Coming into Thursday’s game the Thunder wanted to bounce back from their loss in Denver. The team learned right before tipoff that they would be without the MVP candidate Paul George. A right shoulder soreness kept Paul George out the lineup against the 76ers. Also, it should be noted the 76ers were playing without Joel Embiid on the night as well. The Thunder were going to be in for a battle and that’s exactly what it was in OKC. Russell Westbrook was able to play his heart out and put the Thunder in a prime position to win only to come up short. Westbrook finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists on the night and showed a lot of leadership playing within the gameplan. Westbrook was able to do anything that he wanted on the night whether it be going to the basket or hitting his mid-range jumper it didn’t matter. One thing the 76ers were trying to do was sag off Russell Westbrook tonight and try to let him take the 3 point shots. Westbrook shot 1/9 from the 3 point line but was able to make the best of the situation by slashing and beating the 76ers in transition for baskets. One of the bright spots for the Thunder was the fact that Jerami Grant stepped up big time to help alongside Russell Westbrook as they both had 23 points. Grant has shown a lot of improvement this season and has gained so much confidence knowing that his teammates depend on him in big moments. Grant has added the 3 point shot to his resume and was able to get to the basket anytime he wanted with the 76ers missing big men in the paint. The Thunder had 5 scorers in double figures and were able to score the basket with ease tonight as Philly didn’t have an interior presence. Markieff Morris had his best game as a Thunder tonight as well chipping in with 17 points on the night and looked to be more comfortable in the system now. Overall the Thunder looked good but not good enough as it was obvious they missed George on both ends of the floor but put up a great fight. The Thunder brought it within 3 points on multiple occasions but just couldn’t get the job done as Philly made some big shots.
The 76ers night definitely belonged to Tobias Harris as he was able to hit a big shot, after big shot against OKC. Harris was able to create his own shot and was able to penetrate and make the tough baskets on the night. One thing that he’s improved on is his mid-range jumper and his awareness to create space on the floor. The way that Tobias Harris’ able to play off Simmons and Butler was a true sight to witness and it showed with his game-high 32 points on the night. The Thunder put multiple defenders on Harris but he hit some big shots down the stretch and even had an 8-0 run by himself. Ben Simmons continues to play amazing with and without the ball as he notched a triple-double on the night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Simmons was able to find teammates and was able to penetrate to the basket and take advantage of the mismatches against the Thunder. The only downfall to Simmons game is the free throw shooting and a consistent jumper. Once both of those happen there’s nothing that can stop Simmons from being the best player in the NBA in the next couple of years. Jimmy Butler was also able to add a quiet 20 points but was able to lock down defensively on the night guarding his position. Without Embiid and George this was still a great game and a game the Thunder needed to continue being at the top of the Western Conference with Denver and Golden State.
Photo Credit: Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
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