Thunder: Close games a little unsettling

The Thunder’s amazing overtime performance continued Tuesday night — the Boomers beat Golden State 115-114 in OT, raising their record to 8-1 in games that went overtime. Someone wrote me and asked if that’s a little dubious, since most of OKC’s overtime victims have been bad teams. The Thunder has beaten Portland, Indiana, New Jersey, Minnesota, Washington, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Golden State. OKC lost to Memphis.

I don’t think who you beat in overtime is a major indicator of much. You can argue that it’s a wash; you should beat bad teams in overtime and you shouldn’t have gone into OT against bad teams in the first place.

But I think what’s a little unsettling is OKC’s overall record in close games. In overtime: 8-1. In games decided by one, two or three points (including some in OT): 8-4.

during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors at the Oklahoma City Arena, Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

There are two ways to look at it. 1. The Thunder makes enough plays in tight games to win, most of the time. Foul shooting has a lot to do with it. 2. One-possession games are mostly tossup. Which could be bad for OKC. Those things to even out.