Thunder 122, Warriors 121
Observations, news and notes from Wednesday night’s game…..
* Lots of sore losers in the Warriors locker room following the Thunder’s 122-121 win, capped by Jeff Green’s buzzer-beating 16-foot bank shot.
“A lucky shot beat us tonight,” said Warriors coach Don Nelson. “I don’t believe he called bank on the shot. I believe he shot it so poorly it went in.”
“This is a tough one,” said guard Stephen Jackson. “If we lose any game we don’t want to lose a game on a hope, backboard shot.”
“We fought hard,” said guard Jamal Crawford. “But we shouldn’t even be in that position to have to come down to a desperation shot.”
* Earth to the Warriors, Green was wide open. Saying the bank was lucky is one thing. But to call it a poor shot? Uh, Green turned, faced and shot it in rhythm. Ball game.
* OK, the Warriors were somewhat gracious in defeat.
“I think he’s coming along very nicely,” Nelson said of Green. “He’s a good player. I’ve always liked him. I liked him in college.”
“He had a great game,” said Jackson of Russell Westbrook’s game-high 30 points. “The kid must have been working on his jump shot. With him getting 30, that definitely gives them a better chance to win.”
* It was Green’s first career game-winner.
* It was the Thunder’s ninth win, which assures it won’t set a new record for the NBA’s all-time worst record. (I’ll post some reaction here soon from the players on getting that monkey off their backs)
* Interesting stat: the Warriors and Thunder shot a combined 93.2 percent (68-for-73) from the free throw line. It’s the highest combined free-throw percentage in a game with at least 70 attempts since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77. The previous high was 91.6 percent (76-83) set by Portland and Sacramento on Jan. 15, 1987.
* Trivia question: who finished with a game-high eight assists? You guessed it (yeah right), Ronny Turiaf. That would be a new career-high.
* There were 22 lead changes and 15 ties. Neither team led by more than eight points.
* The Warriors trio of Kelenna Azubuike, Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette combined for 76 points. The Thunder’s big three of Green, Westbrook and Kevin Durant combined for 83 points.
* Durant had five assists again tonight and has now finished with at least four assists in nine of the past 15 games.
* This was only the fifth time since Scott Brooks took over that Durant didn’t make a 3-pointer. But it was his eighth double-double this year and the fourth time he’s finished with 12 or more rebounds.
* Durant says his injured shoulder is getting better.
* Who would have guessed the Thunder (13) would shoot more 3s than the Warriors (12)?
* Kyle Weaver is getting better each game.
* The Thunder did a decent job protecting the ball tonight. Only 15 turnovers, a more than acceptable total. Even better when you consider eight of them came in the third period and six of those coming in the opening 5:07 of the third.
* Nick Collison’s bear hug on C.J. Watson in an attempt to prevent a layup with 1:12 remaining was perhaps the funniest thing I’ve seen this season.
-DM-
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Comments
The Thunder is doing GREAT!!! You guys have a lot more FANS than you know. Thanks for the great effort and work!! Win or lose we love you guys. Bob Arens.
The game was well worth staying up late to see. A fantastic finish by an energetic group of young, talented players. The whole organization is amazing. Oh, and to Don Nelson…Wah,Wah,Wah!!! You want some cheese with that whine???
I could be wrong about this… but, didnt Jordan’s game winner against Cleveland go off the glass?… I guess that was a poor shot that just happended to go in… They should take that moment of of Jordan’s highlight reel if so…
“…reaction here soon from the players on getting that monkey off their backs” Just read their reaction and they make it sound like they didn’t know they had the monkey on their backs (easier to say AFTER it looks like you are safely past it). Notice they weren’t saying anything about it BEFORE the win. Does sound like it was an entertaining game all the way through and this time it came out in the Thunder’s favor. That’s sports. Go Thunder and win at least 10 (win at least 21 and beat the Sonics/Thunder worst record in the franchise’s history set last year in Seattle).
DM, was Nellie saying that tongue-in-cheek? When he was the Mav’s coach, I listened to many interviews with him on ESPN 103.3, and never recall him speaking ill of another team’s players. He does have a dry wit with a touch of sarcasm. Him saying Green didn’t call the bank sounds more like him.
I have officially moved into the camp that says we need to keep Earl. When Westbrook’s wheels began to get us into trouble, Brooks inserted Watson to settle the Thunder down. Maybe he’s making more than your average backup point guard, but these past couple weeks, he’s really played pretty solid. I think I heard a stat last night that in the past several games, his assist/turnover ratio was 33/1.
(MM, I have to say I wasn’t there to hear it. The quotes came off the quote sheet. I would think some of it was tongue in cheek. But he also made at least four references to the Warriors getting beat by a “lucky” shot. And one thing I’ve learned is that when players’ comments mimic their coaches’ exact sentiments in post game press conferences, there generally is a pretty strong feeling about what’s being said. -DM-)