NBA
George, Schroder lead Thunder To 126-117 Win Over The Magic
The Oklahoma City Thunder always seemed to find themselves going back and forth with the lead. One minute they are up 15 points, the next they are down eight. However, a late fourth quarter run by the Thunder sealed the deal against the Orlando Magic, 126-117.
The Magic never seemed to give up and took advantage anytime the starting lineup was on the bench. However they couldn’t seem to stop anyone from scoring on the Thunder and ended the Magic’s hopes. There were two players to thank for that.
First and Second Half Stars For the Thunder Against the Magic
Paul George was unconscious in the first half of this game. He finished the half with 31 points, which was a career-high. He also hit a few threes and got to the free throw line. George hit shots that didn’t even seem possible. The Magic were trying to foul him and he was getting and-one’s left and right. Fans in the arena were chanting “MVP” to George, and rightfully so. He put on a show.
When the Thunder needed scoring in that fourth quarter, sixth-man Dennis Schroder came to the rescue. He hit eight shots in a row and scored 18 straight points. There was no answer for him, he was a flame-thrower. It was one of best games this season, finishing with 21 points on 8-11 shooting and four assists. Without these two guys playing great offensive basketball in huge moments, the Thunder didn’t stand a chance.
No Steven Adams, No Problem
With Steven Adams out for this game with an ankle injury, Nerlens Noel took over the starting center spot. In 34 minutes, he finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a whopping five blocks. A few of those blocks came against Nikola Vucevic, who he was in charge of guarding. Noel has had some rough moments and unfortunate luck in the NBA thus far. Despite Vucevic having a good game, Noel did what he needed to do.
Terrance Ferguson was out for this game as well, so they were expecting big minutes from guys like Schroder, Jerami Grant and Hamidou Diallo, who started at Shooting Guard. Diallo didn’t light up the stat sheet last night, but he played lock-down defense and made the shots he was given. He is huge for this team as the energizer-bunny.
Westbrook is Fast
Just incase you guys didn’t know, Russell Westbrook is super fast and explosive. He was a big part of this team’s success last night, finishing with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. He shot 7-12 from the floor and 8-12 from the free throw line. That is a huge night for Westbrook who has been putrid with his shot more often than not.
He was clowning the Magic all night with his speed and explosiveness to the basket. He hit a nice euro-step on Jonathan Isaac, and soon all the Thunder players were mimicking the move. Westbrook hypes the team up when they need it. You could see him smiling every time his teammates were doing something good. He was having fun out there and playing efficient basketball.
Magic Show, Not as Magical Against the Thunder
The Magic were a mess defensively for most of this game. They had their moments and runs and they even took the lead at one point in the third quarter. However, you knew that wasn’t sustainable for the Magic and the Thunder would fight their way back to win. They couldn’t stop a soul and it seemed the Thunder players took turns on who was going to light them up.
Still, there were some positives to look at for the Magic. Vucevic is having one incredible season and only got better last night. He finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. He is a problem in this league and has worked hard to get to that All-Star caliber status. Vucevic isn’t a big name in the league, but he is earning the respect of basketball fans around the world.
Everyone else had decent to brutal games for this team. Evan Fournier and Isaac had their moments on the court. However, guys like Aaron Gordon, DJ Augustin and Terrence Ross struggled to find their shots from the field throughout the game. The Magic put up a fight as they always do, but in the end the defensive side of the ball was non-existent.
Thunder on a Roll
The Thunder showed once again that they can close out games and take over at any given moment. That is their sixth win in a row and they improve their record to 32-18. They are finding a way to finish games even without two of their starters who are key to their defensive identity.
Their next game will be played in South Beach against the Miami Heat who are improving as the season goes on.
Follow us on Twitter: @T101Sports @T101SportsNBA
Follow us on YouTube:
Subscribe to get the latest news from TSJ and the TSJ 101 Sports TV YouTube channel! Play and win weekly at Thrive Fantasy!
Photo Credit
News Videos via Flickr
Writer Brandan Verrastro
