Chris Paul Leads the Thunder in a 26 Pont Comeback
For all the griping fans have done about Steven Adams terrible free-throw shooting throughout his career. The one he missed Monday with 4.3 seconds left may go down as one of the most significant moments in Thunder history. Coby White fouled Adams with the score tied at 106-106. Adams stepped to the free-throw line and sank his first. His second missed, and Adams was able to tip it out to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander got the ball to the red hot Chris Paul who was then fouled by Wendell Carter Jr. Paul who scored 19 in the fourth, clinched the game at the charity stripe giving Oklahoma City a 109-106 win.
The Bulls Zach LaVine credited Adams with missing his second free throw on purpose. Adams smiled at the notion and said: "If there's one thing I know how do well mate, it's mess up free throws." Adams says he was trying to redeem himself on that second free throw, but, "I'll claim it."
To call this just a win is not doing the Thunder justice. Monday, the Thunder tied the most massive comeback in organization history, overcoming a 26 point deficit. A deficit that the Thunder couldn't erase till the fourth quarter. Billy Donovan said after the win, "We tried to get back involved we got it down to like 16 and 18, but all of a sudden we're right back to 21, 23." The Thunder would close to within eight at the end of the third quarter then chipped away till taking the lead at 101-100 with 4:10 left off a Paul 27 foot pull up three.
Paul says, "It's cool cause at times with a young team it's going to get down. Guys sort of head down, trying to figure out what they was going to do. But, it's cool just to talk and show em it's a long game."
The Bulls defense was extremely dynamic, scoring 26 points in the first half off turnovers. Donovan says in the first half the Bulls looked like the faster, more aggressive team. Donovan doesn't think this was one of the Thunder's best performances on defense but gives his team credit for fighting through a tough first half coming off a long road trip.
Terrance Ferguson was back in the lineup for the first time in five games. Ferguson drew the assignment of guarding Zach LaVine. Lavine scored 39 on 15 of 25 shooting. Despite looking a step slow on defense, which is understandable, Ferguson was an efficient 4 of 7 with 12 points.
The Thunder gets a day off before hosting Memphis on Wednesday night. Tipoff is at 7 on Fox Sports Oklahoma.
