The Oklahoma City Thunder entered Sunday, April 8, on a three-game losing streak. It was the first time this season the Thunder lost more than two in a row and the team was reeling. Thankfully, the Toronto Raptors came to town and the Thunder walked out with a 91-75 blowout win to get back on track.
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Wikimedia Commons
This season's Thunder team is not accustomed to losing and it is even worse since it came after Kendrick Perkins proclaimed that the Thunder planned to win every game for the rest of the season. Beating the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat will give you lots of confidence. Losing the rematch to Miami, as well as tough losses to the Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies, makes it difficult to fathom.
What makes those losses worse is the fact that it came while the San Antonio Spurs are coming alive. Thanks to three losses late in the season, the Thunder have fallen out of the Western Conference lead for the first time this season. The Spurs have won 11 straight, and while the two teams are technically tied, the Spurs sit slightly ahead based on winning percentage.
The Thunder's two star players have been lighting it up offensively, with Durant averaging 31.7 over the losing streak, inching even closer to NBA scoring leader Kobe Bryant, while Westbrook is hitting 22.7 per game. If you paid attention since the NBA All-Star break, Westbrook has been the better scorer. Even though some analysts like Skip Bayless claim that Durant needs to shoot more, it is Westbrook that needs to keep involved in the games to win.
Here is the kryptonite for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the three losses, they turned the ball over 55 times compared to 32 for their opponents. In the game with the Heat, Durant turned the ball over nine times. Impressively, in the Raptors' game, Durant only scored 23 while Westbrook hit 15. James Harden hit 17 from the bench. The turnover ratio was even, with both teams turning the ball over 16 times. Durant only committed two of the turnovers.
When the postseason rolls around, that is a problem this team has to fix. There is no way they can get past a team like the Spurs if they are turning the ball over 15 times a game. There is no way they can win a series with the Heat or Chicago Bulls, if they lose the ball that much.
I really hope Oklahoma City looked at their three-game losing streak and realized they have to work on their turnovers. I am sure they know it from the rest of the season but their raw talent and skills won't overcome sloppy play in the playoffs.
Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and is an avid sports fan that has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years. He used to religiously follow the Dallas Mavericks until Oklahoma City found a team to call their own.
Source: NewsOK.com
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