Thunder Cap Off Very Poor Road Trip With Worse Loss In Dallas

By A. Suave Francisco

Following the All-Star break, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked to have crossed that threshold of finally being able to play together, even with their two new additions, Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott. There was a catch, though, all of those games were in front of one of the most supporting home crowds in the Association. The ensuing road trip on paper looked like an easy trip but they went (0-3) against Portland, Pheonix, and Dallas. Sunday night they dropped a non-competitive game to the Mavericks 104-89. A game where the Thunder shot only 9.1 percent from three. 

Russell Westbrook scored 29 points, assisted on 5 baskets and pulled down 6 rebounds, but shot only 33.3 percent from the field, including 2-of-10 from three. The low shooting percentage was caused by the relentless play from Wesley Matthews, who just returned from injury. Westbrook was visibly frustrated as the game progressed and picked up a technical foul, along with a flagrant foul after pushing Dallas forward Harrison Barnes on a pick, while guarding Dallas's Seth Curry. 

Enes Kanter and Steven Adams had the game Billy Donovan expected them to have stat-wise, combining for 35 points and 15 rebounds. But only scored 9 combined in the second half, which allowed Dallas to capitalize on their superior defense both on the perimeter and in the post. 

The offense simply wasn't the well-oiled machine Thunder fans began to grow fond of in the three home games following the All-Star break.  Other than Westbrook, Kanter, and Adams, no one scored in double figures. The next leading scorer after Adams was McDermott with 6 points. 

Another three-game homestand is upon the Thunder, with their first coming on Tuesday against the first team that beat them this week on the road, the Portland TrailBlazers. OKC drops to (35-28) on the season, just a game out of the sixth, two-and-a-half out of fifth and four out of the fourth spot in the Western Conference. The remaining schedule should be rather easy, but this road trip was supposed to be as well.