12/22 | G31: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz - 8PM CST

NaturalThunder · Post #81 » by **NaturalThunder** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:23 am

It took more Paul George heroics, but it's another win.

I don't love the longterm sustainability of this model, though. We can't keep getting 3/17 shooting nights from Russ against good teams and expect to win.

Post #82 » by **ThunderBolt** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:24 am

Never has a player tested my love for a team like Russ.

Post #83 » by **slick_watts** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:25 am

ThunderBolt wrote:Never has a player tested my love for a team like Russ.

he's doing everything we always wanted him to do.

getrichordie · Post #84 » by **getrichordie** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:25 am

ThunderBolt wrote:Never has a player tested my love for a team like Russ.

Welcome to the club.

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spearsy23 · Post #85 » by **spearsy23** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:26 am

I only watched the fourth, but as awful as Russ was offensively at least he was fighting on the defensive end. That block/foul was a great recovery.

I don't buy that athletic decline made it impossible for him to hit open mid range jumpers, there's something more serious going on either physically or mentally.

berlioz · Post #86 » by **berlioz** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:26 am

Russ started the season shooting well from mid-range, now he can't even make those shots. I still trust he will get it together but man is his shot looking bad, and it's starting to affect the rest of his game.

Post #87 » by **slick_watts** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:27 am

taking out ferg and replacing with schroder was the first real instance this year i thought that it could have cost the game. russ was hiding on jae crowder which meant schroder had to guard donovan or rubio. and russ got beat twice by crowder. it was odd. ferg was doing a decent job by the end of the game. but that's what happens when you promise minutes to a guy.

the schroder bench was awful again. schroder's second pass was a botched lob.

come back, russ. you're our only hope.

berlioz · Post #88 » by **berlioz** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:28 am

There is a massive bright side to all this: probably Russ' worst game since his rookie year and we beat a very good Utah team. If he gets it going again and keeps up the other positives, this can be a great team.

anthony00 · Post #89 » by **anthony00** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:29 am

berlioz wrote:There is a massive bright side to all this: probably Russ' worst game since his rookie year and we beat a very good Utah team. If he gets it going again and keeps up the other positives, this can be a great team.

and he is playing better defense

Osirus89 · Post #90 » by **Osirus89** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:30 am

Dn4sty wrote:MVP foul by Russ

As odd as I sounds, that was probably the best it could have gone. Him fouling Mitchell there stopped it from going to OT. I don't think the team could have survived another 5 mins on the road in Utah with Russ playing like he was. He meant to block it clean, but the fact that it was ruled a foul was actually the best thing that could have happened other than it being a block.

I can't get enough of Paul George playing like this. Even in games like this on the road with Russ playing like crap, I still feel oddly confident. This team hasn't had that kind of dynamic since Durant was here. Eat **** Ingles :wink:

getrichordie · Post #91 » by **getrichordie** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:31 am

spearsy23 wrote:I only watched the fourth, but as awful as Russ was offensively at least he was fighting on the defensive end. That block/foul was a great recovery.

I don't buy that athletic decline made it impossible for him to hit open mid range jumpers, there's something more serious going on either physically or mentally.

Occam’s Razor. And that last saving grace play that fouled him out was really his only highlight of the game. He was otherwise pretty awful defensively for the rest of the game. Hence the foul trouble.

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alessandrux · Post #92 » by **alessandrux** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:32 am

slick_watts wrote:taking out ferg and replacing with schroder was the first real instance this year i thought that it could have cost the game. russ was hiding on jae crowder which meant schroder had to guard donovan or rubio. and russ got beat twice by crowder. it was odd. ferg was doing a decent job by the end of the game. but that's what happens when you promise minutes to a guy.

the schroder bench was awful again. schroder's second pass was a botched lob.

come back, russ. you're our only hope.

My proposition to this problem, more Schröder with the starters , in place of Westbrook, and more Westbrook with the second unit.

This one time we saw an Adams-George pick-n-roll was amazing. If Russ gets back to his old self and starts the Adams-Westbrook pick-and-roll, that will be a great time. Adams has successfully developed tools for his low-post/mid-post game, it is time to get that pick-and-roll back.

getrichordie · Post #93 » by **getrichordie** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:33 am

By the way, if any of you guys are from Oklahoma, I’d highly recommend The Innocent Man on Netflix. Holy crap. Ada, Oklahoma is a messed up town.

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Dn4sty · Post #94 » by **Dn4sty** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:34 am

I will ride or die with Russ for ever.

Osirus89 · Post #95 » by **Osirus89** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:35 am

Under the radar hope from this game is that Abrines can hopefully keep up being able to knock down at least 2 threes a game. Patterson actually did something productive as well.

Pillendreher · Post #96 » by **Pillendreher** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:36 am

I think we still can't discount the mental component with Russ. On that one missed layup over Korver, he was actually looking for a teammate to pass it to before he threw it up. And in the 4th quarter when George was doubled and needed help, the ball went to Grant with Westbrook standing idly by. He's shook to say the least.

Post #97 » by **slick_watts** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:37 am

Pillendreher wrote:I think we still can't discount the mental component with Russ. On that one missed layup over Korver, he was actually looking for a teammate to pass it to before he threw it up. And in the 4th quarter when George was doubled and needed help, the ball went to Grant with Westbrook standing idly by. He's shook to say the least.

it reminds me of andris biedrins.

Mattv · Post #98 » by **Mattv** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:40 am

Dn4sty wrote:I will ride or die with Russ for ever.

I agree!!! I did not watch the first half but the only problem I had with Russ shot selection was the 3 at the end of the game the lane was wide open for him.

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Post #99 » by **bondom34** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:40 am

I'd be more encouraged they can win with him shooting this way. And tbh kinda thought the last play was a clean block but either way. At least he still does other stuff but yea the shooting.

Post #100 » by **slick_watts** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:41 am

Mattv wrote:
Dn4sty wrote:I will ride or die with Russ for ever.
I agree!!! I did not watch the first half but the only problem I had with Russ shot selection was the 3 at the end of the game the lane was wide open for him.

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his shot selection this year hasn't been bad. he just can't shoot.

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