Thunder fall again to Fast Break Nuggets 114-104

Well the streak continues......oh you thought I was talking about the Heat streak well they aren't the only ones with a winning streak in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets came to OKC riding a 12 game win streak and the Thunder were looking to even the score as the Nuggets led the season series 2-1. Well the first half looked great, the Thunder held the Nuggets fast break and played some great transition defense...well that's kind of the same thing. Kevin Durant was terrific in the low post, he finished with 34 points and 7 rebounds so he had a great game as well as Russell Westbrook who finished with 25 points and even Kevin Martin got going again with 14 points mostly from down town. So offense looked good on paper but in the third quarter is when it all crumbled, The Thunder went 1-9 with their first 10 shots in the third quarter and couldn't control the turnovers, once the shot was missed the Nuggets quickly got it down court and the Thunder just couldn't keep up. The fourth quarter the Thunder tried to rally but the Nuggets put them on ice. PG Ty Lawson had the most points for the Nuggets with 25 going right up with Westbrook so he had a great game. So now the Thunder still stand at 2nd in the west. The Nuggets for some reason fell in the standings to 5th and didn't move up at all during the streak. The Grizzlies stand at 3rd in the West as the slumping Clippers fall to 4th so the Thunder are safe from any comeback from the other 3 contending teams in the West for a top 2 seed. Now what happens if the Thunder meet the Nuggets in the Second round or possibly the Western Conference Finals. I will be the first to admit I think the Thunder are the clear best in the west but if I had to choose any team in the West I don't want to play in the playoffs it would be these hot Denver Nuggets. They are fast, physical just like the Thunder but the difference is their offense. The way they execute the fast break offense is unbelievably impressive hats off to Head Coach George Karl. Now if I'm taking the Thunder or Nuggets in a 7 game series I still think the Thunder are the better team. Tonight is another big test against the 3rd seed Memphis Grizzlies who always give some good fights with the Thunder. If OKC can fasten the pace with these slower Grizzlies who aren't very similar with the fast pace Thunder offensively, Memphis just like OKC last night just won't be able to keep up. Now its not that the Thunder can't keep up with the Nuggets athletically because they can but its all about execution and paying attention after a bucket or missed rebound, Denver is going to slip by and for the Thunder to beat them (If they meet in the Playoffs), they will need to hold 2 back and beat the Nuggets in their own game which I think they did well yesterday in the first half.