The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

IN the midst of all the Warriors, Cavaliers, Spurs clutter it seems that many expert lost the ‘Thunder-size’ talking point over the course of the 2015-2016 National Basketball Association (NBA) season.

The explosion by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA’s western conference finals came as a startling surprise to many watching.

While the offensive output came as no surprise, the defensive aptitude displayed by the team proved that the Thunder had now grown into the team capable of closing out major games.

The Thunder posted a .500 record in games decided in the fourth quarter this season. That percentage placed them 15th in the league in that category. Many of us were duped into believing the notion that the Thunder were not a fourth-quarter team; they couldn’t close tight games and of course, my favourite, there being not enough shots to go around.

Throughout periods of the regular seasons the Thunder were spurred on by different components of the team - for stretches it was the play of Russell Westbrook, other points it was the dominant play of Kevin Durant and, at times, the coaching or lack thereof. This lack of cohesion really limited what we saw from the Thunder on a night-to-night basis this year.

However, now it is ironic that the Thunder remain the only playoff team built in the mould of true NBA contenders - tough defence and well-paced, steady offence.

SIZE MATTERS

The Thunder boast a front-court that features a 7ft Steven Adams, a 6ft 10in Nick Collison, a 6ft 10in Sege Ibaka, a 6ft 11in Enes Kantar, a 6ft 10in Mitch McGary, a 6ft 7in Josh Huestis, a 6ft 8in Kyle Singler, a 6ft 9in Kevin Durant and - just for good measure - a 6ft 10in Nazr Mohammed. The front-court depth features some of the most athletic, well-versed size combinations ever featured in the NBA. Certainly the best since the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this decade.

While this lot doesn’t offer the opposition much on the defensive end, the skill on the board makes every possession count.

The Thunder out-boarded the Warriors in Game 1 by seven rebounds.

BALANCED

SCORING

Monday’s Game 1 featured a combined output of 53 points by Durant and Westbrook. The key in that performance wasn’t the output itself however; it was all about when those points came.

The way the Thunder scored illustrated that the team had finally found a way to sustain its offence but balancing the court with its two mega-stars.

Point-guard Westbrook offered a ‘fast pace, get to the basket on the break’ style of play while Durant used his slow, savvy moves to get clutch buckets down the stretch.

When ever the Warriors went on mini-run in the fourth quarter on Monday, it was Durant with a tempered jumper.

That is what the Thunder lacked the entire year. They simply weren’t able to get those to elements to work hand-in-hand over an extended stretch.

However, throughout this post-season, these two players seem to be the greatest one-two punch to ever play the game - yes, even better than Kobe and Shaq.

CALM COACHING

Billy Donovan has offered a steady hand. Many forget that Donovan was a championship winning coach at NCAA level with Florida back in the day,

His major calling card then was the ability to control pace and play through his teams post-size. He was the coach who balanced the star power of Joakim Noah and Al Horford at Florida.

It was always something about Donovan that made quality players buy in to his system. The approach that made the focus winning.

I am not saying that the Thunder will run away with the rest of the western conference playoffs. What I am however trying to stress is this: the Thunder and their ability to win playoff level games has been overshadowed by major campaigns by the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Again, ironically, those are the teams the Thunder would have to overcome to win it all. One down, two to go.

• Ricardo Wells writes every Thursday on the NBA. Comments to rwells@tribunemedia.net