Two wins in a row for the Thunder but more importantly two of the best back-to-back performances of the season.
No Kevin Durant in either game, including the Christmas Day win in San Antonio and a lot of Russell Westbrook – first against the Spurs and then against the Hornets Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
While a lot of the talk, discussion and worrying centers around when Kevin Durant will return from an ankle injury that has kept him out of five games in a row, there are a few things worth discussing from this recent two-game run by the Thunder.
Such as:
1. Role-ing along
Perhaps some of the issues, systematically caused by the massive amounts of injuries at the beginning of this season, are being resolved.
But then again, maybe not.
Players like Reggie Jackson and Serge Ibaka, Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones have taken on all sorts of different responsibilities and roles this season. Because Durant and Westbrook have missed multiple games, those players have had to do multiple things.
That's hard to overcome.
However, the last two games the Thunder have looked a lot better and gotten good production from a number of different players.
Friday, Nick Collison played 15 minutes and had six points and four rebounds. Jeremy Lamb played for the first time since Dec. 21 and had six points and four rebounds in 21 minutes. Thursday against the Spurs, Collison and Lamb didn't play and Ish Smith played meaningful minutes.
"I think it takes time to build continuity," Reggie Jackson said. "Knowing when you're coming in and who you're going to play with takes some time for us."
Jackson played 15 minutes against Charlotte and played 27 against the Spurs. Jackson said he wasn't quite sure what his role is. He's done everything from start to being the team's sixth man to what happened Friday where he was third off the bench. Anthony Morrow was the first sub used by Scott Brooks.
"I ain't sure, necessarily," Jackson said of his spot. "But when I come in I go compete."
Jackson has made no secret over the fact he wants to be a starter. Friday, he hinted he'd like to know what his spot is.
"It might (help)," Jackson said. "When my name gets called, I go compete. We can progress and get better."
2. Satisfying win
Beating the Spurs was a huge win for the Thunder, considering OKC was coming off a meltdown against Portland at home where the Thunder lost a 10-point lead in the final minutes.
But beating Charlotte had to be satisfying on another level. It was a consistent, efficient victory – the kind OKC hasn't had in awhile.
The Thunder trailed just once - 2–0 – played excellent defense on Al Jefferson and were able to rest Westbrook the entire fourth quarter.
Charlotte shot just 28.7 percent. Jefferson had just nine points and was two-for-seven shooting.
"We made them miss a lot of shots tonight," Brooks said.
Steven Adams had a lot to do with it. Adams had five points and nine rebounds a game after he had a double-double against the Spurs. Meanwhile, Ibaka had a season-high 13 rebounds.
3. Lamb back in the mix
Before the game Friday, Brooks answered multiple questions about why Lamb had not played the previous two games.
Then Brooks went out and put Lamb in for 21 minutes, the most he's played since Dec. 7.
"We just have to keep finding guys. He has to stay ready. I have a team full of players who are hungry," Brooks said before the game.
Apparently this was the game for Lamb.
Brooks said Lamb's attitude has never been a problem.
"We just want some consistency on both ends," Brooks said. "He's working on it."
Lamb is averaging a career-high 9.9 points per game, but he's shooting just 34.7 percent on the season in 23 games. Lamb is averaging 21 minutes per game, despite having played a total of just 14 in the two previous games before Friday that he had played.
And after the game, Brooks said, "I'm glad he got an opportunity. You have to be ready. When you have a good basketball team, everyone can't play 20 minutes."
Last season, Lamb played out of a spot deep on the bench. He got some playing time, then promptly lost it when Caron Butler joined the team late in the season. Hard to know what's going to happen the rest of the season for Lamb.
Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK
