In Game 4 win, Thunder’s Schroder shows he’s back as scorer and leader

Dennis Schroder scored 30 points and provided leadership help to Chris Paul as the Sixth Man helped the Thunder beat the Rockets.

When Dennis Schroder plays well, the Oklahoma City Thunder typically play well, too.

That was once again the case in the 117-114 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday.

In Games 1 and 2, Schroder had a total of 19 points on 8-for-24 shooting. The Thunder lost both games.

On Saturday, Schroder scored 29 points to lead the Thunder to a win. In Game 4, he helped tie the series up with 30 points, four of which came in the final 40 seconds of the game.

“There’s no question he should be a starting and could be a starting point guard in this league,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s such a team guy … that winning and the team is the most important thing. Whatever you ask him to do, he’s going to do.”

Playing at the start of the game is one thing. Playing the most meaningful minutes is another.

Oklahoma City had fallen behind by as many as 15 points in the third quarter but starting inching back. As the buzzer sounded, Schroder released a 31-foot bomb that hit nothing but net to cut the deficit to one.

Over the first 11:20 of the fourth quarter, there had been a total of 23 seconds in which a team led by more than two points.

Oklahoma City led by a point with 40 seconds to go when Schroder got an isolation against Jeff Green.

He barreled in, ducked down under Green and avoided the swipe by P.J. Tucker, and found his way to the hoop for a layup to extend the lead to three.

A pair of Chris Paul free throws and a James Harden 3 later, the Thunder were up by two. Schroder went to the line with 16 seconds to go and nailed both shots.

In the regular season bubble games, Oklahoma City went 3-3 without him, losing two of the games by more than 25. The Thunder found some scoring from other places, but that consistency and playmaking wasn’t there.

The leadership wasn’t, either.

Paul last week said Dennis Schroder helps him keep his head straight.

On Monday, Paul again emphasized how important Schroder is as a leader to the team.

“Dennis is one of my favorite teammates ever,” Paul said. “We got a lot in common. We both emotional players. … As big as he was for our team tonight indivudally, he was huge for me. He stayed in my ear all game and kept talking to me.”

If Paul is crediting him with that help, you can also credit part of Paul’s eight points over the final two minutes of the game to the impact Schroder has.

“It’s going to be a little emotional for him,” Schroder said. “He played there, had a situation going on, so that’s the reason why I tried to help him … He handled it very well. Sometimes when I see something, I tell him and he always listens.”

Over the final five minutes of the game, Schroder and Paul were the only two Thunder players who scored.

“You gotta be able to listen. And I know I can be stubborn and hard in my ways, but this game right here, Dennis was on my ear,” Paul said. “Dennis was on me, rightfully so. If you give it, you’ve gotta be able to take it.”

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Schroder finished with 30 points, proving that Game 3 wasn’t a fluke. He said Monday that missing six games set him back basketball-wise, but now, he’s ready to play the way he has all season.

Paul finished with 26 points, 22 of which came in the second half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 18 points.

It’s the second game in a row that the three combined for more than 70.

It’s the second game in a row the Thunder have beat the Rockets.

“Our formula has been those three guards and (Danilo) Gallinari scoring,” Donovan said. “When those three guards are playing well, our team’s generally playing well.”

Now the series is evened up at 2-2. The Thunder just have to win two more games before the Rockets do.

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