Roby Stars as Thunder Take Trail Blazers in Injury-Ridden Battle
The stretchers were out Monday evening.
A combined 20 injuries splotched the injury report in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s meeting against the Portland Trail Blazers. Of those listed, nine Thunder members, highlighted by the addition of Darius Bazley and Tre Mann, meshed with the Trail Blazers’ 11 outages, leaving the group with a mere eight active members.
In the duel of depleted rosters, the Thunder came out on top trumping the Trail Blazers in overtime 134-131.
For Oklahoma City, the victory marks their second win in their last three contests. As a result of the victory, the Thunder now stand at 22-53 on the year.
Both coaches allowed for over six minutes of uninterrupted play to tee off the evening. In the span, a total of eight lead changes and one tie before an 8-0 Thunder run pushed them up 21-15. Oklahoma City held firm on their lead to end the quarter, finishing play ahead 34-28.
Isaiah Roby led the Thunder with 12 points in the first quarter.
Oklahoma City nearly held a wire-to-wire lead in the second frame losing their grip until the final minutes of play in which a 6-0 spurt posted Portland up 61-58.
Offense was plenty through the first 24 minutes as the Thunder posted a 39.1-percent clip from distance while Aaron Wiggins pushed the bar with 15 points.
The Trail Blazers kept their guns blazing in the first half converting on 10-of-23 (43.5%) threes while Ben McLemore and Brandon Williams carried the load with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
The lead change pendulum continued to swing in the second half as four swaps ensued before two McLemore threes bolstered the Blazers’ advantage to five with three minutes to play. Leading into the final frame, Portland led 89-81.
Portland held a firm grip on the basketball allowing a mere nine turnovers while forcing 19 mishandles for the Thunder.
After trailing by five for the majority of the period, a 5-0 Thunder run in the game’s final minute, shrunk the deficit to one with 10 seconds to play. However, after two Blazers free throws – the bar rose to three. Isaiah Roby responded, drilling a moving three-ball.
Overtime play was in session.
In the extra five ticks, Isaiah Roby rose up to the occasion stringing up eight-consecutive points to move the Thunder up four with one minute to go. With an opportunity to tie on the final possession, Brandon Williams rose up for a three – Roby swatted it.
Portland kept their options open at all three levels Monday riveting down 20-of-50 triples. In the perimeter-centric play, which saw six players log double-digits, Ben McLemore and Brandon Williams led the way with 28 points and 25 points, respectively.
Drew Eubanks recorded a double-double with 27 points and 14 rebounds in the game.
Mark Daigneault essentially imported the Oklahoma City Blue over for tonight’s contest as all eight of the group’s active members held a stint with the Blue this season. The prior connection was evident – finishing the evening with seven members tallying double figures.
The Thunder mastered the three-ball, bottling 20-of-45 triples.
Without the Thunder’s latest hottest hand in Tre Mann, Oklahoma City found resolve in Isaiah Roby. In the former Cornhuskers’ effort, he took over recording a career-high 30 points to tag along with eight rebounds. Roby was locked in from the floor ironing out 11-of-13 field goals, including a quartet of threes.
Aaron Wiggins added his expertise adding a career-high 28 points and six assists, utilizing his frame to slash inside for a 10-of-18 clip.
Theo Maledon ramped up his production adding his third-consecutive 20-point effort. Maledon dominated moving downhill tonight, capping the evening with 23 points and 10 assists.
After exactly two months of rehab, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl made his return back with the Thunder recording six points and eight rebounds in a reserve role.
Next up, the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
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