48 hours is all that long, but after the stretch of four games in five nights that the Thunder just had, it seemed like a week.
With a full day to rest on Friday and a crucial day of practice – just the Thunder’s second since the season began because of the rigorous schedule, Head Coach Billy Donovan had a chance to work with his group on some areas of focus moving forward.
In addition, the Thunder had an opportunity to re-focus and take aim at the Phoenix Suns, who it hosts on Sunday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Playing with two point guards in the backcourt in Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, the Suns provide a unique challenge to the Thunder’s defense as it tries to defend the pick and roll and keep ball handlers out of the paint.
“They’re a dynamic team offensively with Knight and Bledsoe’s speed and quickness. They have (Tyson) Chandler rolling to the basket on pick and roll action,” Donovan explained. “This is a high-octane team we’re playing against.”
More than just understanding the personnel, the Thunder also needs to know itself and its principles in order to sharply execute on both ends of the floor. After starting 3-3 with wins over San Antonio, a heart-stopper in Orlando and a blowout against Denver at home, the Thunder has fallen in its last three games against Houston, Toronto and Chicago – all playoff teams from last season.
As one of the team’s leaders, Kevin Durant explained that the Thunder can use those defeats as not just fuel but provide guidance for its efforts moving forward.
“We learned a lot about ourselves,” Durant said. “You can win a game and still play poorly. Losing wakes you up a little bit. It’s good for us.”- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Identifying and Correcting
Over the years, the core of this Thunder team – including Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison – have shown a capability to look itself in the mirror, identify areas of concern and then go out and correct them. While it was just one game, the Thunder did show strides against Chicago in the way it protected the basketball and, in the second half, the way it defended without fouling. Phoenix will test both of those areas, but the Thunder has the footing to be able to take each obstacle as it comes and deal with it.
“We just want to come in, keep grinding and keeping building on the foundation we set early in camp,” Durant said. “We’ll keep working. It’s a long season. Everything is a process.”
“For us it’s going to be a process,” Donovan said. “Anytime you’re doing a lot of new things, you’re trying to see growth in different areas.”- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Broadcast Information
Tip-Off: 6:00 p.m. CT
Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio: Thunder Radio Network, WWLS the Sports Animal
