Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies Game Recap – Nov. 16, 2015

MEMPHIS – Time and again, the Thunder clawed back from a multi-possession deficit on Monday night. Time and again, the Memphis Grizzlies had one more answer in the form of a 3-pointer, a tough jumper or free throws.

In a 122-114 loss on the second night of a back-to-back set, the Thunder scored enough points to win, but couldn’t get enough stops late to get over the hump. After cutting the Memphis lead to three with 8:31 left in the game, the Thunder saw its deficit swell to 11 with 3:40 to go in regulation.

Just two-and-a-half minutes later, however, the Thunder were staring down another three-point deficit after rattling off a 10-2 run. Unfortunately for Head Coach Billy Donovan’s club, the Grizzlies had a response in the form of JaMychal Green’s 3-pointer from the right wing that splashed through with 46.1 seconds remaining. It was academic after that, as the Thunder played the foul game but couldn’t scratch through all the way back to even.

“We worked to get back into the game. We battled and fought,” Donovan said. “We went back and forth and kept fighting our way back. We gave ourselves a chance to be there late in the game.”

“We did a good job of sticking together,” Westbrook said. “They made some big shots towards the end of the game. They made that one big three. For the most part we did a good job of sticking together. They just made the last run and won the game.”

While the fourth quarter was crucial to the finish, the Thunder knows that things got away from it on the defensive end throughout the other three quarters as well. Despite holding Memphis to 44.0 percent shooting and keeping Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph to an 11-for-29 shooting night, the Thunder couldn’t turn off the Grizzlies’ rhythm from the three-point line.

Despite coming into the game shooting 29.1 percent from behind the arc, Memphis made 12-of-17 triples on the night, including four apiece from Mike Conley and Mario Chalmers.

“I’ve always been a big believer that when a 3-point shot goes up, it’s dangerous,” Donovan explained. “It only takes one night for a team to get hot. To their credit, they made them tonight.”

The Grizzlies also knocked down 36-of-39 free throw attempts and turned it over just 10 times, making it difficult for the Thunder to cool them off. The Thunder’s main objective on defense was to contain Conley’s dribble penetration and battle Gasol and Randolph for all 24 seconds of the shot clock for all 48 minutes. Those objectives were met, but according to Donovan, the pick-and-roll defense wasn’t quite where it needed to be, putting the Thunder in disadvantage situations throughout possessions.

“When the play starts, sometimes we’ve gotten behind,” Donovan said. “Someone gets screened, somebody is helping and all of the sudden there is a trickle effect of being late...Starting the possession off well is important. Once you get behind the play, then you’re playing catch-up.”

Thunder Highlights:

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Westbrook's Aggression Sparks Offense

While the Thunder wants to get to work on its defense, Donovan was thrilled with the way the offense responded to Sunday night’s sub-standard output against the Boston Celtics. The Thunder turned the ball over 19 times, more than it would like, but still managed to shoot 50.6 percent from the field and knock down 10 3-pointers.

“Coming out of yesterday, I was much more pleased with our offense,” Donovan said. “We did a much better job. We had better ball movement. We got it from one side to the other. We had some shots and we did not make that was the right look and the right pass. We were improved in that area.”

The catalyst behind it all was Russell Westbrook, whose energy and tenacity was pervasive throughout all four quarters, but particularly the third period when he scored 17 of his 40 points.

On 13-for-19 shooting, including a 5-for-8 mark from the three-point line, Westbrook was incredibly efficient.

The perennial All-Star was also an effective distributor, making 14 assists as Serge Ibaka (18), Enes Kanter (16), Dion Waiters (14) and Steven Adams (14) joined him in double figures. Much of that production was a product of Westbrook’s attacking style, both in transition and in the half court.

“Getting stops and getting steals to get out on the break was important for us tonight,” Westbrook said. “Unfortunately it didn’t work out for the best, but we’ll get back to work and get ready for Wednesday.”

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By the Numbers

5-for-6 – Shooting numbers for Enes Kanter, who scored 16 points and added seven rebounds in 17 minutes of action

44-34 – The Thunder’s rebounding edge on the night, including five offensive rebounds from Steven Adams

50.6 – Shooting percentage for the Thunder, including a 10-for-24 mark from the 3-point line

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The Last Word

“I like our team and I like we what did tonight. We’ll be back and we’ll get back to the drawing board… We played as a team. We stayed together regardless of the win or the loss, and that’s what’s most important”. – point guard Russell Westbrook