DENVER — Out of a timeout midway through the third quarter Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, Thunder coach Billy Donovan finally went to Patrick Patterson at power forward. It was telling that he didn't go to him earlier.
Less than two minutes into the third quarter, Jerami Grant had picked up his fifth foul, but Donovan instead went to Dennis Schroder, opting to play small by sliding Paul George to power forward. Nothing the Thunder was doing was working against the Pelicans' front line in an 118-114 loss, so why not go the opposite way?