Thunder Cruises To A Cakewalk In Game 5
Nuggets from my notebook from Wednesday’s 99-72 Game 5 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
- As I wrote in Thursday’s paper, this storm started brewing Saturday. That’s when the Thunder suffered that disheartening defeat in Game 3. This puppy built steam after Monday’s gritty triple-overtime win. The experiences the Thunder went through in those two games alone have brought the Thunder together and taught this team so many things about the Grizzlies, this series and playoff basketball. That was the difference tonight.
- Kevin Durant put it best. “We’re seeing all different types of scenarios playing in this series,” he said. “So we can handle anything.”
- Wanna know when this game was won? With 3:47 left in the second quarter. That was when James Harden finished a fast break dunk off a feed from Russell Westbrook. The crowd erupted. The Thunder grew fangs. Memphis checked out.
- The Thunder closed the first half on a 16-4 run to take a 46-35 lead at the break. It was over right then. KD confirmed he sensed the wheels coming off for Memphis right then and there. “We got a good lead going into halftime,” Durant said. “In the last two minutes, we really locked in and got stops and that led to some transition points.” The Thunder slowly twisted the knife in the third, enlarging its lead to 14, then 15, then 16, then 19. Ball game.
- Speaking of transition points. The Thunder’s did a good job of forcing turnovers early to get transition opportunities. Memphis was sloppy with the ball a bit. But it matters little how those turnovers come. OKC had 11 fast break points at halftime and that was a critical aspect tonight. The Thunder’s 20 total fast break points marked the second time in as many games that OKC has had at least 20 fast break points. That easy offense needs to show up one more time for the Thunder to close out this series.
- The Thunder was absolutely awful taking care of the ball early. Nine turnovers in the first quarter is pretty ridiculous. They led to eight Grizzlies points and contributed to a terrible start for the Thunder.
- Memphis gave the Thunder a different look tonight in putting Tony Allen on Westbrook.Mike Conley was on Thabo Sefolosha and Sam Young guarded Durant. Didn’t really make much of a difference if you ask me. Westbrook still was able to get to the rim and set up his teammates for good looks. It just so happened that the Thunder couldn’t buy a bucket in the early going. Now that Memphis coach Lionel Hollins has pulled that card, however, and the Grizzlies are now facing elimination, expect to see Allen again start on Westbrook in Game 6.
- With that said, not for a second did I like Thunder coach Scott Brooks‘ decision to stick with Sefolosha once the Grizzlies showed the switch. If this was the Lakers, fine. But Kobe Bryant is somewhere fishing. The Thunder didn’t need Sefolosha’s defense, and he dang sure wasn’t providing any offense (did you see his first shot from the right corner?). Brooks can’t let Sefolosha stay on the floor and be a liability that allows the opposing team to take it easy. Worse of all, Harden didn’t jump off the bench to check in for the first time until five minutes were showing on the first-quarter clock. That’s seven minutes of, well, basically wasted basketball. There’s no wonder the Thunder had just 17 first-quarter points.
Thunder Welcoming Newborn Babies
This is the single greatest marketing strategy I’ve ever seen from the Thunder.
Starting on Saturday, the team announced today, the organization will welcome newborn 2011 babies into this world.
Thunder mascot Rumble the Bison will visit some of the newest Oklahomans at 2 p.m. Saturday at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. Rumble will present each family he visits with a Thunder newborn kit that includes newborn hand warmers, bootees, a hat, bib, blanket, certificate and an exclusive Thunder frame.
The Thunder will continue to provide a newborn kit to every baby delivered at Integris for the entire year. In 2010, Integris delivered 2,539 babies, and on average the hospital’s labor and delivery unit welcomes 48 to 50 babies a week. The Thunder estimates it will provide 2,600 kits to newborns this year.
Now think about that.
The Thunder is turning babies into fans from the moment they’re born.
You just know that one of these precious little boys or girls in 2041 is going to be a 30-year-old fan who still has pictures of him or herself in Thunder bootees and bibs as a newborn. No one could ever question little Johnny’s fanhood.
Meanwhile, the babies’ parents fall head over heels in love with the franchise for coming to see their expanding family in the hospital and providing some useful and cool clothing and trinkets. You can bet those parents, especially if they have older children, are going to start following the Thunder. Some will buy merchandise. Some will become regulars down on Reno Ave.
It’s genius. And it’s something we haven’t written or talked much about. But this is what new franchises like the Thunder must do to slowly grow its fan base. One baby at a time, the Thunder is building its community.
Free bibs, bootees and blankets now could mean big bucks later.
-DM-
