The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 101-89 victory over the Houston Rockets was a statement in more ways than one:
First, Lu Dort’s offensive outburst as of late is not merely a fluke.
Second, the Thunder’s intensity is much different when they’re losing and mounting comebacks than when they’re winning and coasting the clock.
Third, and most importantly: The Thunder are above the bottom tier of the NBA.
Now, that’s a rather anti-climactic statement, but it’s a meaningful one. The Thunder aren’t good enough to be falling by any “trap” games this season, but this had the makings of one: Oklahoma City recently won four games in a row. The Rockets are a one-win team but have talent at the center position that OKC lacks. Houston actually beat the Thunder just a few weeks ago.
But Oklahoma City didn’t fall for it. They put on the clamps early, taking a 12-point lead into halftime, then kept up the pressure, leading by 16 at the end of the third.
It was only then that the Rockets made their move, going on a run to cut the deficit as low as five. At that point, Dort came alive.
The Thunder would not have won the game without their defensive stopper’s offense. In the first 5:06 of the game, Dort scored nine points. In the final 5:06 of the game, Dort scored nine points.
As much as the first nine points kickstarted the Thunder — Dort had nine of the team’s first 11 points — the final nine secured the victory. After Houston cut the lead to five, Dort scored five straight points, starting with a 3-pointer made with 5:06 to play and then a pair of free throws. The Rockets pushed and pushed, but he wouldn’t let them take.
Dort finished with a season-high 34 points on 14-for-22 shooting, made four 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds. He has now scored 20 points or more in five games in a row, three of which were Thunder wins.
And those wins are evidence enough: When debating over the worst team in the league, the Thunder cannot be in that conversation. They have defeated the Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans, both of whom are in that conversation. They beat the San Antonio Spurs, who have the third-worst record in the West and the same number of wins as the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons in the East.
Those are the bottom five and OKC is unquestionably above them. That’s nothing to gloat about at all; it’s a simple truth. After it was assumed the Thunder would be a bottom-three team in the league, they are, for the second year in a row, too good to outright tank.
It’s not worth celebrating, but “ringz culture” in the NBA has obfuscated the fact that fans are allowed to be happy when their team is unexpectedly good or unexpectedly fun. Feel free to be happy that Oklahoma City only spent about half a season as the worst team in the league. They have multiple good, fun players this time around.
Moving onto the Thunder’s grades for the Wednesday game. Dort gets an A-plus. Here are more: