The Thunder remain the only winless team in the Western Conference but Russell Westbrook said it’s far too early to push the panic button, Royce Young of ESPN reports. Oklahoma City is 0-4 after blowing a 16-point halftime lead against the Celtics on Thursday. Westbrook had a brutal fourth quarter, missing all seven of his shots while making three turnovers. “We’re OK. We’ll be all right,” Westbrook said. “It’s early. I’m confident in my guys in this locker room, I’m confident in myself and my abilities to make sure that we have an opportunity to win a ballgame. There’s no need to panic. Obviously we’re not starting the way we wanted to, but we’ll be OK and I will make sure of that. So, not worried.”
We have more from Oklahoma City:
- While Westbrook rubs some people the wrong way, he was an integral reason why Paul George decided to stay instead of joining one of the Los Angeles teams in free agency. “A lot of it was I liked our chemistry,” George told Young in a detailed piece on OKC’s year-long recruitment of George. “I liked what he brings to the table, I liked his competitiveness and I loved him as a teammate, as a friend, as a brother, as a dude in the locker room. He had a lot to do with me coming back here.”
- Jerami Grant and Patrick Patterson continue to share starting duties at the power forward spot, Thunder digital reporter Nick Gallo relays. Grant got the nod against Boston because coach Billy Donovan wanted to play a smaller, quicker unit. Against a more rugged frontcourt, Donovan will go with Patterson. “For us, it’s going to be game-to-game in terms of the roster and having a plan of how to utilize those guys,” Donovan said.
- What can the Thunder do to fix their issues? Erik Horne of The Oklahoman takes a closer look.
- The Thunder have until the end of the month to decide whether to pick up the rookie scale options on Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Terrance Ferguson. Find out more here.
Lol Thunder simply aren’t very good…yet. I think once Shroder, Russ, and PG13 figure out how to play together I think they’ll be okay. But still they’ll be lucky to make the playoffs honestly
They were like this last year too. Donovan isn’t the best at integrating new pieces. It’ll happen.
They’ll win on Sunday vs crappy bookerless suns team. Need to tread water until the shooting picks up and they get Roberson back
Westbrook should be moved to the 2 and start Dennis at the 1. This team needs Westbrook to be a 28-30 ppg scorer since they have no real 3rd option behind Russ and George.
The Sixers did it with Eric Snow and Allen Iverson, Russ would probably hate to give up his double digit assist games but I think that would be best for the team. Start:
Dennis-Russ-George-Grant-Adams
Schroder was even worse.
Neither team nor their players looks good yet.
Team that needed shooting loses their 2nd best shooter and doesnt add anyone else who can shoot…spacing is great over there lol
George stayed because like many others he couldn’t stomach playing with LeBron. No other reason.