3 Thunder Takeaways: Thunder Get Back Into Their First Round Series With OT Win

Two games in a best-of-seven playoff series can feel like an eternity if you happen to find yourself in an 0-2 hole. For Oklahoma City Thunder fans, it felt like standing in a graveyard and staring at your team’s tombstone.

Saturday, August 22nd 2020, 10:07 pm

By: Nate Kotisso


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Two games in a best-of-seven playoff series can feel like an eternity if you happen to find yourself in an 0-2 hole. For Oklahoma City Thunder fans, it felt like standing in a graveyard and staring at your team’s tombstone.

“Here lies the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2019-20 season

Beloved in the metro

An overachiever despite its limitations

Nearly ended by a virus in their own home”

The defense was bad. Their biggest performers seemed to shrink under the bright lights of postseason basketball. The thrill was gone.

Then, Game 3 happened.


First Takeaway: A Man Of His Word

Thunder guard Chris Paul didn’t mince words with himself after Thursday’s Game 2 loss.

Chris Paul showed up.

Paul’s offensive game is all about floaters and mid-range jumpshots. CP3 made three 2-pointers from a distance of 10 feet or further and two floaters inside of 10 feet from the basket. In Games 1 and 2 combined, Paul made three 2-pointers from a distance of 10 feet or further and did not have a floater inside of 10 feet or closer.

Paul, of course, did a little bit more on Saturday night. He drilled two clutch threes, one a fallaway over Houston's Austin Rivers, from nearly 30 feet in an overtime period dominated by the Thunder.

The 35-year-old must have found the fountain of youth.


Second Takeaway: Help Defense Against Harden May Not Actually Be Helpful

Lu Dort guarded James Harden like his life depended on it. Despite Dort’s efforts, OKC decided to bring help on Harden when he drove to the basket. On the surface, more bodies in Harden’s way would theoretically make it more difficult for Harden to score easily. However, as Doris Burke pointed out during the telecast, the help side defender would actually get in Dort’s way of stopping the former MVP.

Dort has the body, speed and defensive instincts to keep up with Harden down low. When someone who doesn’t have what Dort has enters the equation, Harden was able to draw fouls and get to the line.

While Dort is on the floor, what Oklahoma City needs to continue to work on in Game 4 and beyond is providing help defense on other guys who aren’t Harden. Dort has proven that he is a problem for Harden all by himself.


Third Takeaway: Five Is Still The Magic Number

It’s difficult to lose a game where the trio of Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroeder all score 20 points or more. Even though the game went into overtime, this had the makings of a typical Thunder win.

Oklahoma City won 30 regular season games where the Thunder either led or trailed by five points with under five minutes to play. OKC trailed Houston by three at the 5:00 mark of the fourth quarter and was able to get the game to overtime.

Dort caused Harden to foul out, opening the door for Oklahoma City's 11-0 blast to take over the five-minute overtime.


As good as Saturday’s win may feel, this series could still end in five games. The Thunder finally have something tangible to build towards which is great for team psyche. Still, it took fifty-three minutes to finally make their mark on the series. They will need to channel Saturday’s energy three more times. That will be hard to pull off.

It’s also doubtful one of the best tacticians in the NBA, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, will stand pat in terms of his team’s gameplan for Game 4. Don’t forget: D'Antoni still has the opportunity to draw the Russell Westbrook card from his back pocket. 

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