John Rohde: Thunder refuses to fold early

 
By John Rohde | Published: November 4, 2009    Comment on this article Leave a comment


On a night when the Thunder couldn’t get started, it also couldn’t finish.

Through all the struggles, the Thunder nearly rolled over the reigning world champions Tuesday night.

photo - The Thunder’s Kevin Ollie dribbles past the Lakers’ Shannon Brown on Tuesday. Photo By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
The Thunder’s Kevin Ollie dribbles past the Lakers’ Shannon Brown on Tuesday. Photo By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

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The Los Angeles Lakers jumped out early and hung on late, posting a 101-98 victory in overtime before a sellout crowd of 18,203 inside the Ford Center.

Afterward, as you might expect, the Thunder locker room was a morgue. Players who spoke gave short answers.

The Thunder’s frustrated young guns no doubt were struggling to accept what had just transpired.

Meanwhile, backup point guard Kevin Ollie spoke calmly. He even managed to smile.

It was as though the 13-year veteran saw something in his team perhaps no one else in the room saw.

Part of it was the Thunder’s refusal to fold early.

The Lakers led 9-0 before the home crowd could finally sit down after the Thunder scored its first points of the game. The champs led by 13 on three occasions. They made eight of their first nine shots while the Thunder missed seven of their nine.

"They had me worried there for a second,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks, who paused and added, "actually throughout the game.”

Exactly what do you do at that point?

"You just keep playing,” Ollie explained. "There’s a lot of game left.

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