The 2016-17 NBA season is to be one of drastic change for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Offseason upheaval will force the team to become more modern on the floor, with an emphasis on ball and player movement.
But how the Thunder perform in the final five minutes of close games will impact where they finish at season’s end.
The burden will fall squarely on the now undisputed face of the franchise: Russell Westbrook.
So far, so good. The Thunder saw a new and improved Westbrook as Oklahoma City trailed 87-85 Wednesday night versus the Philadelphia 76ers with five minutes remaining. He played under control, nailing three key shots and setting up teammates, as he guided them to a 103-97 victory.
That kind of result would be a welcome change moving forward.
The Thunder as a whole have underperformed during clutch situations in recent history, and while Westbrook hasn’t been solely to blame, he’s been complicit in the crimes.
“Clutch Time” refers to the last f ...
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Article written by Jon Hamm