Good game, tough loss. OKC is good. SGA is good.
Here is my extended breakdown:
Star vs. Star
Tatum vs. SGA - Slight edge OKC
Both stars were good, but I felt that SGA created a little bit more, kept the BOS defense back peddling a little bit more. Key word slight.
#2 vs. #2
Brown vs Dort (in place of Jalen Williams) - Inconclusive
Their #2 didn't even play but Brown was not able to exploit this. More of a missed opportunity. We should have won this big, but didn't.
Bigs vs Bigs
Horford/Kornet vs. Holmgren/Hartenstein - Edge OKC
This would be different had Porzingis played but as it was in this one game, OKC bigs outplayed our bigs.
Other Starters
White/Holiday vs. Wiggins/Wallace - Edge OKC
This should have been a big edge for us but White/Holdiay were -13/-14 and Wiggins/Wallace were +8/+13. White's box score looked OK, Holiday was 1-7 from 3.
Bench vs. Bench
Hauser/Pritchard vs. K. Williams/Joe - Draw
Our guys should have won this but didn't. The +/- for these guys was favorable for BOS but Hauser/Pritchard were 3-13 from 3 vs. 4-11 for OKC.
Scheme vs. Scheme
Edge OKC
I don't think we have figured out how to handle their pressure or how to stop SGA (neither has anyone else in the league). I think one key is to post up, OKC will collapse, and there will be 3s. DEN worked this. Porzingis would help with this. We need to find ways to get the ball in he paint, post up or dribble penetration. We don't have great dribble penetration guards.
As to SGA, the key is to stay in front of him, not let him dribble to where he wants to go. Easier said than done. He passes very well out of doubles. But I would play him true with selective doubles out of pick and rolls. He will score his points but rotate a few players on him, Brown, White, Holiday, maybe even Tatum. See if he can do it for a whole game. Someone else noted that Porzingis helps defend the paint if SGA does get by his man. This would help but SGA is still very good at finding the open man when someone rotates.