dollar investment each season.

The problem is effort you see. Guys need to lock in, step up, and knock down shots. It's really that simple. Shooting is purely mental.

I would like to know how Presti gets evaluated internally. The Thunder have been 28th in 3P% over the last 3 seasons. And yet here he is saying that the players he aquired, which cannot shoot, just need to make shots. That's like running a Formula 1 team and having a trash racing car while offering advice along the lines of "Just drive faster".

[Thunder Up]

this series is over in 5 or 6 max if PG gets his head out of his cheeks and shoots even mediocre on all these wide open looks

[ThunderBolt]

https://247sports.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/Article/Sam-Presti-Thunder-need-to-improve-teams-shooting-from-within-122260660/



Says the guy responsible for a 200+ million dollar investment each season.

The problem is effort you see. Guys need to lock in, step up, and knock down shots. It's really that simple. Shooting is purely mental.

I would like to know how Presti gets evaluated internally. The Thunder have been 28th in 3P% over the last 3 seasons. And yet here he is saying that the players he aquired, which cannot shoot, just need to make shots. That's like running a Formula 1 team and having a trash racing car while offering advice along the lines of "Just drive faster".

I don’t think Presti is ever getting fired. We just have to hope he gets smarter.

[1bigfan13]

If we were to assume that this was a 100 possession game, we had a 156 DRtG in the 1st quarter and a 87 DRtG afterwards. I know I'm repeating myself, but we just have to stop doing this. You can't expect to win games when you allow the other team to get up by 17 points within the first 10 minutes of the game.

It happens so frequently that the finger has to be squarely pointed at the Head Coach and his staff. It's beyond ridiculous at this point and it's definitely not a coincidence.

Bottom line, whatever initial game plans this staff draws up, flat out sucks. Fall behind by 10+ then it takes them about a quarter and half to finally figure out a counter to what their opponent is throwing at them.

[JustOneFix]

I am not concerned that we lost. We had a historicaly bad shooting night (sometimes it just happens) and i still think we'll win this series. What pissed me off is that Paul George was playing. He should have skipped this game and rest his shoulder for couple of more days. Now it's going to be really difficult to get him even remotely healthy. Any sane medical staff and coach would sit him this game and the rest of the team would definitely respond differently knowing they can't count on him. Westbrook would be more aggresive and they would be more desperate. This was the worst case scenario.

Oh, and it was nice to know that all these advanced stat geeks were right about Kanter. He sure can't play and has a 'negative value' for the team....

[Dadouv47]

As usual we are relying on two players to win. One had a GREAT game while the other had probably his worst game of the season. Probably PG13 will play better (worst is impossible) next game but not sure Westbrook will be as good.

I'm pissed because we had everything to win this game : Russ playing well, Portland struggling on offense etc. Even with an average post ASG PG13 we would have won this game. I fear our team lost confidence (Morris/Schroeder/Felton passing on open 3's was beyond terrible).

Not sure it's the right game to blame Donovan (I blame Presti way more). We went full Adams against Kanter which worked, and our defense started to play well in the second quarter. Not his fault either if Ferguson can't stop making those silly fouls and we have to play Schroeder (late in the game Schroeder was hitting shots while the rest of our team was cold so...)

[Dadouv47]

I am not concerned that we lost. We had a historicaly bad shooting night (sometimes it just happens) and i still think we'll win this series. What pissed me off is that Paul George was playing. He should have skipped this game and rest his shoulder for couple of more days. Now it's going to be really difficult to get him even remotely healthy. Any sane medical staff and coach would sit him this game and the rest of the team would definitely respond differently knowing they can't count on him. Westbrook would be more aggresive and they would be more desperate. This was the worst case scenario.

Oh, and it was nice to know that all these advanced stat geeks were right about Kanter. He sure can't play and has a 'negative value' for the team....

Paul George was struggling mentally too. It wasn't 100% on his shoulder. He looked nervous and made some very very bad decisions.

Obviously he would have played way better if he was in shape but his shoulder issue (even if it's very serious) is not enough to explain such a bad performance.