They say a team takes on the persona of its head coach, but that isn’t the case with these Oklahoma City Thunder.
Their coach, Billy Donovan, is a picture of poise. Steady as the day is long, with the immovable hair to prove it.
But when the Thunder pulled off a Game 5 stunner against Utah to save their season on Wednesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, winning 107-99 after trailing by as many as 25 points midway through the third quarter and tying the third-largest postseason comeback in NBA history, this much became clear: For good and for bad, this team goes the way of the mercurial Russell Westbrook.
The reigning MVP was at his Jekyll-and-Hyde best when it mattered most, scoring 20 of his 45 points during a 32-7 run in the third quarter that turned it all around and reminded us of two realities: Westbrook, who also had 15 rebounds and seven assists, and five-time All-Star Paul George (12 of his 34 points during that run) are tremendous offensive talents, and the Jazz are a mediocre team when big man Rudy Gobert isn’t on the floor.
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