3 wins in 3 days puts Thunder in elite crowd

Playing three NBA games in three days is a tough assignment, but to win all three is spectacular.

Not since the league lockout of 1999 have teams been forced to play back-to-back-back games. So, how impressive is the Oklahoma City Thunder’s three -game sweep that began Jan. 6? Only two teams – Toronto and Portland – accomplished the same feat during the ’99 lockout. During a normal NBA season, teams play back-to-back games with night travel on a fairly consistent basis.

This year, Oklahoma City is the first squad to win three in a row on three consecutive nights.

For Oklahoma City, the three wins started at home Jan. 6 against Houston (109- 94) followed by an away game at Houston (98-95) and then back home to play the veteran San Antonio Spurs squad (108-96). The trio of wins put Oklahoma City at 8-2, which is one of the best records in the league.

Bear in mind, the team traveled immediately after the Jan. 6 and Jan. 7 games, so there wasn’t much time for rest, relaxation or celebration.

Certainly, the wins were evidence of two Thunder strengths: they are young, and their bench players almost outshine the starters. The Thunder reserves averaged 46.7 points in the three games with guard James Harden leading the way at 19.7 points per outing.

“We have 10 guys in the rotation, so any given night any guy can step up and make plays. These three games, we really needed it and we got the job done,” he said, following Sunday’s win over the Spurs.

Thunder head coach Scott Brooks reminds the media at every post-game press conference that winning one game, much less three in a row, in the NBA is a tough task.

“We were really not concerned with the three games in a row. We were concerned with each individual game and taking it one at a time,” he said Sunday. “We knew our guys would compete and we were hoping to win them all, so yeah, I am pleasantly surprised.”

In two of those games (Jan. 6 against Houston and Jan. 8 against San Antonio), Oklahoma City won handily as Thunder starters sat out all or most of the fourth quarter. Against the Spurs, the Thunder led by as many as 25 points early in the fourth period. The same scenario was true in the Jan. 6 win against Houston.

“That doesn’t happen often,” Brooks said. “They (Spurs) are one of the best teams in the league. We have a lot of respect for them. You never go out thinking you’re going to win by a large margin.”

Youthful balance

The win over San Antonio was further evidence that Oklahoma City can win even if superstar Kevin Durant isn’t hitting the 30-point mark like he did in the first four games of the season. On Sunday, Durant was five of nine from the field with 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was a solid stat line for Durant or any other player.

But take a minute to look further down the box score and you’ll discover five other players – three of them are reserves – tallied in double digits. Harden had 20, Nick Collison had 12, and rookie point guard Reggie Jackson contributed 11 points.

Collison also had 10 rebounds, was six of seven from the field and contributed two assists.

With a bench as deep as the Thunder’s, it’s no surprise that different players are having huge games when you least expect it.

As a team, the Thunder shot 50 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Spurs 48-42. Oklahoma City also had more assists, 25-20, which is indicative of ball sharing and good team work.

Injury report The deep bench Oklahoma City possesses will be more important as the season progresses since backup point guard Eric Maynor tore his ACL in the game at Houston and is out for the season.

With Maynor gone, in comes Jackson who showed fans and his teammates why the Thunder drafted him this summer. Jackson, who played at Boston College, hit four of nine shots from the field, was perfect from the free throw line and added four assists.

“He did a good job,” Brooks said. “He really controlled the team. He’s been working hard since the second part of training camp.”

Road work

After a two-game road trip to Memphis and New Orleans, the Thunder returns home Saturday to take on the New York Knicks in a 7 p.m. game. But the road beckons again as Oklahoma City makes a swing east to play Boston Jan. 16, Washington on Jan. 18 and New Jersey Jan. 21.

As of Jan. 10, Oklahoma City owned a 4-1 road record.

tfarley@eastwordnews.com

“We were really not concerned with the three games in a row. We were concerned with each individual game and taking it one at a time. We knew our guys would compete and we were hoping to win them all, so yeah, I am pleasantly surprised.”

Thunder head coach Scott Brooks