The Oklahoma City Thunder have played two games in the post-Kevin Durant era, and it hasn't been pretty. To make matters worse, the first two contests have been against European teams, losing to Real Madrid, 142-137, in overtime, and edging out FC Barcelona, 92-89. These outcomes may be a red flag for Thunder fans with the 2016-17 campaign on the horizon, however, Russell Westbrook wants to reassure everyone that his team has not only been facing stiffer competition, but their offenses far exceed anything that the NBA has to offer.
"I think one thing people don’t realize is guarding teams in Europe," Westbrook told Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript. "Their offenses are 10 times better than NBA offense just because they move around a lot. A lot of movement and not as much talent so they have to do different things to be able to score the basketball."
Russ isn't the only person in the Thunder organization who sees that the team is struggling to match up against the excessive movement in the European game. "Our guys getting more comfortable [with] the pace and the rhythm and how the offenses in Europe are running," Thunder head coach Billy Donovan said. "And that was probably a day to get acclimated and adjusted to that, to the speed and the cutting of the game."
It shouldn't come as a surprise that NBA teams, like the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, and Atlanta Hawks, have found success in the league, considering how their offenses mirror Europe's ball movement model. Maybe the Thunder could learn a thing or two, and apply it this upcoming season. With Durant gone, they're going to need all the help they can get.
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