Thunder center Steven Adams put it best with his reaction to Andre Roberson's ugly injury.
"It’s s—. It’s real s—," Adams said after the Thunder's 121-108 win over the Pistons. "He’s a huge part of our team and why we win. It’s a huge blow to us, but we’re just gonna have to rely on some other players to step up."
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Roberson crashed to the ground on an alley-oop attempt in the third quarter of Saturday's game and was taken off the floor on a stretcher. The Thunder announced Sunday that Roberson had suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon and would undergo season-ending surgery.
There's no way around it for Oklahoma City. Roberson's absence is going to hurt. It may not seem like a huge loss on the surface — Roberson is only averaging 5.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game this season — but it's hard to overstate just how much Roberson means to the Thunder defense.
After earning a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last season, Roberson was well on his way to an All-Defensive First Team selection this year after upholding his reputation as one of the league's most outstanding wing stoppers. Roberson rightfully earned consideration for Defensive Player of the Year ahead of the All-Star break not only for his individual success, but also how his presence impacts his teammates.
The Thunder own a 103.1 defensive rating, good for fifth in the league behind the Raptors, Sixers, Spurs and Celtics. Roberson has a great deal to do with that number. He is capable of playing one-on-one defense against the NBA's best scorers without fouling...
Andre Roberson coming back from that Harden crossover to block that shot was impressive as hell pic.twitter.com/hXJ6BhFChU
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) April 17, 2017
He can chase shooters around screens and bother them with his length...
And he offers terrific awareness and resistance as a help defender off the ball.
Roberson's abilities unlocked everything on that end of the floor for the Thunder, particularly when he worked with Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and Steven Adams. When Roberson is on the floor with that starting lineup, OKC's defensive rating is 95.9, but that number drops to 114.5 with Roberson on the bench, according to NBA.com. And despite Roberson's poor shooting, the difference on offense is negligible.
With Roberson locking down the opposing team's best perimeter threat, George was unleashed as a rover, free to wreak havoc all over the floor. He leads the league in deflections per game (4.4) and is tied for the lead in steals per game (2.2) with Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe. Now, OKC coach Billy Donovan might have to use George more frequently as the primary defender against backcourt stars and scoring forwards. But who takes Roberson's spot?
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Rookie Terrance Ferguson could jump into the starting lineup, but he's only 19 years old, doesn't possess Roberson's tenacity on defense and fails to stretch the floor with his shooting. At 6-7, 230 pounds, Josh Huestis offers size and athleticism, though the shooting problem remains. Alex Abrines is solid from 3-point range (38.2 percent), but Donovan has been forced to sit him because of his defensive deficiencies. Patrick Patterson? Jerami Grant? They just can't replicate Roberson's skill set. (UPDATE: Donovan says Ferguson will start at shooting guard, per Fred Katz of the Norman Transcript.)
"You don't replace [Roberson]," Donovan said Sunday. "It's no different than having a person who averages 25 a game and goes out — you're not gonna replace 25 points. And you're not gonna replace Andre's defense."
But let's not forget the possibility for a trade, especially with general manager Sam Presti running the show.
With Roberson likely done for the rest of the season, wonder if it changes OKC's trade deadline plans. Weren't anticipated to be significant buyers, but might approach it differently now.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) January 28, 2018
The Thunder have rattled off seven wins in a row, and they are right behind the Timberwolves and Spurs in the Western Conference standings. OKC was coming together and showing signs it would be a tough out in the playoffs. That's what makes Roberson's injury so tough.
Or, in Adams' words, "it’s real s—."
