Nerlens Noel slid his feet and planted himself in front of a driver, cutting off the angle for a transition layup. The whistle blew and a charge was called. Russell Westbrook hurtled into the second row to save a loose ball, and Terrance Ferguson dove on the floor, sacrificing his body to main possession as well.
There were a ton of hustle plays on defense for the Thunder on Sunday night, the spectacular ones that no scouting or scheming can create. They all hinge on energy and effort. Yet for Head Coach Billy Donovan, there’s an understanding that in today’s NBA, those plays alone aren’t enough.