Sluggish start dooms Thunder against Indiana as OKC falls 111-85

Oklahoma City missed their first five shots from the field and hit on only 6-of-25 three-point attempts Tuesday night.

It was a cold night in Indianapolis, both outside and inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Oklahoma City dropped their second consecutive game Tuesday, a 111-85 loss to the Pacers.

The Thunder struggled from the get-go, missing their first five shot attempts from the field. It didn’t get much better from there.

OKC shot just 35.8% from the floor and struggled mightily from the three-point line. At the half, the Thunder were just 1-for-10 from the beyond the arc. They finished the night just 6-of-25.

Indiana had a lopsided advantage in points in the paint, where the Pacers outscored the Thunder 54-36.

At one point, the Pacers were up by as many as 31. Conversely, the Thunder’s largest lead was 2.

Oklahoma City was short-handed Tuesday. Terrance Ferguson did not make the trip to Indianapolis for personal reasons, per a tweet from The Oklahoman’s Maddie Lee.

Four Thunder players were in double-digits, led by Danilo Gallinari with 14.

Deonte Burton scored 13 off the bench. He shot 5-of-12 from the field and 50% from three in 18 minutes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steven Adams scored 11 and 10, respectively.

Adams returned to the starting lineup Tuesday, making five of his eight attempts and pulling down five boards.

Former Oklahoma City big man, Domantas Sabonis had a solid night against his old team, putting up a double-double. In 29 minutes he scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to go along with two assists and a block.

The Thunder fall to 4-7 on the season. Oklahoma City returns to action Friday when they host the 76ers.

Chris Evans ‘stayed focused’ in working towards reinstatement

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – As his roommate, Michigan VIPER Khaleke Hudson had a front row seat to everything that happened surrounding running back Chris Evans. The would-be senior tailback was set to be the leading rusher now that Karan Higdon had …

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As his roommate, Michigan VIPER Khaleke Hudson had a front row seat to everything that happened surrounding running back Chris Evans.

The would-be senior tailback was set to be the leading rusher now that Karan Higdon had graduated, but his plans were derailed due to an academic issue this past winter, which saw him leave the team while his future at the University of Michigan was in question.

While Evans remained confident over the summer, as he coached in his CE Stars 12 7-on-7 youth camps, that he would be able to rejoin the team, behind closed doors, there wasn’t as much rampant optimism. So, it was something of a surprise this week when Evans posted that he was able to rejoin the team, which was confirmed by head coach Jim Harbaugh on Monday.

Though his playing time with Evans is done, as Hudson graduates after this season, he was thrilled for his roommate once he got the news that he could suit up one last time for the maize and blue.

“I was super happy,” Hudson said. “Actually, knew before he even put it out there, because I stay with him. I was just telling him I’m proud of him, how he handled everything. How he stayed strong and how he kept his head. Because other players could really get frustrated with themselves, get out here and start doing anything, some crazy stuff. But he stayed focused, and he just did what he had to do.

“I’m just so proud of him and happy he’s back – working out and stuff. It’s just a good thing to see.”

Evans doesn’t get to rejoin the team just yet, as his suspension lasts until the end of the 2019 season. But, come January, once the 2020 Winter semester starts, he’ll be eligible to suit back up in a winged helmet.

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Do the Texans even have a player who can emulate Lamar Jackson in practice?

The Houston Texans will have to figure out how to defend Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson. Whitney Mercilus shares the details.

While preparing for Sunday’s tilt with the Baltimore Ravens, the Houston Texans may run into an issue: emulating the dual-threat skill set that quarterback Lamar Jackson presents.

Though the Texans boast their own dual-threat star, in Deshaun Watson, they won’t be using him to help train the defense to adjust to Jackson’s play-style. Nor will A.J. McCarron do so, considering, as a quarterback, he is a polar opposite.

“As far as the quarterback goes, we don’t have — besides Deshaun — a person that has the same skill set as Lamar,” said outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus on Tuesday on the Texans Players Show on Sports Radio 610.

Watson and McCarron won’t prepare the defense to face Jackson. Dual-threat/wide receiver/gunner Joe Webb also won’t be able to do so, either, as he is on the injured reserve. Instead, Houston will turn to second-year practice squad quarterback Alex McGough.

“We have McGough at quarterback, so he is the closest thing that we have in order to give us what Lamar might do — shaking and baking and all that to the best of his abilities,” said Mercilus.

Though McGough can’t quite replicate Jackson’s running totals (702 yards, six touchdowns in 2019), he doesn’t run as if he is in quick-sand. At Florida International, the quarterback earned his fair share of fans for his scrambling and ability to pinpoint passes on the run.

If McGough’s legs don’t cut it, however, the Texans may just opt to put in a running back or wide receiver to replicate Jackson’s savvy, speed and agility as a runner.

“Come Wednesday, that may change,” said Mercilus. “We may just put a running back in there at the quarterback position and run plays all day. Kind of just mix it up.”

Whatever Houston does wind up doing, they must get one thing down for certain: be prepared. The Texans cannot be caught flat-footed against Jackson; he will scorch them. Luckily, as Mercilus alludes to, they seem to have a plan.

An MRI provided answers to why Gordon …

An MRI provided answers to why Gordon had gotten off to such a slow start, even relief Gordon said. But the Rockets lose him when the schedule turns far more challenging. “I haven’t been able to do all I really want all year,” Gordon said. “I’ll be able to be more balanced, more athletic. I knew I wasn’t on balance all year. I’ll be able to get it right, now.”