OKC Thunder 119: Raptors 100: Defense-less
By Brian Boake
The Raptors ended their mini-slump in New Orleans against a decimated roster. Could they handle an infinitely superior OKC team?
The Toronto Raptors needed a complete performance to trip up an excellent Oklahoma City Thunder squad enjoying a 7-game win streak. It’s 8 now, as the Raptors were outclassed early and throughout.
First Half
The Raptors came out flat, again, and were badly behind before most fans had settled in their seats. All-world forward Kevin Durant hit a jumper put the Thunder ahead 15-3, and KD had outscored Toronto by himself. Kyle Lowry continued in the shooting funk he’s been enduring the past half-dozen games or so.
The Raptors chipped away, led by DeMar DeRozan, and OKC needed a 3-ball from Anthony Morrow to end Q1 with a 6-point lead.
The second quarter looked promising for the Raptors, as Lowry finally drained a 3-ball, and the defense forced turnovers. When Patrick Patterson buried a 3 from the top of the key, the Raptors nudged ahead by a point. After that, the roof caved in. 2-Pat’s lazy pass was intercepted by lightening-quick Russell Westbrook and turned into the culminating points of an 11-0 run.
Once again, the Raptors needed to nibble at the OKC margin, and when DeRozan completed a 3-point play, it was down to four. False hope; a 13-4 closed the quarter for the Thunder, led by Westbrook and Durant. Toronto’s D had been humiliated.
Second Half
Whatever was discussed in the Raptors dressing room had no impact at all. OKC continued their assault, draining open 3-balls and mid-range jumpers with equal ease. They roared out to a lead that stretched to 25 points during Q3 before a buzzer-beater from Cory Joseph.
A brief flurry from Toronto to open the fourth gave a shocked ACC crowd something to get excited about. OKC’s lead was down to 17 before Durant said “enough of that”. A jumper and his third alley-oop pushed the lead past 20, and garbage time had arrived.
In Sum…
The Raptors have two fine players who occasionally are excellent. The Thunder have two players who are seldom less than brilliant. The play of Westbrook and Russell was a clear demonstration of what superstars can do. They combined for 60 points, 20 assists and 19 rebounds, or virtually a triple-double each.
Terrence Ross sat out his third straight game, and our team misses his floor-stretching capability. The Thunder had obviously been reading the scouting reports on Luis Scola and were not interested in giving him any space or time to shoot 3-balls. His night was pointless, in every sense; he can’t keep up with a team of speed demons like the Thunder.
Norman Powell continues to impress at point guard. This was his third straight double-figure points game. Yes, he was minus_22, but every Raptors starter was minus_17 or worse.
So many defensive breakdowns – Durant behind the D for easy hoops, Westbrook rebounding his own missed free-throw and converting it into an uncontested layup, open looks from all over the floor which allowed 11 3-balls (a number that could have been much higher)…
There’s little time for error correction. The surging Atlanta Hawks are in town Wednesday night.