With the Thunder now locked into a first-round playoff battle with the Houston Rockets, the team will be tasked with finding a way to slow down the dynamic duo of former MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
To that end, versatile perimeter defenders will play a major role in determining which team advances, and one can only wonder whether Andre Roberson could help the Thunder in that pursuit.
Roberson — once an elite defender in the NBA — has proven to still have some defensive instincts and abilities to make winning plays. The seeding games, however, have shown that he still has a ways to go before he supplants any of the younger players who have risen on Billy Donovan’s depth chart.
For those who may be curious, though, Roberson met with reporters on Wednesday before the Thunder took on the Miami Heat and gave his own update on his progression.
“Still settling in — every game is getting better and better and I feel great out there,” Roberson said before acknowledging that he’s still a work in progress.
“I got to get chemistry with the guys and coach understands that, so he puts me with different groups and different people… We don’t have a lot of practice time anymore, so game’s are all I’ve got, so just going out there competing as best I can.”
So far, Roberson has made a positive difference, but his opportunity has been somewhat limited. He’s made six appearances in the Thunder’s seeding games, averaging 9.9 minutes per contest. While still effective in spurts, he appears to be a long way from being the player who was a 30-minute per-game starter for a perennial contender.
Still, that doesn’t mean he’s quitting on himself.
“If I make a mistake, go out there and make it going at 150%, Roberson said. “We’re all in this together, and like I said, I just go out there and try to do my best.”
While he sat on the bench for more than 900 days and wondered whether he’d get his chance again, Roberson found himself imagining how he could help his team. Now that his opportunity has come, he’s working to make his vision reality.
“That’s kinda why I’m here — to help this team in any way, shape or form that I can. I’ll continue to keep pushing the needle forward and right now, whether that’s coming off the bench for coach or filing in a role here or there, I’m gonna do it to the best of my abilities.
“I’m gonna stick with it and keep grinding it out with these guys.”
Regarded by his teammates and his coach as someone who’s easy to root for, the Thunder will be doing exactly that as it searches for bodies to throw at James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
One meaningless game against the Clippers remains before the playoffs begin. At that point, Roberson hopes to get more repetitions to prove that he can still make a difference.