Oklahoma City Thunder

at

New Orleans Hornets

Quarter by Quarter observations

First Quarter

 The Thunder started the quarter out playing well and built up a quick 12 point lead, the Hornets then started to get in a bit of a groove offensively cutting the lead to 5 before the Thunder bench entered the game. The bench didn't do any favors for the starters after they came into the game. Maynor almost immediately turned the ball over as did Collison, and just like that the lead was gone. Durant started slow tonight he is 2-6 didn't get to the line and already has 5 turnovers. The Thunder as a team committed 7 turnovers in the first quarter, a big part of the reason they won against the Hawks was the lack of turnovers in general so that's not a good start.

Score to end the Quarter 22-22 tied

Second Quarter

I don't know who that KD impersonator was that played the first quarter but he was nowhere to be found in the second. KD shook off his slow start to go 4-5 and take 5 free throws for 14 points. After turning the ball over 7 times in the first quarter the Thunder did much better in the second limiting the turnovers to 3. The Thunder finished the quarter outrebounding the Hornets by a margin of 21-15.

Score to finish the half 58-52 Thunder

Half

The Thunder are playing well and its reflected on the scoreboard right now. They are shooting at an incredible 59% which isn't going to last. The Thunder need to build up a lead now while they are hot so they can weather the storm that is sure to be coming. The refs started the night letting a lot of fouls go, however in the second quarter they started to tighten the game up. The Thunder need to continue to drive the ball into the lane because the refs will probably start to call fouls more liberally now. The Thunder had a lot of issues when Songaila caught the ball out near the 3pt line, the Hornets ran several plays with him out there and he was able to find wide open cutters for 3 or 4 easy buckets in a row.

Third Quarter

 Nenad Krstic where have you been, after going 2-2 in the first half Nenad went 4-5 in the third. The one shot he missed was a last second heave as the shot clock expired. The Thunder usually start the third with great energy and defense but this game it just wasn't there. They maintained the 6 point lead but it was a battle going back and forth without any real period of dominance by either team.

Score to finish the Quarter 82-76 Thunder

Fourth Quarter

Westbrook showed great play making ability in the fourth. When the game was on the line Westbrook stepped up again and made plays. He went 4-7 in the fourth for 8 points. Durant got to the line and Green made a couple of shots but for the most part the fourth quarter was all about Westbrook, and he came through in the end.

Score to finish the Game 103-99 Thunder

The Good and The Bad individually

The Good

Russell Westbrook

Besides his heroics in the fourth Westbrook also put together another very complete performance. Westbrook was 11-18 for 26 points, had 10 assists, 8 rebounds, a block, and only 2 turnovers.

Nenad Krstic

Krstic went 7-8 for 14 he only played 21 minutes but he was very effective in the time he was in. Krstic also snagged 6 rebounds and 2 assists.

The Bad

Thabo went 0-2 and only played 17 minutes. He wasn't bad in the time he played but might still be suffering from some type of injury or maybe he was just tired on the second half of a back to back. Maynor only got 10 minutes and turned the ball over 3 times while he was out.

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