The Thunder played to its identity. Substantial defense and great ball movement lead to great looks, but while the Thunder struggled to convert, the Trailblazers made key shots in key moments. The Thunder did everything with the right intention. They executed, moved the ball, and defended strongly for four quarters. Aggressive drives to the lane generated open looks on the perimeter. The only problem – the shots wouldn’t fall.
“I thought we generated really, really good shots, and we sustained it for most of the game,” said Thunder head coach Billy Donovan. “We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well around the basket, nor from behind the line.