Dallas Mavericks Coach Rick Carlisle says Oklahoma City Thunder have improved phenomenally - NBA Update
Dallas Mavericks experienced the improvement and subsequent ruthlessness of Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. This, and their Western Conference Finals matchup with OKC last year, makes
Dallas an expert on the matter.
Rick Carlisle, Mavs’ coach experienced it firsthand. Throughout the playoffs 1st round he was cursing and complaining about OKC’s explosiveness. The defending champs succumbed to a team that was both novice and young.
He has now come forward to admit that OKC have phenomenally improved. As last season Dallas Managed to surpass them on their way to winning the title, but this time they couldn’t stand in a single game against them.
“No question that they got better,” Carlisle said when comparing the last two years of the Thunder’s roster. “When they went through what they did last year where they won two rounds and got in a tough series with us and basically
were right there in every game, you take quantum leaps in terms of your emotional growth, understanding what it takes to advance to the highest levels.”
Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins emerged as the prime defenders in the post and compelled a seasoned player like Dirk Nowitzki to melt down. Moreover Kevin Durant, James Harden Russell Westbrook all in early 20’s simply humiliated
Mavs.
They knew that Mavs’ revolve around Dirk and Jason Terry, shut them down and the job is done. Thunder coach assigned Ibaka and Perkins on Nowitzki and the duo combined compelled him to make crucial turnovers at the dying moments
of the game that decided their fate.
This was not it the most surprising fact was the moaning and complaining of the defending champs. Whenever a whistle was not blown in their favour, everybody from Dallas coach to players raised their voices against it.
The thing that Rick promulgated now has been accepted by him early in the season, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
OKC managed to articulate a troika that is more lethal than any other team. KD, Westbrook and Harden, have collected unprecedented achievements and fame. KD, the runner up for MVP, Harden the best 6th man of the year
and Westbrook one of the most explosive and athletic player in the league.
Durant can take precision shots from any spot of the floor and he is a true marksman with high precision. Westbrook can take his defender of the dribble and can easily beat him up and down the court. While Harden coming off the
bench is an all rounder, who can easily become a starter with any other franchise.
Most noteworthy Ibaka and Perkins defence that changed the general notion of NBA which used to say Dirk cannot be capped.
Combined they formulate a team that is not alone worthy of winning the championship this season but many season’s to come.
However the pundits claim that there biggest quest is yet to come in the 3rd round of playoffs, where they will face San Antonio Spurs.
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