Oklahoma City Thunder hope to learn from collapse, move on to face Brooklyn Nets

BROOKLYN – Because of their dominance for most of the National Basketball Association (NBA) season, the Oklahoma City Thunder rarely play close games or wilt in the fourth quarter.

That scenario unfolded against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb 24, resulting in a three-point overtime loss.

Two nights later, the Thunder will attempt to avoid taking consecutive losses for only the second time this season when they visit the Brooklyn Nets.

With 46 wins in 57 games, Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City have played in only five games that were decided by five points or fewer.

The Thunder played consecutive single-digit margin games against the Timberwolves, earning a 130-123 win in Minnesota on Feb 23 before taking a 131-128 overtime home loss the following night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander piled up 39 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists but missed a tying three-pointer with 2.9 seconds left in overtime.

He also missed a potential game-winning basket with 3.9 seconds left in regulation.

“It hurts in the moment,” the Thunder guard said.

“But we have (25) games left. The 82-game season is an opportunity to get better 82 times.

“If this is what it takes for us to learn, this is what it takes for us to learn.

“It’s a lesson at the end of the night. We’ll try to get better from it.”

Oklahoma City are hoping to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since a two-point home loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Nov 17 and a six-point road loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Nov 19.

They claimed the first meeting with Brooklyn on Jan 19, when they cruised to a 127-101 victory. The Thunder shot 55.2 per cent and hit 19 threes in that game.

The Thunder are 11-4 since the previous encounter with the Nets, who were in the middle of a seven-game losing streak and a stretch of 12 losses in 13 games.

Since then, Brooklyn are 7-3 in their past 10 games to sneak within striking distance of an Eastern Conference play-in spot.

But they suffered their second defeat by the league-worst Wizards when they struggled in the fourth quarter of a 107-99 loss in Washington on Feb 24.

The Nets shot 39.3 per cent overall and committed 15 turnovers in a game where they faced a 14-point deficit in the opening minutes of the first quarter.

Ziaire Williams led Brooklyn with 19 points by hitting five three-pointers. Cameron Johnson added 17 but scored just two points in the final quarter.

“Our guys always work and respond,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said after his team scored less than 100 for the 19th time.

“Whether it’s a win or a loss, the approach is to go back, work and show up the next game and compete at a high level.”

The Nets played a second straight game without the injured D’Angelo Russell and are 1-7 without him since reacquiring the guard from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Newcomer Killian Hayes started the past two games and could do so again if Russell sits again.

Meanwhile, in NBA action on Feb 25, the front-running Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to eight games with a 122-82 road thrashing of the Orlando Magic.

Ty Jerome top-scored off the bench for Cleveland making 20 points in 22 minutes, while Max Strus nailed five three-pointers as he put up 17 points.

The blowout win moves the Cavs to a league-best 48-10 record for the season, despite Donovan Mitchell being restricted to just 11 points.

The Boston Celtics, a place behind Cleveland in the East, took their own winning streak to six games with a 111-101 victory at the Toronto Raptors.

Jaylen Brown scored 24 points with Derrick White adding 22, while Payton Prichard had 20 points and Jayson Tatum put up 19 points and provided 11 assists for the Celtics.

In another game, Luka Doncic scored 19 points with 15 rebounds and 12 assists against his former team as the Los Angeles Lakers pulled out a 107-99 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks.
REUTERS, AFP