LOS ANGELES — Paul George had to watch the final minute of the Thunder's floundering fourth quarter Friday from the bench.
The NBA has made it a point of emphasis to call defensive fouls at a higher frequency during preseason and the first week of the season. The move is supposed to help game flow, and the initial result has been a wave of high-scoring games in the opening week. The 18 teams in play Friday night averaged 115.5 points per game.
The Thunder was the second-lowest scoring team of Friday's slate, not helped by the foul frustrations of George and Dennis Schröder.