With 5:13 left to play in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, Kevin Durant popped above the free-throw line, having created just a sliver of breathing room between himself and his primary defender, DeMarre Carroll. Durant’s momentum created a natural fadeaway as he let fly with the 17-footer. Despite a great contest from Carroll, Durant’s length allowed him to get the shot off unimpeded and, in a surprise to nobody, it dropped.
That would be the last field goal the Oklahoma City Thunder scored.
An incredible and gutty closing stretch saw the Raptors’ best unit – the starters with Cory Joseph in place of Luis Scola – limit the Thunder to five points on 0-of-6 shooting and a lone team rebound while also forcing a pair of turnovers. Other than seven free-throw attempts – there’s no pitching a total shutout against this group – the Thunder were held in check. Five points in 5:13 to a team that’s averaged 11.9 points per-5:13 so far this season. A team that employs Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who, this stretch of play aside, are obscenely talented basketball players.
The Raptors spoke about toughness and a never-lie-down attitude before the season and after Wednesday’s game. But toughness – even the type that fosters buy-in with an against-all-odds victory – wasn’t what locked the Thunder down for an 18-5 closing stretch. At least not alone.
First, there was Joseph blowing up a Westbrook-Durant pick-and-roll. And my shammgod, am I having a love affair with Joseph’s two-way play so far. The ensuing inbound saw Joseph give Westbrook, who shot 27.5 percent on pull-up 3-point attempts last season, space to shoot before contesting the eventual miss.
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Shortly after, Joseph poked the ball free to prevent Westbrook from finding a cutting Andre Roberson.
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With the lead cut to four, the Raptors forced the Thunder into a late-clock scenario where Westbrook had to attempt a tough triple with Carroll right in his grill. The stop was made possible by Carroll and Joseph playing a Westbrook-Durant pick-and-roll expertly. Carroll shifts perhaps a hair too far toward Durant after Joseph has switched – a clean pass may have had Westbrook in a good position to attack a Carroll recovery closeout – but this is a strong, aggressive job by the defense.
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The next stop was a nice example of team defense against a tough pick-and-roll, with recognition of a poor outside shooter ostensibly spacing the floor. Durant and Ibaka require help, and while DeMar DeRozan shades in off of Roberson ready to bump Ibaka, it’s Kyle Lowry who cheats deep into the paint to prevent the dive-pass. Dion Waiters, a career 32.7-percent outside shooter, is left open, but Lowry closes out aggressively
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Look at where the rest of the defenders are when Lowry closes out, too. Had Waiters pump-faked and lost Lowry, his options would have been a more open look from the same spot or a drive against a completely re-set defense with only 12 seconds on the clock.
Westbrook continued to try to get things done himself, an entirely reasonable strategy given his ability to create for himself and for others. This next stop came with the benefit of a timeout for the Thunder, as a high double-team directly prior forced Westbrook to burn a full break. Out of the timeout, the Raptors kept Carroll tight to Durant and left Westbrook nothing but an out-of-control drive as the clock was expiring. Take note of how the Raptors set up on the inbound, with Lowry ready to help off of Waiters out of the weak corner and Joseph crowding Westbrook.
Jonas Valanciunas does a nice job navigating a Serge Ibaka cut, recognizing the tough pass he’d represent and the help that Lowry can provide. Instead of getting caught chasing, Valanciunas stays his ground, ready to protect the rim.
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This is a good, if imperfect example of how the Raptors have changed their core pick-and-roll coverage. Valanciunas is anchored, Carroll splits the ground between Westbrook and Durant, ready to react in either direction, and Joseph is angling the ball-handler toward the sideline (this wasn’t a side pick-and-roll, but this is how Joseph would have positioned himself to “ice” a similar side pick-and-roll).
The game now tied, the Thunder went to Durant against Carroll. Valanciunas brought baseline help, and while the Thunder had some nice spacing, Durant’s location pinned in the corner with seven left on the clock left the Raptors comfortable to completely ignore the Thunder shooters. DeRozan helps way off of napalm-specialist Anthony Morrow to bang with Ibaka, allowing Valanciunas the freedom to help Carroll, while Joseph and Lowry can shade off their men a little further knowing they can close out aggressively if need be, since there’s little time for those shooters to make a subsequent pass or play.
Here’s another ATO from the Thunder, one that again ends with Westbrook barreling at a waiting Valanciunas.
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Some of this is pretty basic stuff. It’s a little unfamiliar for the Raptors because, unlike years past, they have quality individual defenders this season. Joseph is not only good on his own, but he allows Lowry to save energy and act as a ball-hawk guarding a weaker offensive player. Carroll lets the Raptors trust a single player and keep things simple against an elite wing scorer. Valanciunas’ new role leaves him far less susceptible to dump-offs and getting caught in the blender moving east-west. All minor adjustments, all marginal gains that tangibly improve a defense.
They’re also plays that are largely sustainable. Good offensive players are going to make shots, and on another night, Westbrook and Durant may have been able to outgun even the most disciplined defense. But Wednesday was a good sign that this Raptors team can lock down when necessary. Also a good sign: The Raptors rank seventh in defensive efficiency so far, giving up 95 points per-100 possessions.
