Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 Suggestions For Game 3
By Max Seng
Try Different Bench Lineups
Each of Oklahoma City’s bench players were a minus in Game 2, with Jerami Grant bottoming out at -20 in 26 minutes of game time.
The most egregious mistake by the Thunder’s bench came in the late third quarter stretch with Westbrook on the bench that allowed the Rockets to go on a 12-3 run to end the quarter and gave Houston momentum heading into the fourth.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
That lineup of Victor Oladipo, Semaj Christon, Kyle Singler, Grant and Andre Roberson looked lost, as if no one wanted the basketball. Oladipo is in a terrible slump, and will have to climb out of it in these next two games if the Thunder hope to make any type of comeback in this series.
The bench units where Donovan likes to keep Oladipo on the floor as insurance is where he can find his groove, but so far the 24-year-old has been unable to in his first playoff series.
Donovan tried to tinker with the lineups by going smaller last night in that late third quarter stretch in an effort to get more spacing and versatility, but it failed spectacularly. Any time Harden isn’t on the floor, Kanter should be in and force fed post touches. It’s where he’s most effective and can at least put some kind of footprint on this series in those brief stretches.
Oklahoma City will need all three of these adjustments to pan out, as well as performing the necessary prerequisite of containing Harden and his troupe of shooters as best they can.
Next: 2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 5
Despite their outstanding defensive effort, the series may come down to if the Thunder can keep up with the Rockets on the scoreboard. That answer lies in how much Westbrook loosens his grip on the reins even for moments, in an effort to better involve Adams, McDermott, Oladipo and the rest of the roster.