5-13-14
Clippers @ Thunder Game 5
Alright, I haven't blogged in quite some time, but after that game last night, I just thought I couldn't live with myself if I let this one go. I had my mind set on writing this last night, but until two in the morning, this was me.
. I just stared at the wall with a goofy smile, not really knowing what just happened. Everyone was saying the Thunder won, but being down seven with 47 seconds, that's kind of hard to believe. I mean, in my head I knew because I literally jumped up and down in one place over and over for five straight minutes. But honestly the Thunder played so poorly throughout it just seemed as if they were doomed. The offense went five straight minutes in the fourth quarter without scoring, then scored eight in the final 47 seconds. KD was 3-17 shooting going into the fourth quarter, then hit three of his next five for 10 points. Maybe its just meant to be.
There is going to be two types of ways to look at this game.
First way: The Thunder stepped up and made plays in the last three minutes when they needed it most, making defensive stop after defensive stop, hitting threes, getting to the line, getting turnovers and transition layups. Russ being Russ. We caught some breaks with the last few calls, sure, but the game was only in that situation because of the fight this team showed.
Second way: The Thunder got lucky and the refs were the only reason they won. Which, that group is going to be the fair weather OKC fans and Clippers fans. And the Spurs, because they're scared to play the Thunder next round.
Hopefully everyone reading this is in group number one. Even worse than group two is the people on twitter who are saying the game is rigged. If you seriously think that way, then you need to reevaluate your entire life. First, Clippers are a HUGE market, meaning more TV ratings and more money for the league. Two, the Clippers are the team with the Donald Sterling drama and bandwagon fans love stuff like that. Three, the league can't rig a player to make ridiculous shots, or a MVP to go 3-17. Sure the refs could have a tiny influence on the outcome, but in the end the players are the ones playing the game. So, if it was rigged, I don't think it would be in OKC's favor.
So, let us actually talk about the game. OKC started off much like they ended game 4, TURRIBLE. Couldn't guard the three point line, couldn't guard the pick n roll, couldn't stop (former friend) Blake Griffin, and the Clippers made everything they threw towards the basket. On the offensive side, there was a bunch of standing around, Russ isolating 30 feet from the goal, KD standing at the elbow posting up with his freakishly long arm stuck 40 feet in the air, and Thunder men missed everything they flung towards the basket. But thanks to free throws, the score was only 58-52 at halftime. Could have been way worse.
Skip the third quarter because I'm getting hungry.
Fourth quarter started off good, got terrible, then good again. OKC cut the lead to two at 90-88, then went into stupid mode. *Dribble dribble dribble *looks at shot clock *sees that it says three seconds *shoots 30 footer. Rinse. Repeat. During that time, LA went on a 11-0 run to get the lead to 13. Scott Brooks calls a timeout to draw up a play, and you guessed it, the play was terrible. It pretty much was just hey Kevin Durant, you're pretty good so get open and shoot. Which, if that was the case, then they executed flawlessly. Swish. A couple more stops, Kevin got to the free throw line, made both, then just down six. I know the math doesn't come out right, but whatever I may have forgot a few points, who cares. So, Another stop followed by Reggie Jackson layup cut it to four, 101-97. Griffin got fouled, made the first, missed the second. After an improbable offensive rebound by "Big Baby" Davis, Chris Paul dribbled into what seemed like a dagger fadeaway. Splash. Lead to seven with 47 seconds. I cried a little. Thought about going to bed, but a Kevin three and a Kevin transition dunk cut it to two with 17 seconds. Chris Paul takes the inbounds pass, and instead of just waiting on the foul, he tries to shoot a halfcourt shot to try and get three free throws. But Russ got his hand in and stripped the ball, Reggie scoops it up leading a 3 on 1 fastbreak, decides to keep it himself, got stripped of the ball and it went out of bounds. The Thunder were rewarded the ball. A replay was called for. The replay shows that Matt Barnes fouled Jackson, but they missed the call. The replay also showed that the ball was out off of Reggie's right hand, but after review, the play stood. Thunder ball. Once again, we got to see the brilliance of Brooks' play drawing. And, once again, the play was not good. This is how I picture that timeout went.
Brooks: "Hey Russ"
Russ: "Yeah Coach?"
Brooks: "Is it our ball?"
Hasheem Thabeet: "Sorry to interrupt but yes Coach its our ball."
Brooks: "Thanks Hash"
Brooks: "Alright, Fish?"
Jeremy Lamb: "Coach his hearing aid isn't working"
Brooks: "Well tell him he is gonna shoot the game winning shot."
Russ: "Lol" *whispers in Reggie Jackson's ear, "Just pass it to me"
Reggie: *giggles "You got it, Russ"
Russ gets the inbound, down two, and I'm thinking drive to the goal, maybe get fouled, maybe get a layup. Russ is thinking, Nope, 30 foot pull up jumper. Shoots it and airballs it. But, he gets bailed out by a Cliff Paul foul. Russ gets three free throws with a chance to go up one. And he cans all three. Shouts to him for that. Because I'm at home, just me and my mom, and I'm out of my mind nervous. Shaking like a little girl, biting my fingernails, and all I have to do is watch him shoot. He is in front of 20,000 people praying that he makes them, and isn't even nervous. Thunder up 105-104 with six seconds, with Doc Rivers getting to draw up a play. And he's actually good at it. Him versus Brooks in a play drawing up contest would be like Kevin Durant versus me in a dunk contest. And, like we all knew, his play was pretty good. Cliff Paul came off a Blake Griffin screen at the top of the key and drives down the lane, meanwhile I'm standing in a pool of my own tears, but he loses the ball and its recovered by Serge Ibaka. The Thunder won and fans went from sorrow to pure joy in five minutes. I'm still crying, but in a good way now, doing my jumping in place routine, and everything felt right in the world again.
Crazy how much more you can come up with after sleep and 12 more hours to process, because last night, after staring at the wall forever, this is all
I could come up with: "There was a basketball game tonight, some hoops were scored, some fouls were called, and the Thunder scored one more point than the Clippers. The End"
Next Up: Game 6 @ Staples Center in LA
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