Official Site of the Thunder · May 10, 2017
Tapping into Potential and Winning on the Margins
Game 76, at home, against a non-playoff team. On the surface, that contest is a classic trap game. For a team that is pushing for playoff seeding, building habits and trying to advance in the postseason, however, it’s a must-win.
In that example, the young 2016-17 Thunder, a group assembled on the fly, fell to the Charlotte Hornets in part because of 24 turnovers and 20 fewer free throw attempts than its foe. In a way, it’s a perfect lesson for the team heading into the summer, after competing in five postseason games as the youngest team in the 2017 playoffs.