In Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan’s mind, if Lu Dort fouled out late in Game 4, they would find a way to replace him when that time came — and with James Harden playing the entire fourth quarter, the Thunder needed Dort on the court sooner than later.
In point guard Chris Paul’s mind, Dort could not foul out.
“I just kept telling him: ‘You can’t get a sixth. It’s not that you shouldn’t get one — you can’t get a sixth,'” Paul said.
He didn’t. Dort, who committed his fifth foul 23 seconds into the fourth quarter, returned with 9:46 to play and did not sit back down, helping the Thunder beat the Houston Rockets 117-114.
“A lot of times when guys get five fouls, they play tentative. They start pulling their hands back,” Paul said.
Rockets star James Harden, who played the entire fourth quarter, went eight minutes in the final period without scoring as the Thunder kept it close and at times took the lead. There were just 23 seconds in the first 11 minutes of the fourth quarter in which one team or the other led by more than two points.
As a team, the Thunder committed just 16 fouls throughout the game. Harden attempted just five free throws, a number opposing teams had held him to only six times all season.
“It’s a huge point of emphasis for us. We’re going to try to show our hands as much as possible, we’re trying to keep our body in front,” Donovan said. “Lu did a great job. He’s guarding obviously an incredible player. He’s not going to be percent the whole time, and we’ve gotta be there to help him.”
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That’s not to say Harden didn’t have a good game. He finished with 32 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. But after making his first three 3s, he again went cold, making just two of his next 12.
The Thunder limited him just enough down the stretch to win.
Donovan said that with Terrance Ferguson, who closed the second half when Dort got into foul trouble, and Dennis Schroder, the Thunder would have figured something out if it came down to it.
“When Lu was out there, I figured with Terrance, with Dennis, if Lu did foul out, we could utilize somebody else,” Donovan said.
But the rookie managed to stay in, allowing the Thunder to go small late and sub out Steven Adams at the 4:34 mark.
Paul shook his head with some disbelief when asked about Dort.
“Lu was special. Lu was unbelievable how he accepts the challenge. He had to listen to me yelling at him all game about what to do,” Paul said. “He’s just one of those guys that deserves to be here and I’m glad to see him having success.”
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