Analysis: What The Thunder Must do to Win Game Three

The Oklahoma City Thunder couldn't overcome a 17-0 run by the Rocket in the fourth quarter and now find themselves in an 0-2 hole in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

PJ Tucker Iced it connecting on a 24-foot jumper with 1:07 left helping Houston to a 111-98 win. The Thunder will now look to get back in the series when they host the Rockets in game three on Saturday at 5:00.

Before game two, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he wasn't ready for how the Rockets loaded up and protected in the paint. Whether it was will or just learning from his mistakes, Gilgous-Alexander lit Houston up on Thursday, scoring 31 points in 31 minutes, a 180-degree turnaround from his 9 point performance on Tuesday.

"I watched a lot of film after the last game."..."I saw some areas were I could be more aggressive and more assertive"

"It was on both ends it wasn't just offensively, defensively I didn't feel like I had that same pop that I had in the previous games."

After setting out two games with a sprained knee, Lu Dort was back in the Oklahoma City Lineup. Dort, whose primary assignment was to guard James Harden, held the former MVP to 5/16 from the floor.

Dort's effort on Harden didn't surprise his teammates. Gilgeous-Alexander says "Lu did exactly what I expected him to do."

"With a guy [Harden] like that you just want to make it as difficult as possible and I feel that Lu did so."

On to the next: Game 3 is Saturday at 5PM. pic.twitter.com/7lP7eT7gtE
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 20, 2020

Video: Danilo Gallinari Says Game Two was Better

Video: Shai Gilgeous Alexander on Lu Dort's Defense

Erased at the rim ‼️ @NerlensNoel3 | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/F6LUvUEYlU
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 20, 2020

This is the kind of loss that can be a killer mentally. Being down 0-2 is not the end of the series, but the Thunder had the Rockets on the ropes.

All season long Oklahoma City has proved resilient, however, unless they can find a way to stop Houston from scoring in bunches, the Thunder are looking at another first-round exit.

Thunder/Rockets Saturday at 5 pm on Fox Sports Oklahoma and 97.1 The Sports Animal.

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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.

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