Memphis, TN – The Thunder hit the street for his or her third sport of their 5 sport street journey the place they’ve received the earlier two and and are in the midst of a 3 sport successful streak that they regarded to increase.
It was going to be just a little more durable tonight as a result of they have been with out their finest defender Lu Dort and one in every of their finest defenders of the bench in Kenrich Williams.
The previous couple of instances these two workforce have performed one another the video games have been good and the beginning of this one was no completely different.
The Thunder couldn’t actually hit a lot inside to begin the sport however hit some threes and bought to the road to maintain them within the sport so it was shut. For a lot of the first half, it felt just like the Thunder have been getting blown out due to what number of photographs that they had missed within the paint capturing 8-27 from there within the half however they hit 8 first half threes, 10 free throws, and triggered 7 turnovers so the sport stayed shut.
It stayed shut for a lot of the sport till the 4th quarter when the Thunder regarded like they ran out of steam whereas the Grizzlies regarded like they have been catching their second wind. Grizzlies pulled away within the 4th making the sport appear like it was rather more of a blowout than it was.
The Thunder three sport win streak got here to an finish on the street with a 123-102 loss.
Listed below are the three causes for the loss:
The Thunder shot 19-45 within the paint.
That’s just about the sport proper there. Lacking 26 photographs within the paint received’t win you a lot video games. For a lot of the sport, the sport was shut with each groups protecting it at solely a few possessions sport so if the Thunder hit half of these photographs within the paint they most likely have management of the sport and it could possibly be a unique end result.
Additionally, with capturing that dangerous within the paint, they solely shot 20-54 from 2. Fortunately they hit some threes or it may have been a really ugly sport.
This isn’t one thing to essentially fear about contemplating they haven’t actually been this dangerous within the paint this season nevertheless it simply goes onto the record of issues they may have completed to win a sport which might enhance their document.
The Thunder had a stretch of about 7 video games the place they have been protecting their turnovers comparatively low however right here recently it’s been up and down with them having just a few excessive turnover video games.
Tonight was a excessive turnover sport as that they had 19 of them. That is also the principle motive they misplaced as a result of they have been changed into 21 factors.
Now, all turnovers aren’t created equal however a lot of the ones the Thunder had in opposition to the Grizzlies have been fairly careless and got here on the improper time.
In shut video games, and the sport was nearer than what the boxscore says, you may’t have excessive turnovers mixed with simple missed photographs. Wish to have low turnovers and make the simple photographs however need to no less than choose one in every of them to be dangerous at, not each.
Take the Grizzlies as an illustration, additionally they had excessive turnovers however additionally they performed rather well within the paint with 62 factors.
Undoubtedly one thing to be taught from.
The sport was shut till the 4th quarter and as talked about earlier than it regarded just like the Thunder ran out of gasoline whereas the Grizzlies have been hitting their second wind.
The boxscore says and watching the sport mentioned. The Thunder regarded drained and it confirmed within the 4th as a result of their protection and offense was effected. Permitting 29 and solely scoring 15 themselves.
It’s the third sport of the 5 sport street journey and they’re just a little shorthanded so a few of it’s anticipated however the Thunder simply didn’t have it down the stretch whereas the Grizzlies did.
The Thunder have been led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who had his 7 sport streak of 30 or extra factors finish in opposition to the Grizzlies with 26 factors and seven assists. Josh Giddey added 10 factors and 10 rebounds whereas Aleksej Pokusevski added 10 factors and 4 assists. Off the bench Eugene Omoruyi had 11 factors, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals, and Tre Mann added 12 factors.
The workforce will look to guess again within the win column once they go to Cleveland on Saturday evening.
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