Can you still win after being bombed 30-0, is this team strong or weak?

The game between the Mavericks and the Thunder once again proved that there is no real despair than reality seducing hope and putting hope in front of NTR. Even more uncomfortable than losing by 20 points was a wave of 30-0 to a four-point lead, only to be shattered by dramatic steps, a sloppy defense and an inexplicable sideline error.

As the subject of all three images, we couldn't blame Doncic for doing better, and he only had 2 minutes off for the whole game (Kidd said after the game: Doncic said he wasn't tired, so we put him on the court. But Doncic's body is always honest), facing the Thunder's multi-man marking, while feeding Lively 9-of-9 big double-doubles, while cutting down his own exaggerated stats of 36+15+18. It is impossible to blame Jones Jr., who was stolen by Alexander in person, without his six three-pointers, he would not be able to seduce the Mavericks' hope of a comeback.

What's more, they also have less Owen.

In this way, it is the Thunder who should be blamed even more. How did they get almost doubted when they had a 20-plus point lead, how did they get three career highs by Lively despite Chet, who was fifth in the league in defensive efficiency and averaged two blocks per game, and was this young Thunder team really as flashy as the numbers on paper?

In fact, the Thunder played almost perfectly in the first three quarters, facing the Mavericks' bag and the strategy of "using Jones Jr. to defend Alexander", Alexander split the ball as soon as he passed half court, and Jalen, Dort, Giddey and even Chet could break through with the ball. The Thunder took advantage of the role players' multi-point burst to play an all-round effect - even if they put it into the whole game, they still shot nearly 50% of three-point shooting, and even the league's bottom-of-the-league offensive rebounding leads.

But in the first half of the fourth quarter, when Alexander and Giddey were resting from both of their spots, the Thunder's shooting was dumb. Wallace and Isaiah Joe couldn't draw the pinch and tear through the defense, and Dort and Kincridge didn't get much better with the ball. And Jalen Williams has improved rapidly, but his ability to protect the ball after dribbling under the crotch, his ability to punish in the face of big misalignments are limited, and it is difficult to independently instigate offense in the face of the Mavericks' key markings - this round is typical.

This may be the Thunder's "happy annoyance: Alexander is too strong." He's strong enough to carry a 64% true shooting percentage with a 33 percent usage rate, averaging 30 points per game to lead all teammates, while also averaging 2 steals and 1 block per game on the defensive end. As long as he dribbles past half the court, regardless of whether he calls it or not, all teams will pinch him in advance, which is the treatment that only a forward like the peak Kobe Bryant.

What's even more awesome is that he plays very reasonably, and he has a lot of ability and willingness to play the ball. So with the addition of SGA's gravity, the Thunder's 5-on-4 offense is extraordinarily smooth, their three-point crosshairs are the first in the league, the sports crosshairs are third in the league, and even the efficiency of the Iron God Dort has created a career high, and Chet's 66% true shooting rate is beyond the reach of Wemban. As for the defensive end, Alexander is the lead on the outside, Chet on the inside, and a group of black and hard wheels on the flanks to switch defenses, which perfectly fits the fantasies of all fans and managers. As for Giddey's underage sleep to the point of being completely empty, it was just a small dark cloud over the city.

But once Alexander is off the field, it's time to wake up from the dream of 5 to 4. After Alexander's departure, the Thunder's offensive efficiency dropped from 120 to 115 (from first in the West to the top eight), and even more against the defensive end - from the top of the league to the bottom.

The offense is blocked, and the opponent's counterattack hits like a tidal wave, just like the Lone Ranger.

Behind the gorgeous flowering of the Thunder's internal and external lines and the all-round growth of young people, it is inseparable from the cornerstone of Alexander. Just like the Mavericks can't do without Doncic, and the Warriors can't do without Curry. Once he is gone, Jalen Williams, Giddey and even Chet will have to face a more real and demanding world.

Fortunately, they are both young, Jalen's growth is sky-fast, Chet's maturity in the system is also a surprise, and they still have enough time to become a reliable secondary attacker next to Alexander. As for Giddey, I hope he will watch more of the abstinence and be a good man.

As for the defensive end, the Thunder's concern lies in the strength of the interior. The Suns' interior line, which was widely criticized before the game, in addition to Nukic, also had Eubanks. In addition to Chet, the only people who can really be tall enough to defend the No. 5 position are Jaylin Williams, who averages 13 minutes per game, and 20-year-old Usman Guiang, and their current performance can only be described as "ruthless pit masters". Outside players like Alexander have been forced to take on a lot of co-rim duties, and for good reason, they have the league's lowest offensive rebounds.

If the opponent is stronger and smarter, like Doncic in this round, using the pick-and-roll to switch Chet and Jaelin to the outside, the Thunder can only rely on Alexander to defend against Lively, it can only be a tragedy.

That's another problem with the Thunder — too young, too simple, and sometimes naïve. The double interior lineup was all pulled to the outside, Jaylin was pulled away by Jones Jr., Chet was staring at Prosper, who had no basket, and Alexander was stuck under the basket... It's not for nothing that Lively plays so easily.

The Thunder's interior defensive problems were not resolved until the final minutes, and instead of pinching Doncic in advance, they blocked his line with more solid changes and squeezing screens, and Chet easily got out of the restricted area. They finally understood that it was more important to defend the basket than to execute tactics mechanically.

But the Thunder are certainly not in a hurry to make up for it, the new version of the Trident has already taken shape, their goal difference is second in the league, and Alexander is only 25 years old, which is already the oldest of the starting five. Most importantly, he is also one of the five strongest active players in the NBA, and as long as he stays healthy, the Thunder's playoff season has endless possibilities.

Even if it's a reinforcement, the Thunder have a lot of chips in their hands - they have four first-round picks next year alone, three more the year after, and a total of at least 35 picks in the next seven years. The last team to play this kind of affluent battle was the Celtics, who have reached the height of "winning or losing", and even if the Thunder only have three or five draft picks left, think about Presti's vision, Wallace, who was drafted this year, has hit 75% true shooting.

The infinitely bright present and future, the infinite possibilities of prospects and choices, this is what is really terrifying about Thunder.

But this kind of shining hope has also been born countless times in the history of the NBA, and not every lucky person can take over this splash of wealth, and the Thunder experienced this regret 12 years ago. Injuries, possession, contradictions, contract extensions, luck... The tridents would tell Alexander that the price of winning a championship was heavier than the young men had imagined. They understand this only when the hope that is imminent is ruthlessly destroyed by complex contingencies and inevitability.

Of course, for the current Thunder, the future is too illusory. Enjoying the talent and growth, honing a more mature offensive and defensive system, and being able to play the offensive while Alexander is resting is the most important thing.

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