5 ways Thunder can complete upset over Warriors
By Tom West
5. The Thunder are embracing their big identity
Even though a smaller lineup with Kevin Durant at the four and Serge Ibaka at the five sparked a commanding run for the Thunder in Game 3, embracing their big identity has them up 2-1 in this series. Equally to the exceptional talent of Russell Westbrook and Durant, the Thunder utilizing their core of big men, crashing the boards, and asserting their dominance inside has been a driving factor.
Draymond Green was the runner up for Defensive Player of the Year again this season, using an uncanny combination of perimeter defense, rebounding, and post defense to guard almost any player from almost any position unlike anyone else. He can step outside, he averaged 9.5 rebounds per game, and he can defend the post against 7-footers, all while being only 6’7″.
He’s an exceptional talent, and alongside Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli off the bench, the Warriors have a fierce frontcourt of their own. But as the Thunder won the interior battle again in Game 3, dominating the rebounding battle 52-38 and pouring in 62 points in the paint, they continued their bruising ways.
Even when the near 7-foot frame and endless wingspan of Durant shifts to power forward, the Thunder have length. And in lineups with Steven Adams and Enes Kanter paired together, controlling the glass at both ends and protecting the paint (less so by the latter), the Thunder are embracing their biggest artillery.
It’s the kind of authority that the Warriors have struggled to stop and will continue to battle with as the series progresses. If the Thunder can limit Green’s effectiveness again (six points, 1-of-9 shooting, four rebounds, three assists in Game 3) as the general backbone of Golden State, the chance of an upset increases.
Adams has been one of the heroes of the playoffs so far, going above and beyond what most expected and making a key difference at both ends of the floor with his agility and physicality. Alongside the improved two-way intensity of Ibaka in Game 3 and the general offensive work of Kanter (who has improved somewhat on defense, too), the Thunder big men are showing that to beat the Warriors, you have to be the anti-Warriors.
Next: 4. Dion Waiters is contributing