The Thunder came out ready to play in what was an emotional game for OKC fans. This was the first ever matchup between Russell Westbrook and the Thunder.
Oklahoma City came out firing in the first quarter. They jumped out to a quick lead over Houston who couldn’t seem to knock down any shots. The Thunder did a great job at limiting James Harden. OKC held a 35-22 lead after the first quarter.
As the first half went on, the Thunder kept knocking down shots from deep. The team shot 8-17 for 47.1% in the first half. They were also dominating the boards with a 30-18 rebounding advantage. At halftime, the Thunder led 62-52.
The third quarter was absolutely atrocious for OKC and it ended up costing them the game in the long run. James Harden suddenly found his way to the free throw line time and time again. Houston outscored OKC 39-18 in the quarter.
The Thunder went on a run of their own in the fourth, but it was too little too late. The Brodie and the Rockets got the better of OKC in this one. It’s safe to say that this will be a fantastic matchup all season long when these two teams face off a couple more times.
This Team Can Compete
Despite the 1-3 start to the season, there’s no doubt that this team will compete this season. Thunder General Manager Sam Presti said before the season started that the team would not be “tanking” this year. He also said that he believes this team can compete for a playoff spot. If anything else, I think the Thunder have proved through four games that Sam Presti was correct.
Oklahoma City holds a win over Golden State, and has been in the position to win games against both the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets. The team lost those games by a combined 9 points. Regardless of how this season will end, it’s nice to see this team being competitive and showing positive signs for the future of this franchise.
Thunder Player Of The Game
There were a couple of guys who played well for OKC tonight, but no one was as efficient as Dennis Schröder. He recorded 22 points on 8-13 shooting, including 4-8 from beyond the arc. He also recorded 7 assists and 5 rebounds.
Schröder had a great game on Sunday against the Warriors as well. The Thunder will need more of this on a regular basis moving forward. He has shown many times in a Thunder uniform that he is capable of nights like this, but he has been anything but consistent with it.
Home Against The Blazers
The Thunder will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at home in the Peake. The game will be televised on FSOK and broadcast on the radio at WWLS 98.1 FM. It will tip-off at 7:00 PM CST.
This will be the first matchup since Portland eliminated the Thunder in the playoffs last season. There’s no doubt that Thunder fans will be loud for this one. While there may no longer be a rivalry on the court, the Thunder fan base has not forgotten about last season.
Be sure to follow @TheThunderGuys on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook, and don’t forget to check out our latest episode of Thunder Things with the Thunder Guys on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.