Oklahoma City is back from the dead. No really, the way everyone was talking after the Grizzlies came into the big blue sea and dominated Game 1, you would’ve thought the darlings of the NBA’s second-half were through. They were going home and Memphis was turning the clocks back one more hour on their Cinderella run. Russell Westbrook was out of control, Thunder coach Scottie Brooks was lost and the Thunder weren’t tough enough inside.
While he won’t amaze anyone with individual brilliance, Kendrick Perkins is used to winning. He’s used to being a part of a family. As much as his strength has improved OKC’s defense and his presence has opened up the game for Serge Ibaka, it’s that experience that the Thunder really wanted.
And after Game 1, Perkins wasn’t happy. As Yahoo! Sports reports, Perkins had a suggestion for the team’s best player, and Kevin Durant happily obliged because “everybody listens to Perk.”
Durant took Perkins’ suggestion and arranged for a players-only dinner at his house on Monday night. The team dined on a Thanksgiving-worthy spread prepared by Durant’s personal chef and watched every minute of OKC’s disheartening loss to the Grizzlies. The players stopped the video at times to discuss specific breakdowns. By the end of the evening, they were in agreement on what needed to be done to improve.
It’s funny what one game can do in a series. Suddenly, it’s the Thunder who are back in control, back where they should’ve been all along. Maybe it took Perk’s suggestion to dine out together, watch film and criticize each other without any coaches around. More than likely, it could’ve just been a typical Game 2 home bounce back.
Still, the Thunder don’t need to rely a great deal on Perkins on the court. If they can get 25 minutes of great defense and a physical force, that’s all they want. The young guys will take care of the rest. But what they do need is what they got heading into Game 2: a calming presence of someone who has been here before and knows most importantly, what it means to be held accountable.
Did you see a difference in the accountability of the Thunder players in Game 2? Or did Memphis just not play as well?
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