# Everything Else > Sports >  OKC Thunder 2013 - 2014

## ljbab728

There has been surprisingly little conversation here about a season that's getting ready to start.  Anyone have any thoughts on the upcoming season?

Westbrook still isnt' certain about being ready for the first game.

http://newsok.com/russell-westbrook-...rticle/3887381

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## MonkeesFan

I hope they suck! 

Go Magic!  :Big Grin:

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## Easy180

Going to all hinge on Westbrook's health...If he ain't Westbrook then I see an 8 seed in our future

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## Bellaboo

> Going to all hinge on Westbrook's health...If he ain't Westbrook then I see an 8 seed in our future


I think he'll start the last pre-season game. The miniscus tear is the easiest to recover from. Some players, usually late career, have had the operation and returned in just a couple or weeks. Artest did this a couple of years back.

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## TaoMaas

I think the Thunder are going to have another great season.  Russ may not be back to start the season, but I expect him to get back to his old self sometime in the first month or so.  I'm also looking forward to seeing Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb play.  I think they'll play key roles in how our season turns out.  I know a lot of the national media types have made a big deal out of the Thunder not re-signing Kevin Martin, but I have to believe that if the Thunder were really worried about it, they would have made more of an effort to sign him or find a replacement.  Since they didn't, that makes me think that they feel pretty good about the guys they already have.

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## OKCisOK4me

63-19

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## OKVision4U

64-18

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## dankrutka

I'm going with 58-24 and hoping for better. Russ' health and the improvement of Serge, Reggie, and Lamb are all key variables in my mind. I'm ready to see what we can do.

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## Teo9969

Guys...this is not a prediction thread for OU/TX

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## OKCisOK4me

As an OSU fan...that wasn't my goal.

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## Mississippi Blues

> I hope they suck! 
> 
> Go Magic!


Well, nobody here has to hope for the Magic to suck. We know they'll suck.  :Wink:

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## Anonymous.

Russell had surgery on his knee again to reduce swelling. Projected to be out the first 4-6 weeks of season.

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## BoulderSooner

> Russell had surgery on his knee again to reduce swelling. Projected to be out the first 4-6 weeks of season.


the surgery  also confirmed that the mcl repair he had done this summer was 100% a success

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## MonkeesFan

> Well, nobody here has to hope for the Magic to suck. We know they'll suck.


Haha, very funny!

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## MonkeesFan

Just bought my Magic-Thunder ticket!  :Big Grin:

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## Teo9969

> the surgery  also confirmed that the mcl repair he had done this summer was 100% a success


Not an MCL repair. It was a meniscus repair. He did not sustain damage to any ligaments requiring surgery...only cartilage.

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## BoulderSooner

> Not an MCL repair. It was a meniscus repair. He did not sustain damage to any ligaments requiring surgery...only cartilage.


you are right   thank you for the correction ... clearly that was major mistake ..

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## Easy180

More troubling news...Really bad we don't have Harden around as another scorer

http://m.newsok.com/surgeon-says-inj...rticle/3889003



“What do they say about real estate,” Klapper continued. “Location, location, location. When we are talking about the lateral meniscus, the meniscus on the outside of your knee, versus the medial meniscus, the difference between the two is the lateral meniscus gets all the rotational pivoting when you make maneuvers. And that is Russell Westbrook’s game. It’s not just a pounding structure, it’s actually a rotatory stabilizer. So his game is absolutely going to be impacted because it’s the lateral meniscus and not the medial meniscus.”

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## Teo9969

I hate ESPN.

There is zero reason to distrust Presti when he says: "He has been pain-free and has performed at a high level during practice but has experience recent swelling that had not subsided...During the procedure it was determined that the source of swelling was due to a loose stitch, and fortunately we were able to confirm that the meniscus has healed properly."

And also: "Although we lost a little bit of time, we gained a tremendous amount of confidence in the recovery and the knee itself," Presti said.

If there was any doubt about this, Presti would not be couching this in these terms, not even the most inept front office personnel would take a lie to this extent. 

Westbrook will be fine and he'll come back, be rusty, but once he knocks that off, be back to his normal self.

Hopefully OKC has learned how to play within an offensive system by that point.

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## adaniel

Nobody should get themselves in a tizzy over what some "expert" ESPiN is pushing out there. 

I am going to take the word of the doctor that actually performed the surgery over a quack on TV comparing kneecaps to pies. But if you want to FREAK OUT and proclaim the season over, by all means take some Xanax and go cry in a corner. Seriously, I think RW will be just fine.

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## Easy180

I'm sure he will be fine as well but just how aggressive Westbrook 2.0 will be remains to be seen

And I haven't spotted anyone freaking out on here...Just some not quite as optimistic as others since my man Westbrook is not a jump shooter

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## warreng88

I am curious if his insistence to finish the game versus Houston injured him more than if he would have stopped playing when he hit Beverly.

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## Bill Robertson

> I am curious if his insistence to finish the game versus Houston injured him more than if he would have stopped playing when he hit Beverly.


It probably didn't help that he kept playing. But there most likely would have been surgery either way. If they're giving us the straight scoop the current situation is an after effect of the original surgery, not the original injury.

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## nighttrain12

> More troubling news...Really bad we don't have Harden around as another scorer
> 
> Orthopedic surgeon says injury will impact Russell Westbrook moving forward | NewsOK.com


He wouldn't sign the contract extension though as 13/14 million a year wasn't enough.  That just means other guys have to step up and play better.

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## Bellaboo

> He wouldn't sign the contract extension though as 13/14 million a year wasn't enough.  That just means other guys have to step up and play better.


Not only that, he was able to get the 5 year contract exception from Houston, where Westbrook got our 5 year contract. It was all about the money, kind of don't blame him.

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## Easy180

> He wouldn't sign the contract extension though as 13/14 million a year wasn't enough.  That just means other guys have to step up and play better.


Most definitely several players will need to ramp up their scoring but ole KD will never see an open jump shot without Westbrook in there...He will have two to three bodyguards escorting him at all times until Westbrook gets going again lol

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## ljbab728

Vegas odds for the season.

Vegas oddsmakers still project the Thunder as Western Conference playoff favorites | News OK

Western Conference




> 1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 11/4 odds
> 2. Los Angeles Clippers – 4/1 odds
> 3. San Antonio Spurs – 9/2 odds
> 4. Houston Rockets – 11/2 odds
> 5. Golden State Warriors – 13/1 odds
> 6. Memphis Grizzlies – 15/1 odds
> 7. Dallas Mavericks – 15/1 odds
> 8. Denver Nuggets – 22/1 odds
> 9. Los Angeles Lakers – 35/1 odds
> ...

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## Praedura

I was watching this recap of the Thunder/Sixers pre-season game




and I  heard the narrator say something quite interesting:

"... they're watching Durant drive and kick out to Jeremy Lin who gets it back to Durant..."

Holy cow, he has Jeremy Lin on the Thunder now!

Of course, he meant to say Jeremy Lamb. But he clearly says Lin. Had something else on his mind, I guess.

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## Thundercitizen

Thought he said Jeremy Limb.

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## Thundercitizen

> Most definitely several players will need to ramp up their scoring but ole KD will never see an open jump shot without Westbrook in there...He will have two to three bodyguards escorting him at all times until Westbrook gets going again lol


Hopefully Ibaka actually develops a real back-to-the-basket game that takes some pressure off.

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## warreng88

Daniel Orton waived by the Thunder.

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## OKCisOK4me

I revise my win statement to 57 games...cause losing Daniel Orton is huge (sarcasm...since it's not catching on).

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## OKCisOK4me

Not really something I wanted to post:

Kendrick Perkins Accused Of Assault - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Apparently it happened on July 20th...why just now come out with it.  Who knows...

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## Teo9969

Well that's annoying....but it's not really going to result in anything.

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## OKCisOK4me

Yeah, I don't think it will either.  I'm trying to play out the scene in my head and I know that if I had been there, I would have been filming it and laughing my butt off!

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## Sonny_Crockett

Those morons over on ESPN are claiming Miami is winning it all this year, next year, the year after etc. That network is a total joke. At least NBA TV analysts think that someone from the East this season (Chicago/Indiana/Brooklyn) could beat the Heat.

I'm a bit optimistic on the Thunder's chances this year. They may be a #3 or #4 seed this year in the playoffs. Lets hope Russ gets back to 110% and Durant shoots lights out etc.

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## OKCisOK4me

If they end up a 3 seed, I'll be happy.  I think it's gonna be a dog fight for that 8th spot and that the top 4 seeds may only be separated by 1.5 games each.  As for the prediction about the Heat, if they stay intact, that very well could be the case.

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## nighttrain12

> Well that's annoying....but it's not really going to result in anything.


Yep, chances are, everybody within a 2 mile radius of that bar was drunk out of their mind and won't be a reliable witness to anything.  Look for this one to be settled out of court since Perk wants to get it over with and back to playing basketball.

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## BoulderSooner

they are going to win 60 again

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## ljbab728

Oklahoma City Thunder to rebuild basketball courts at three schools destroyed by tornado - NBA News | FOX Sports on MSN




> The communities near Oklahoma City hit hard by the May 20 tornado can say that “Thunder cares” is more than just a phrase used by the NBA club to burnish its image.
> 
> On Sunday, the Thunder announced the club will rebuild three outdoor basketball courts at schools destroyed by the tornado. Briarwood Elementary, Plaza Towers Elementary and Highland East Junior High School will get new courts, featuring a Thunder look. The funds are coming from the Thunder Cares Foundation.

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## MonkeesFan

> Oklahoma City Thunder to rebuild basketball courts at three schools destroyed by tornado - NBA News | FOX Sports on MSN


That is nice and all but what is a Thunder look?

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## Bellaboo

> That is nice and all but what is a Thunder look?


I believe they've done a court at a local park, and put their logo at center court.....

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## MonkeesFan

> I believe they've done a court at a local park, and put their logo at center court.....


Stupid idea unless the Thunder team is playing on it

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## Bill Robertson

> Stupid idea unless the Thunder team is playing on it


I would bet the kids that will be playing on them disagree with you. And the kids is what it's all about.

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## Bellaboo

> Stupid idea unless the Thunder team is playing on it


???   You make no sense at all.....

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## MonkeesFan

> ???   You make no sense at all.....


Not really because some kids could be a fan of other team and refuse to play on it because they hate the Thunder and refuse to play on the court because of the Thunder logo on the court so that is why it is a stupid idea

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## adaniel

I really don't think most kids are as petty as this. And if they are, they need to get over it.

Of course, if you are concerned about neutrality on youth basketball courts, you are more than welcome to put up your own money to build these.

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## MonkeesFan

> I really don't think most kids are as petty as this. And if they are, they need to get over it.
> 
> Of course, if you are concerned about neutrality on youth basketball courts, you are more than welcome to put up your own money to build these.


Sure, I would put a Orlando Magic logo on the court  :Big Grin:

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## Teo9969

they're outdoor parks...it's not like we're talking about the gym.

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## MonkeesFan

> they're outdoor parks...it's not like we're talking about the gym.


It does not matter where, it is still a basketball court with the Thunder logo on it

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## dankrutka

> Sure, I would put a Orlando Magic logo on the court


Why would they put the logo of the worst team in the NBA?  :Wink:

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## Bellaboo

> Sure, I would put a Orlando Magic logo on the court


Monkeesfan,

Are trying to make this an Orlando magic thread again ? You could always start one for the Magic, but you'd probably get pretty tired of answering your own postings.

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## MonkeesFan

> Monkeesfan,
> 
> Are trying to make this an Orlando magic thread again ? You could always start one for the Magic, but you'd probably get pretty tired of answering your own postings.


I would but I doubt anybody would reply

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## dankrutka

> I would but I doubt anybody would reply


I actually might. I'm a pretty avid NBA fan. Watched a quarter of Mavs-Magic last night. It was good to see Romero Osby playing well.

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## dankrutka

Steven Adams had 10 and 15 tonight against the Pellies. No Thunder center has ever done that. I didn't want to draft him, but he's looked great in summer league and preseason. I can't think of a reason Perk should start over him besides Brooks' notorious stubbornness. 

Lamb looked better tonight too.

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## Bellaboo

I keep reading where the players are high on Adams from the camp workouts. It showed tonight that he can play. Not sure of Anthony Davis's stats, but Adams seemed to dominate him. He's got great hands, stout as a bull, and only 19 years on. Perk may not be moved this year, but I'd seriously doubt he's here past this coming June.

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## dankrutka

Adams is not in Anthony Davis' class, but he doesn't need to be. Adams didn't outplay him, but generally held his own. I think Davis will break out as a superstar this season.

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## catcherinthewry

> I can't think of a reason Perk should start over him besides Brooks' notorious stubbornness.


I love Adams but he isn't ready to start.  He has a ton of upside and he is probably our best offensive center already, but he is not ready defensively.  He has fouled out of 2 preseason games and had 5 fouls in 15 minutes in another game.  He needs to get a lot of minutes this year either here or in Tulsa.  I hope we trade/amnesty Perk next summer and start Adams next year.

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## Praedura

Durant thinks Adams is ready to be a starter:

Steven Adams ready to start for Thunder - Durant - One Sport News | TVNZ




Strange how New Zealand is suddenly so interested in the Thunder.  :Wink:

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## dankrutka

> I love Adams but he isn't ready to start.  He has a ton of upside and he is probably our best offensive center already, but he is not ready defensively.  He has fouled out of 2 preseason games and had 5 fouls in 15 minutes in another game.  He needs to get a lot of minutes this year either here or in Tulsa.  I hope we trade/amnesty Perk next summer and start Adams next year.


He only had one foul tonight. He appears to be a significantly better offensive player, shot blocker, and rebounder than Perk already. It's early so he has to continue to prove himself, but if he keeps this up then I don't care if he starts right away, but should at least get starter minutes and let Perk start for his self-esteem. There is no reason for Adams to play in Tulsa at all this season if he keeps this play up. Even if Perk starts, he should get 15 minutes a game.

This isn't baseball. You don't have to play in the minors (aka D-league) if you're ready. Rookies contribute right away every year.

Also, that New Zealand article is hilarious.

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## Bellaboo

Every time he made an offensive move with the ball last night, I keep saying to myself....'Perk just can't do that'.

I thought it may take a while, but Adams is more than holding his own against veterans, pre-season or not.

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## catcherinthewry

> He only had one foul tonight. He appears to be a significantly better offensive player, shot blocker, and rebounder than Perk already. It's early so he has to continue to prove himself, but if he keeps this up then I don't care if he starts right away, but should at least get starter minutes and let Perk start for his self-esteem. There is no reason for Adams to play in Tulsa at all this season if he keeps this play up. Even if Perk starts, he should get 15 minutes a game.
> 
> This isn't baseball. You don't have to play in the minors (aka D-league) if you're ready. Rookies contribute right away every year.


Although Adams had 3 fouls, I was very pleased with his numbers last night (wish I could've seen the game).  I've been a fan from day one (he was the one I wanted the Thunder to draft if they stayed at no. 12), but his improvement has been astounding.  Some analysts didn't have him contributing for 2-3 years.  I agree, dan, that he should see regular season minutes, but if he is only going to get 15 minutes a game there will be opportunities to send him down to Tulsa 6-7 times a year to get starter minutes (like they did with PJlll last year).

It's hard to optimism about this kid to a manageable level, but he's handled everything Brooks has thrown at him so far!  Where can I get a no. 12 jersey?

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## dankrutka

If you're getting 15 minutes a game you're not going to Tulsa. Tulsa is for players who are not in the rotation.

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## Bellaboo

From today's practice  -

Reggie Jackson on Russell Westbrook: "One of the dunks (today), he went up and looked like the old Russell, plus some, head at the rim."
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 21, 2013

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## catcherinthewry

> From today's practice  -
> 
> Reggie Jackson on Russell Westbrook: "One of the dunks (today), he went up and looked like the old Russell, plus some, head at the rim."
>  Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 21, 2013


I saw that on dailythunder.com, I'm trying to hold my optimism in check.

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## nighttrain12

> Where can I get a no. 12 jersey?


You can order one off NBAThunderShop.com or if you go to a game, they will make one there while you wait in one of their lower level shops.

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## Teo9969

> I saw that on dailythunder.com, I'm trying to hold my optimism in check.


Why? He's a Top 10 player in the league and his knee is as exactly as it was before the Beverly injury. He may be rusty to start the season, but Westbrook's development at this point in his career is 75%+ Mental, so him being out was not necessarily a big hamper on his development.

No reason Westbrook won't be at least 115% of last year's Westbrook. Unless you as a general rule hold back optimism for Top 10 players, then feel free to let it go, and I think your expectations, so long as they're reasonable, will be met.

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## BlackmoreRulz

Correction: Top 5

And I would take Russ over Harden any day of the week.

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## catcherinthewry

> Why? He's a Top 10 player in the league and his knee is as exactly as it was before the Beverly injury. He may be rusty to start the season, but Westbrook's development at this point in his career is 75%+ Mental, so him being out was not necessarily a big hamper on his development.
> 
> No reason Westbrook won't be at least 115% of last year's Westbrook. Unless you as a general rule hold back optimism for Top 10 players, then feel free to let it go, and I think your expectations, so long as they're reasonable, will be met.


For the record, I was trying to temper my optimism on RW returning earlier than predicted.

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## Teo9969

> For the record, I was trying to temper my optimism on RW returning earlier than predicted.


ah...makes sense.

It's annoying me that some people are saying "he's out until December" when 6 weeks is mid-December. 4 weeks would be still in November (right around Thanksgiving). We should see him against New York on Christmas Day...I just hope he's back by the 10th of December to get his feet under him before OKC's tough stretch in late December:

12/19 - CHI
12/21 - @SA
12/22 - TOR
12/25 - @NYK
12/27 - @CHA
12/29 - HOU
12/31 - POR
1/2 - BRK
1/4 - @MIN

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## Praedura

With the team heading up the road tomorrow to play the Bulls, this seems like a timely piece:

Wichita's NBA fans dare to be different | Wichita Eagle

It's about the struggles of being an NBA fan in Wichita.

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## dankrutka

Nice. I lived in Wichita the last two years and I caught the game in Wichita last season (Harden's Thunder last game). They get a lot of Thunder games on Fox Sports that could help develop a nice little fan base that's only a 2.5 hour drive from OKC. The Thunder should always play a preseason game in Tulsa and Wichita.

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## Laramie

Westbrook's recovering ahead of schedule:

Report -- Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City Thunder participates in drills - ESPN

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## Bellaboo

Adams needs to be on the floor more minutes than Perk. He's passed Hash, and I think he's passed Perk......I hope those in charge see it that way.

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## Bill Robertson

> Adams needs to be on the floor more minutes than Perk. He's passed Hash, and I think he's passed Perk......I hope those in charge see it that way.


I've really been impressed with Adams. I want to see him spend a lot of time on the floor. I can see some opponents\situations where Perks' defensive presence would be better than having Adams on the floor. Even that will change when Adams has more experience defending.

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## dankrutka

Adams' performances have been very consistent. He needs to play at least 15 minutes a game right off the bat. Lamb played his best game last night also. Very encouraging. I hope he can develop a little consistency also.

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## onthestrip

Obviously we arent going to be shelving Perk and playing Adams 25+ mins a game but Adams play certainly looks good enough to get good mins early in the season, which also helps to keep Perk rested. Because we will still need Perk's physical defense throughout the season and especially in the playoffs. I dont think Adams is ready to guard Dwight Howard yet, so we arent dont with Perk.

There was a quick stretch of play from Adams last night we he blocked Boozer, got the steal, ran the court and rebounded missed fast break shot. He failed to make the put back but everything else in that sequence was very encouraging.

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## OSUMom

Lamb looked great last night.  Would love to see that become the norm instead of the exception.

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## Laramie

> Obviously we arent going to be shelving Perk and playing Adams 25+ mins a game but Adams play certainly looks good enough to get good mins early in the season, which also helps to keep Perk rested. Because we will still need Perk's physical defense throughout the season and especially in the playoffs. I dont think Adams is ready to guard Dwight Howard yet, so we arent dont with Perk.
> 
> There was a quick stretch of play from Adams last night we he blocked Boozer, got the steal, ran the court and rebounded missed fast break shot. He failed to make the put back but everything else in that sequence was very encouraging.


Adams has been impressive for the preseason.  They will work him into the regular season rotation and as he continues to show progress--the minutes will be available.

I was surprised that they left Derrick Rose in there as long as they did; my God if something had happened to him, Tom Thibodea would be on the hot seat.  Scott Brooks took the time to use these exhibition games to examine his players thoroughly and use this as a tool for evaluating the players who will earn a spot on the Thunder roster.

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## dankrutka

> Obviously we arent going to be shelving Perk and playing Adams 25+ mins a game but Adams play certainly looks good enough to get good mins early in the season, which also helps to keep Perk rested. Because we will still need Perk's physical defense throughout the season and especially in the playoffs. I dont think Adams is ready to guard Dwight Howard yet, so we arent dont with Perk.


Perk is still a good one-on-one defender, he's good in pick and rolls, and he is a good defensive leader. However, this is negated by his shortcomings in almost every other aspect of basketball. He's arguably the worst offensive player in the NBA, he is an under average rebounder, he is not a very good rim protector, he runs the floor poorly. So far, Adams has consistently shown the ability to be a drastically better offensive player, rim protector, passer, and he is a quick learner. If the goal of this team is to be playing its best basketball in April then giving Adams significant minutes seems the best route. It's easy to overestimate Perk's ability to guard guys like Dwight. Perk has been destroyed numerous times by big guys for big games so it's not like he shuts Dwight down on a regular basis or anything. 

I'd be fine with Perk starting if we still had Westbrook, but trotting out Perk and Thabo together in the starting lineup every night makes for a lot of slow offensive starts. I'm sure Perk will be the starter on Wednesday, but if Adams continues his quick progression than Brooks has to either make him the starter or play him starter minutes. Adams could really be a difference maker for this team.

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## Teo9969

We need to tap the breaks. I am excited about Adams as much as anybody, but it was the preseason. Adams hasn't seen a real NBA game nor real NBA competition and he has shown some areas for concern especially on the defensive end. Adams minutes should depend 80% on his defensive play and 20% on his offensive play. Calling for him to see 15+ minutes all season long based on the preseason is a bit preemptive. And he will probably see 10+ minutes for sure until Westbrook is back. If he continues to shine and show potential, then his minutes may get upped. But again, at this point, we know very little about Steven Adams as an NBA player.

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## Teo9969

> Adams has been impressive for the preseason.  They will work him into the regular season rotation and as he continues to show progress--the minutes will be available.
> 
> I was surprised that they left Derrick Rose in there as long as they did; my God if something had happened to him, Tom Thibodea would be on the hot seat.  Scott Brooks took the time to use these exhibition games to examine his players thoroughly and use this as a tool for evaluating the players who will earn a spot on the Thunder roster.


He didn't just leave Rose in there, he left their late game line-up (minus Noah) in there as well. But it was a good call because this is a line-up that needs to play for the #1 seed in the East, which means they need to redevelop that consistency and be ready from Game 1/82 to get serious in crunch time if they have to. That live practice is necessary when the centerpiece of your team hasn't played NBA basketball for 18 months. It was probably good for them mentally to come back from being down by 7 in the last half of the 4th, and given OKC's lineup, to thoroughly dominate them at the end.

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## dankrutka

> We need to tap the breaks. I am excited about Adams as much as anybody, but it was the preseason. Adams hasn't seen a real NBA game nor real NBA competition and he has shown some areas for concern especially on the defensive end. Adams minutes should depend 80% on his defensive play and 20% on his offensive play. Calling for him to see 15+ minutes all season long based on the preseason is a bit preemptive. And he will probably see 10+ minutes for sure until Westbrook is back. If he continues to shine and show potential, then his minutes may get upped. But again, at this point, we know very little about Steven Adams as an NBA player.


You realize that NBA players play in preseason, right? Adams has played against some good competition (e.g., Anthony Davis, Enes Kanter). Does he still have a lot to prove? Sure. Has he been consistent in every summer league and preseason game? Yes. Has he shown more ability during these games than Thabeet or Perkins have over the last 4 years of their careers? Yes. Neither Thabeet or post-2010 Perkins have shown the ability to do the things Adams has been doing. It should translate to the regular season (of course, with bumps in the road). If we had a competent NBA center on our roster I would be more patient with Adams, but all he has to do to get minutes is beat out a slightly above average defensive player who is the worst offensive player in the NBA in Perk. That's not asking a lot.

Rookies are major contributors all the time in the NBA. They don't have to play minor league ball for 2 seasons before being "ready." Adams is ready enough to start with 15 minutes a game. If he just continues to play as he has then he deserves more minutes than that.

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## OKCisOK4me

Not to mention that the level of competition is still going to be higher in preseason play than in D-League play.  I don't think they'll be sending Adams to Tulsa.  Now Roberson?  Probably.

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## dankrutka

> Not to mention that the level of competition is still going to be higher in preseason play than in D-League play.  I don't think they'll be sending Adams to Tulsa.  Now Roberson?  Probably.


Agreed. Roberson has a couple great skills that translate well to the NBA (defense, rebounding), but he'll probably spend pretty much the entire season in Tulsa. He is lost offensively right now.

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## Praedura

Abe heartily approves of the play of Stephen Adams.

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## Teo9969

Saying the preseason is legit.is like saying the regular season is.like the playoffs...

He has the tools, sure...but they have to be used in the context of a game that will play at a much faster and intense pace than the preseason. Passing lanes close quicker, defenses rotate faster, players get to and through the lane quicker, and the physicality will be at higher level. It is not okay for Steven Adams to cost us a game...so unless he is contributing, he needs to be on the bench.

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## SouthsideSooner

> Saying the preseason is legit.is like saying the regular season is.like the playoffs...
> 
> He has the tools, sure...but they have to be used in the context of a game that will play at a much faster and intense pace than the preseason. Passing lanes close quicker, defenses rotate faster, players get to and through the lane quicker, and the physicality will be at higher level. It is not okay for Steven Adams to cost us a game...so unless he is contributing, he needs to be on the bench.


Did you watch the game last night on ESPN? It was the last preseason game and other than sitting Noah, Chicago played their regular rotations until the very end. Adams did a fine job against one of the best teams in the league...11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks in 30 minutes...

A good quote from Royce Young @DailyThunder... "One of the most impressive things about Adams performance tonight was how he improved mid-game at defending Boozer. The first two trips, Boozer absolutely schooled him, taking him away from the basket and facing up. But after that, Adams got a little bit of a feel for it, and late in the fourth quarter sent a shot right back in Boozer’s face."

----------


## Teo9969

> Did you watch the game last night on ESPN? It was the last preseason game and other than sitting Noah, Chicago played their regular rotations until the very end. Adams did a fine job against one of the best teams in the league...11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks in 30 minutes...
> 
> A good quote from Royce Young @DailyThunder... "One of the most impressive things about Adams performance tonight was how he improved mid-game at defending Boozer. The first two trips, Boozer absolutely schooled him, taking him away from the basket and facing up. But after that, Adams got a little bit of a feel for it, and late in the fourth quarter sent a shot right back in Boozer’s face."


I watched the 2nd half right through to the finish. I also loved Adams' play in this game, _especially_ that pwning of Boozer. I think he showed that he has the tools to contribute.

But if you really think anybody is giving the effort in these games that they will give in the regular season who has their playing time and their position in the rotation secured, you're just not being very realistic. Teams are trying things out, doing things they wouldn't normally do...especially against good competition.

Again, Adams has done nothing but impress in the preseason. And while yes, rookies contribute, when they're playing for contenders, they do so by proving themselves during a slow process of integration into the lineup...case in point: Kwahi Leonard. 

I hope Adams could plays himself into 15 minutes...but he needs to actually play himself into 15 minutes, when it counts, before it's just given to him.

----------


## dankrutka

Why against the same competition does Adams look better, and put up better numbers, than Perkins and Thabeet? Of course, this is preseason, but Adams is doing things that the other 2 guys can't do. If the preseason competition is so weak then how come Perkins and Thabeet aren't destroying the competition?

----------


## Teo9969

> Why against the same competition does Adams look better, and put up better numbers, than Perkins and Thabeet? Of course, this is preseason, but Adams is doing things that the other 2 guys can't do. If the preseason competition is so weak then how come Perkins and Thabeet aren't destroying the competition?


"But if you really think anybody is giving the effort in these games that they will give in the regular season *who has their playing time and their position in the rotation secured*, you're just not being very realistic. Teams are trying things out, doing things they wouldn't normally do...especially against good competition."

And for the record, I do think that Adams has earned the minutes over Thabeet...

----------


## SouthsideSooner

> I watched the 2nd half right through to the finish. I also loved Adams' play in this game, _especially_ that pwning of Boozer. I think he showed that he has the tools to contribute.
> 
> But if you really think anybody is giving the effort in these games that they will give in the regular season who has their playing time and their position in the rotation secured, you're just not being very realistic. Teams are trying things out, doing things they wouldn't normally do...especially against good competition.
> 
> Again, Adams has done nothing but impress in the preseason. And while yes, rookies contribute, when they're playing for contenders, they do so by proving themselves during a slow process of integration into the lineup...case in point: Kwahi Leonard. 
> 
> I hope Adams could plays himself into 15 minutes...but he needs to actually play himself into 15 minutes, when it counts, before it's just given to him.


Thib's just doesn't operate that way... Who on the Bull's do you think was just coasting? Rose was incredible and I didn't get the since that anyone on their team was giving any less than their best effort.. They didn't play many minutes from their deep bench, it was all about winning... 

I know our recent history is to redshirt rookies but I really think Adams has at least worked his way in to 2nd team center and may well be getting the major minutes there come the end of the season... Perk has value but it would be great to see him being used only when the match ups dictate it...

----------


## Teo9969

If Chicago was giving their best effort last night, OKC would have lost by 40 points

----------


## Teo9969

That...or Chicago is going to struggle to make the playoffs...

----------


## dankrutka

> That...or Chicago is going to struggle to make the playoffs...


I'm not even sure what the argument is anymore. You've said Adams deserves back up minutes. I can live with that... Let the regular season begin.  :Wink:

----------


## Bellaboo

> Saying the preseason is legit.is like saying the regular season is.like the playoffs...
> 
> He has the tools, sure...but they have to be used in the context of a game that will play at a much faster and intense pace than the preseason. Passing lanes close quicker, defenses rotate faster, players get to and through the lane quicker, and the physicality will be at higher level. It is not okay for Steven Adams to cost us a game...so unless he is contributing, he needs to be on the bench.


I kind of feel like Perk is costing us. I'm not sure he's as quick as he was when he was younger.He can't hardly jump anymore, and it takes him forever to collect and dunk the ball. What Perk did when he came was instilled a defensive toughness to this team. All Adams needs is experience, which he'll get since he's passed Hash. The organization has said Adams is already tough and a quick learner.....I'd say by January or February, he'll be the starter.

----------


## TaoMaas

> Why against the same competition does Adams look better, and put up better numbers, than Perkins and Thabeet?


This is the equalizer on the Adams talk for me.  The competition level is the same, but the results are not.  That should tell us something.

----------


## Bellaboo

From  a comment on DT -

'Aaron Bruski (top fantasy guy) has his minutes projections out for OKC today. He's traditionally rather excellent at this. Here's what we got. Westbrook (32-35), Jackson (35-38 pre WB, 29-34 after), Fisher (8-12), Thabo (30-36 pre WB, 26-31 after), Lamb (22-28 pre WB, 21-25 after), Durant (38-42), Jones (8-10 if he cracks rotation), Robes (5-10 if he cracks rotation), Ibaka (36-39 pre WB, 34-37 after), Collison (19-24), *Perkins (16-20), Adams (18-23),* Thabeet (8-14, if he cracks rotation)
'

Talking about predicting minutes.

----------


## warreng88

> From  a comment on DT -
> 
> 'Aaron Bruski (top fantasy guy) has his minutes projections out for OKC today. He's traditionally rather excellent at this. Here's what we got. Westbrook (32-35), Jackson (35-38 pre WB, 29-34 after), Fisher (8-12), Thabo (30-36 pre WB, 26-31 after), Lamb (22-28 pre WB, 21-25 after), Durant (38-42), Jones (8-10 if he cracks rotation), Robes (5-10 if he cracks rotation), Ibaka (36-39 pre WB, 34-37 after), Collison (19-24), *Perkins (16-20), Adams (18-23),* Thabeet (8-14, if he cracks rotation)
> '
> 
> Talking about predicting minutes.


That sounds about right. Perk will get more minutes earlier in the season and as the season progresses, Adams will take over. Probably not as the starter, but he will get more as the season rolls on.

----------


## Teo9969

If you add up that guy's LOW totals it is 262 minutes/game...

Through the All-Star break, I'd expect to see these averages...it totals to 250 because the Westbrook injury will throw off averages (but not by 22 - 40 minutes). The bracketed number is what I would expect to see post all-star break.

Westbrook: 30 [35]
Jackson: 30 [28]
Fisher: 10 [8]

Sefolosha: 28 [27]
Lamb: 13 [13]

Durant: 39 [37]
Roberson: 6 [6]
Gomes: 3 [3]

Ibaka: 34 [34]
Collison: 18 [14]
PJIII: 4 [6]

Perkins: 22 [20]
Adams: 10 [12]
Thabeet: 4 [4]

McGruder/Garrett: 1 [2]

----------


## dankrutka

I don't expect Roberson, PJIII, McGruder/Garrett/Gomes, or the 3rd center (Thabeet) to get any meaningful minutes. Brooks will probably roll with a 10 man rotation of RW0, Thabo, KD, Serge, Perk, Lamb, Collison, Reggie, Adams, and Fisher with only spot, junk, or injury-related minutes otherwise. He doesn't like to use a ton of guys.

----------


## BoulderSooner

McGruder and Garrett are no longer on the team they were cut today.  We are down to a 14 man roster 

This tells me they thing Russ will be back much sooner than 4-6 weeks

----------


## Teo9969

> McGruder and Garrett are no longer on the team they were cut today.  We are down to a 14 man roster 
> 
> This tells me they thing Russ will be back much sooner than 4-6 weeks


I think we figured that anyway, based on other reports.

Interesting to leave a roster spot open, but I guess there's no reason to pay someone if they're not going to play.

----------


## Teo9969

> I don't expect Roberson, PJIII, McGruder/Garrett/Gomes, or the 3rd center (Thabeet) to get any meaningful minutes. Brooks will probably roll with a 10 man rotation of RW0, Thabo, KD, Serge, Perk, Lamb, Collison, Reggie, Adams, and Fisher with only spot, junk, or injury-related minutes otherwise. He doesn't like to use a ton of guys.


I agree that he hasn't in the past liked to use a ton of guys...and I can't say with any certainty that will change...but if it doesn't, I have to question whether Brooks learned anything from last season.

----------


## dankrutka

The NBA season starts today! Woo woo!

----------


## Thundercitizen

Predictions:

Thunder win the West, then the NBA (in that order...)
KD wins MVP
Westbrook comes back with MUCH better court vision a 3-pt shot
Ibaka becomes a post-up machine in tandem with Adams
Steven Adams becomes the new Dwight
J Lamb wrests the scoring title from KD
Perk becomes another player by the all-star break
James Harden asks for a trade back to OKC, cause he's ready to really sacrifice
Reggie Jackson averages 18 pts, 11 assists, 3 steals

I didn't sleep well last night.
 :Smile:

----------


## Praedura

> Predictions:
> 
> Thunder win the West, then the NBA (in that order...)
> KD wins MVP
> Westbrook comes back with MUCH better court vision a 3-pt shot
> Ibaka becomes a post-up machine in tandem with Adams
> Steven Adams becomes the new Dwight
> J Lamb wrests the scoring title from KD
> Perk becomes another player by the all-star break
> ...


I was with you, until you got to the part about "not sleeping well last night"... I find that pretty hard to believe!  :Stick Out Tongue:

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Predictions:
> 
> Thunder win the West, then the NBA (in that order...)
> KD wins MVP
> Westbrook comes back with MUCH better court vision a 3-pt shot
> Ibaka becomes a post-up machine in tandem with Adams
> Steven Adams becomes the new Dwight
> J Lamb wrests the scoring title from KD
> Perk becomes another player by the all-star break
> ...


Clippers youth beats Spurs in WCF only for the Heat to be victorious, once again, in a six games Finals series.

Sorry for popping your balloon, but we have to be realistic here.

We don't know the true strength of Westbrook.  Durant will attempt to be the "be all-do all" shining star which will stress him.  Ibaka can't be proficient on offense with a set jump shot game.  He needs to develop a back-to-the-basket skill set.  Last year of the Perkins contract.  Love him.  Hope he has a great season but probably not and he'll get a ton of crap from OKC fans for it.  Father time catches up to D Fish.  Adams will be a good minutes player off the bench and I only expect him to be a rebounding machine for us.  Maybe they can work on developing his low post passing skills. Harden will not be a factor with the Thunder ever again.  Jeremy Lamb was inconsistent in the preseason which doesn't bode well for regular season play against serious title contenders.  He'd develop much faster playing and possibly starting for a team ala the Warriors.  As for Reggie, only time will tell.  I think he has that potential.

Just Two Cents from the guy that watches the games at Henry Hudson's.

Oh and how could I forget.  Nick Collison will do what Nick Collison does.  Get rebounds, maybe have 2 or 3 10-12 point games, take charges and foul out to save fouls for our starters.  Nick accepts his role.

----------


## ljbab728

Westbrook could be back in two weeks.   :Wink: 

Y! SPORTS

----------


## Jake

Thunder expands its TV viewership area by 65 percent | News OK

Expanding TV viewership.

----------


## ljbab728

> Thunder expands its TV viewership area by 65 percent | News OK
> 
> Expanding TV viewership.


Does that translate into more money?

----------


## Thundercitizen

> Does that translate into more money?


Hopefully that translates into a nice free agent or two.

----------


## dankrutka

Is money the problem? Our already rich owners have made a huge profit on the Thunder and haven't spent it. I hope its part of a long term plan...

----------


## SouthsideSooner

> Is money the problem? Our already rich owners have made a huge profit on the Thunder and haven't spent it. I hope its part of a long term plan...


Hmmm... Really? Have you factored in the the losses incurred while still in Seattle? The lease buyout that allowed the move? The NBA relocation fee and other expenses incurred in relocating the team? I know there were a couple of pretty profitable years while our stars were still on rookie contracts but now we're right up against the tax line and are going to be facing the inevitability of crossing it in the next couple of years... 

So anyway, since you stated what you said as an obvious fact, would you mind breaking down the numbers for me to date and going forward? Thanks in advance...

----------


## Teo9969

Money is part of the problem, but people thinking that this ownership/management isn't willing to pay the tax are just not thinking. It's not about an unwillingness to pay the tax, it's about an unwillingness to pay obscene tax, and an unwillingness to sacrifice the long-term stability of the franchise for 2 or 3 seasons of titles and then have to blow up the entire roster and hope the franchise is still on a good foundation.

----------


## Teo9969

> Does that translate into more money?


I would think not until a new contract between FSOK and the Thunder is written out. But hopefully I'm wrong on that and there are incentive or renegotiation type things in the contract.

----------


## MonkeesFan

> Westbrook could be back in two weeks.  
> 
> Y! SPORTS


So? The Thunder are not winning a championship

----------


## Sonny_Crockett

> So? The Thunder are not winning a championship



I wouldn't bet on it. The Heat are winning it this year and LeBron's winning the MVP. Plus if you watch ESPN or TNT, the Thunder get no love and everyone says it will never be "KD's time" and the OKC will be lottery bound for years to come. I'm done watching d-bags on ESPN who follow Queen James 24/7.

----------


## Jake

Wasn't aware the Thunder were financially bankrupt. Thanks for the heads up!

----------


## Bill Robertson

> So? The Thunder are not winning a championship


We won't be the worst team in the league. Your team, however,  has a really good shot at that!

BTW. this is the last time you'll draw me in with your Thunder-hating taunts. Just had to add one return-fire.

----------


## betts

> So? The Thunder are not winning a championship


There's more to sports than winning a championship.  Sports is about striving for a goal and spectators enjoying watching a team striving for that goal.  Ultimately, a championship is decided in the last 5 minutes of the last game of the season.  Does that mean every other minute of the season for every team is dross?  My second favorite Thunder season was the first, when any victory generated boundless enthusiasm.  I love my team, win or lose, championship or no and I love watching them play.

----------


## bradh

> Money is part of the problem, but people thinking that this ownership/management isn't willing to pay the tax are just not thinking. It's not about an unwillingness to pay the tax, it's about an unwillingness to pay obscene tax, and an unwillingness to sacrifice the long-term stability of the franchise for 2 or 3 seasons of titles and then have to blow up the entire roster and hope the franchise is still on a good foundation.


I don't think the average NBA fan really understand how penalizing the new luxury tax is if you're a repeat offender.  It gets absurd quickly.

----------


## MonkeesFan

> We won't be the worst team in the league. Your team, however,  has a really good shot at that!
> 
> BTW. this is the last time you'll draw me in with your Thunder-hating taunts. Just had to add one return-fire.


So? At least the Magic will improve and get better while the Thunder are going to decline and start sucking

----------


## BrettM2

> So? At least the Magic will improve and get better while the Thunder are going to decline and start sucking


I just have to ask... how old are you?  Based on your track record of posts, I'm having a hard time seeing that you put much thought into anything and just go for the off-the-handle, I'm right kind of answer.  I'm hoping I get more than your go-to answer of what I can do to myself.

----------


## betts

Thirteen is always a safe bet.  It seems to be the prime age for maximal poorly thought out smack talk.  However, since he was doing the same last year, perhaps fourteen.

----------


## Bellaboo

> So? At least the Magic will improve and get better while the Thunder are going to decline and start sucking


Why don't you just leave ?  And come back when your IQ has improved.

----------


## king183

Just noticed American Energy Partners and Enable are advertising during the Thunder game.

----------


## Mel

and Kings of Leon. They're fading a bit in the 4th. Go Big Blue!

----------


## ljbab728

101 - 98 for the first game.  Not a picture of perfection, but so far so good and it's a win.

----------


## MonkeesFan

> 101 - 98 for the first game.  Not a picture of perfection, but so far so good and it's a win.


They still suck almost blowing the game

----------


## MonkeesFan

> Why don't you just leave ?  And come back when your IQ has improved.


Make me!

----------


## warreng88

> Make me!


Which proves what we thought all along. You're 13.

----------


## ljbab728

> They still suck almost blowing the game


 :Fighting25: 

LOL, in the NBA all that matter is a win whether it's by one point in 4 overtimes after leading by 50 at halftime or by cruising for the whole game and winning by 30.

----------


## Teo9969

> I don't think the average NBA fan really understand how penalizing the new luxury tax is if you're a repeat offender.  It gets absurd quickly.


More so than that…I don't think people realize that if 4 players take up 100% of your salary cap, not only is your luxury tax going to be absurd, but you are not going to have much of any real chance to sign good role-players. You have to get lucky and draft ridiculously good players with the last 8 picks of the 1st round…good luck with that…

Or you have to rely on veteran FAs willing to come to OKC and play for the minimum…Maybe that would have happened, but very likely not.

----------


## Laramie

> LOL, in the NBA all that matter is a win whether it's by one point in 4 overtimes after leading by 50 at halftime or by cruising for the whole game and winning by 30.


You're right, take that win--it wasn't pretty.

----------


## MonkeesFan

> Which proves what we thought all along. You're 13.


How did you know? You can lick my hairy v*gina

----------


## ljbab728

OK, I think it's time for the moderators to step in on this.

----------


## BrettM2

> How did you know? You can lick my hairy v*gina


Just for proof. I think it's time for a ban.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Just for proof. I think it's time for a ban.


Agreed.

Was glad to see the Enable Partners commercial and that AEP was a sponsor.  Can't wait to commercial from them...I mean, Aubrey.  The halftime show was good too.  Gonna have to make sure I catch Part II on Friday!

----------


## MonkeesFan

Even if I am banned, I can go to my friend's house and make another screename and come back dumbasses

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Even if I am banned, I can go to my friend's house and make another screename and come back dumbasses


OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....you're such a big boy now. You found a word that the site doesn't censor out!  Did you just turn 14?

----------


## betts

> Even if I am banned, I can go to my friend's house and make another screename and come back dumbasses


Except that you'll have to stop posting anti Thunder stuff under your new screen name or you will be recognized immediately.  And what fun will that be ?

----------


## ljbab728

> Even if I am banned, I can go to my friend's house and make another screename and come back dumbasses


And just what would be the point of that?  What do you get out of making posts like you do?  You can certainly enjoy your favorite team without that and it proves absolutely nothing.  When you make a statement "they still suck" about a team that everyone that knows anything about basketball says is one of the best in the NBA what can you expect?

----------


## MonkeesFan

> And just what would be the point of that?  What do you get out of making posts like you do?  You can certainly enjoy your favorite team without that and it proves absolutely nothing.


Keep telling yourself that numbnuts

----------


## MonkeesFan

> Except that you'll have to stop posting anti Thunder stuff under your new screen name or you will be recognized immediately.  And what fun will that be ?


Not going to happen, I can pretend I am a Thunder fan and you will never know it is me

----------


## ljbab728

> Keep telling yourself that numbnuts


Which again shows your immaturity.  I never called you any names but you have to resort to tactics like that.  Again, I just can't understand what enjoyment you can get from this.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Keep telling yourself that numbnuts


You know, a grave is 6 feet deep.... You're 3 feet below that...

----------


## ljbab728

I can't imagine wanting to go on a forum about the Magic wanting to continually bash them.  That would give me no pleasure at all.

----------


## MonkeesFan

Well, I am out of here, Happy Halloween f*uckers!

----------


## ljbab728

> Well, I am out of here, Happy Halloween f*uckers!


You're welcome and have a nice life.
.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> You're welcome and have a nice life.
> .


I wasn't so kind...

----------


## Mel

Go Big Blue! can't wait for Russell to return.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Make me!


Not to sure I can make your IQ improve, some things in life are impossible.

----------


## Just the facts

I was happy to see the Thunder score some points as that was a problem after Westbrook went out last year.  However, Durant can't go for 42 every night.

----------


## warreng88

> I was happy to see the Thunder score some points as that was a problem after Westbrook went out last year.  However, Durant can't go for 42 every night.


Agreed. It is good to see Thabo getting some points jacking up threes and Jackson got 14 points which is below his average when he is a starter, but that will come along. Ibaka was 4-15 from the field for 8 points but had 10 rebounds. I would have liked to see Adams get more minutes, but Perk had four points and eight rebs in 27 minutes whereas Adams had two points and three rebs in 18 minutes. So, maybe it was just not his night. We play the T-wolves tomorrow night and it will interesting to see if they use Adams more on Love or just stick with Ibaka on him.

----------


## Teo9969

> Agreed. It is good to see Thabo getting some points jacking up threes and Jackson got 14 points which is below his average when he is a starter, but that will come along. Ibaka was 4-15 from the field for 8 points but had 10 rebounds. I would have liked to see Adams get more minutes, but Perk had four points and eight rebs in 27 minutes whereas Adams had two points and three rebs in 18 minutes. So, maybe it was just not his night. We play the T-wolves tomorrow night and it will interesting to see if they use Adams more on Love or just stick with Ibaka on him.


If Adams is put on Love, it's time for Scott Brooks to go…

----------


## jerrywall

Agreed.

----------


## warreng88

> If Adams is put on Love, it's time for Scott Brooks to go…


I guess I meant covering Love by committee which includes Adams obviously. Love is technically a PF but plays all over the court so he will probably be covered by Adams at some point in time. I believe Collison and ibaka are the usual suspects on covering Love. 

Minnesota is the team that makes me the most nervous if they have a healthy Rubio, Love, Budinger, Barea, Pekovic and obviously K-Mart, they can be scary good and can score from anywhere.

----------


## dankrutka

The Thunder ball movement was terrible yesterday and a departure from the good ball movement in the preseason. Hopefully, they get back to moving the ball because KD and Reggie can't be the only ones taking shots down the stretch. I did like Ibaka's early aggressiveness. His shots will fall...

----------


## warreng88

> The Thunder ball movement was terrible yesterday and a departure from the good ball movement in the preseason. Hopefully, they get back to moving the ball because KD and Reggie can't be the only ones taking shots down the stretch. I did like Ibaka's early aggressiveness. His shots will fall...


I agree, there does need to be a lot better ball movement because all we are doing right now is PG drives down to just past mid-court, KD gets a screen or stands at the top of the three point line, gets the ball and either shoots it or drives and dishes it out. As good as KD is, I would like to see more passes before he gets the ball or right after and get his assists up there. It is just too much of a 1 on 5 game.

----------


## Bellaboo

> The Thunder ball movement was terrible yesterday and a departure from the good ball movement in the preseason. Hopefully, they get back to moving the ball because KD and Reggie can't be the only ones taking shots down the stretch. I* did like Ibaka's early aggressiveness. His shots will fall...*




I noticed he developed a 'jump hook'........ didn't look to good last night, he's been much better as a spot up shooter. Hopefully he'll get it down.

----------


## Laramie

Rubio has found his comfort zone in breaking down defenses.  Durant, Ibaka & Sefolosha will have to tag team Kevin Love with Reggie & Sefolosha checking Rubio and keeping him from collapsing the defense.

The more work Durant has to put in on Minnesota, the more difficulty it will be for him to pick up the slack on offense.

This will be a challenging road game; Adams will have to grow as he goes.

The key will be the work underneath the glass in which Perkins is going to have to play and _stop his belly-aching about not getting the calls_.  If he could become an offensive juggernaut and consistent with put backs, the Thunder will roll.  Perkins has the skill set to become more than an intimidating factor on defense but a power threat on offense.  *Notice how hesitant and insecure he (Perkins) is under the offensive glass.*

----------


## dankrutka

> The key will be the work underneath the glass in which Perkins is going to have to play and _stop his belly-aching about not getting the calls_.  If he could become an offensive juggernaut and consistent with put backs, the Thunder will roll.  Perkins has the skill set to become more than an intimidating factor on defense but a power threat on offense.  *Notice how hesitant and insecure he (Perkins) is under the offensive glass.*


I don't agree that Perkins has the ability to become competent in any form or fashion on the offensive end. He is extremely slow getting off the floor and getting shots back up. This isn't going to change all of a sudden. Perkins only real skills at this point are one-on-one post defense and defensive scheme knowledge (which is valuable). His days as a competent, much less "juggernaut" or "power threat," offensive player have passed or, really, never were.

----------


## Teo9969

Perkins also sets one.of the best screens in the NBA

----------


## PWitty

> Perkins also sets one.of the best screens in the NBA


Nobody can argue that Perk sets one of the best screens in the league, that is no doubt true. But his VERY limited offensive game takes away one of the most basic moves in basketball, that being the pick and roll. There's no "roll" with Perk because at this point he is no threat to score unless he gets it right under the basket.

----------


## dankrutka

> Nobody can argue that Perk sets one of the best screens in the league, that is no doubt true. But his VERY limited offensive game takes away one of the most basic moves in basketball, that being the pick and roll. There's no "roll" with Perk because at this point he is no threat to score unless he gets it right under the basket.


Yep, and Adams has the potential to be a very effective screener AND pick and roll guy (he's shown the ability to find open wing players too)... I just want Brooks to give Adams' opportunities to grow because his improvement could result in higher rewards by the end of this season, and for future seasons...

----------


## ljbab728

The West looks like it's going to be very entertaining based on an early round robin series.

Lakers 116 - Clippers 103
Golden State 125 - Lakers 94
Clippers 126 - Golden State 115

----------


## dankrutka

The West is loaded, but the Lakers are not part of that. Their win against the Clips was an aberation. They're not making the playoffs. It's going to be tough to come out of the West. No doubt.

----------


## Teo9969

The Lakers could slip into the 8 spot, but it's going to be difficult for them. Due to the unpredictability yet inevitability of injuries, they do have a chance. 

There seem to be 4 tiers of teams in the West:

OKC
SA
------
HOU
GS
LAC
MEM
------
MIN
POR
LAL
DAL
NO
-----
PHO
UTA
SAC

All the teams within one tier are pretty close to each other. Assuming everyone is healthy, I don't think you can make an iron-clad case for why any one of those five teams vying for the final two spots will make it over the others.

----------


## dankrutka

Unfortunately, I don't think OKC and San Antonio are a tier above other top teams, but I otherwise pretty much agree with your list. I'd have it like this:

SA
OKC
HOU
LAC
GS
MEM
------
MIN
DAL
NO
-----
LAL
POR
SAC
UTA
PHO

----------


## Teo9969

The biggest reason I have SA and OKC ahead on my list is that they're proven. None of the teams below them have done anything yet to prove themselves worth of that top spot. We all know that if Westbrook were healthy last year, OKC is in the WCF. None of those other 4 teams have made it to the WCF since 1997 save for Memphis's lucky appearance last season.

Now, maybe by 2014 we can say that one of these teams has proven to legitimately be in the discussion by what we see out of them on a regular basis, but until they prove it by winning a wide-margin of games against the league's Top 5 teams (MIA, SA, OKC, IND, CHI) then I don't feel you can quite put them in the same tier.

And we're talking about professional teams here, so the distance between #1 and #15 really is not so wide as many think.

----------


## Dustin

We are getting our *** handed to us tonight.

----------


## Teo9969

Worst I've seen OKC play since probably 2011.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I sent my buddy a text this morning telling him we were going to lose tonight.  Love is healthy, they have 3-point bruisers on their team--KMart & Brewer, and Ricky Rubio of course.  In other news, the Heat lost again.  Just wish we didn't get whooped...

----------


## Laramie

Give credit to the Timberwolves tonight; their shots were falling and they took advantage of the Thunder in shooting (Field Goals, 3-Point shots, Free throws):

Minnesota................Field Goals Made  49.9  (33-77)  3-Points Made 8-20   Free throws 26/33  Rebounds 44
Oklahoma City..........Field Goals Made  34.9  (29-83)  3-Points Made 7-31   Free throws 16/19  Rebounds 42

Definitely a recipe for losing.  Look on the bright side--eighty games remaining...

In the 2009 draft,  Rubio was selected by Minnesota; the T-wolves had a league high four first round picks (seven in all):

*5.  Ricky Rubio*
6.  Johnny Flynn
18. Ty Lawson
28. Wayne Ellington

This was the same year that Blake Griffin went to the Clippers and James Harden was selected by the Thunder.

----------


## Teo9969

I don't think anyone is so down because we lost…

We're down because we were absolutely manhandled, slaughtered, dismantled…whatever really really horrible word you want to use. Luckily the game doesn't matter, but it's been so long since we have seen the team play so badly.

----------


## PWitty

I know Serge is a popular player, but I can't be the only one thinking what I'm about to say.

Serge is not worth what he is making. He showed promise as a young player, but I have seen hardly anything over the last year to think that he warrants the contract he was given. He still hasn't developed any sort of back to the basket offense, and he is addicted to taking spot up jumpers. All he really shows is a few flashes of defensive brilliance by blocking some shots, but then the next play he takes himself out of the play completely by over-committing to the guy with the ball by going for another big block. We can't have a PF who is addicted to taking jumpers as a second/third scorer, that is never going to work. Every time I watch the Thunder play I cringe when Serge has position on his man and then dishes it off, repositions himself, and catches and shoots from the wing. 

It could just be me, which I wouldn't doubt, because I hate how Bosh plays offense too and Serge's offensive game reminds me a lot of Bosh. I just had to get this off my chest. It's not as noticeable when Westbrook is in the lineup because Serge isn't expected to score as much, be he is just so exposed without Russ being in there.

I will say I'm up in the NY area right now so I haven't been able to watch the entirety of either of the regular season games so far. So it's possible he has progressed and I just haven't been able to see it, but his box scores have been anything but pretty. Trust me, I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

----------


## Teo9969

You gotta give him a chance to actually progress though. And while he is the low-light of the team so far, it's a long season and game 2 is too early to really say that he's not worth what he's making. Remember, this is the first year of his contract. We paid Ibaka like $2.5M last year…

Here are a few reasons why it's still too early to judge Ibaka:

1. We need Serge for defense, and it is why he was the first signed between him and Harden…And while he still has a long way to go, it would do us good to remember that so far this season and in last years playoffs, he has been on the floor far more minutes than he ever has in his career and Perkins is getting less time on the floor. Ibaka is being called on to become captain of the defense the way that Perkins has been for the past 2 years. OKC was the best defensive team it has ever been last season and much of that came from the familiarity of all the players with each other and Perkins' elite defensive mind and communication skills on the floor. Ibaka is not going to develop that, especially in English, in his first 15 games as the leader. So while trying to take on that pressure, he's likely to lapse on his own responsibilities until he becomes more comfortable in that role, especially when he's barking at Reggie, Lamb, PJIII and Steven Adams.

2. Speaking of those guys…this is a young team again. We rank 20th in average age (youngest = 1st), but if you factor out Fisher, this team is 5th/6th youngest in the league. Over half the roster is 25 or younger. Ibaka now has a large amount of seniority and that's going to take getting used to for him. He used to be able to just go out and play basketball…now he has added responsibility on his shoulders (on both ends of the floor) because all 4 of those guys I mentioned above are younger and less experienced. That's never been the case with Durant and Westbrook because their talent level has always dictated that they are the leaders of the team.

3. We don't need to judge Ibaka on his own merits. We only need him to function in the context of the team the best that he can. While I certainly advocate him getting better as an individual player, he still does in fact get to play with Russell in the long run…

----------


## betts

Our youth is becoming a problem, IMO.  Look what Minnesota did.  They put proven pieces around Kevin Love, not stars but proven role players.   I know we're a small market team, and i know Presti can find hidden gems, but at some point we have to stop looking for magic through the draft and unproven potential.  If we don't show Kevin that we are at least trying to put pieces around him that give him a reasonsble expectation of winning a championship, I predict he will get fristrated and leave.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Clay Bennett and Co. need to consider spending into the luxury tax. That's the only legit way this small market team will have a chance from this point forward.

----------


## Laramie

> I don't think anyone is so down because we lost
> 
> We're down because we were absolutely manhandled, slaughtered, dismantledwhatever really really horrible word you want to use. Luckily the game doesn't matter, but it's been so long since we have seen the team play so badly.


*We're not the little darlings of the league we once were when Westbrook was drafted by Seattle and never played there.* We're in a league with the big boys (Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia & San Francisco-Oakland).

The last time we were manhandled and pushed around like a rag doll was during our initials first two years in OKC; since then we have had competitive games in which we in the game throughout the second half and blew a gasket after being down by as many as 20 points to make it respectible.  Last night against Minnesota we couldn't come back.  

We have some key pieces missing; put this game behind us and move on with life in the NBA.

One poster knocked this out of the park:




> Clay Bennett and Co. need to consider spending into the luxury tax. That's the only legit way this small market team will have a chance from this point forward.


Problem is this, they (owners) lost so much money in Seattle, they are just now recovering from those loses with profitable years here in OKC.


So, with Westbrook still out--we lose and look shabby.  This is the beginning of the sixth season here.  Count our blessings, the first two were years we struggled; the past three we were competitive.  Westbrook is a key element to this team.  He and Durant are our franchise players.  Now, we realize Harden and Martin's (once our sixth men) value.  

We remember how so many fans threw darts at Westbrook for taking too many shots.  Wouldn't you love to have Westbrook back as that ole bull-headed aggressive player?

----------


## bradh

Ibaka needs a summer with Hakeem

----------


## betts

> I don't think anyone is so down because we lost…
> 
> We're down because we were absolutely manhandled, slaughtered, dismantled…whatever really really horrible word you want to use. Luckily the game doesn't matter, but it's been so long since we have seen the team play so badly.


To give a little perspective, however, I remember absolutely giving Miami a beat down at the Peake during the regular season, the year they beat in the finals.  I can't remember if they were missing Wade for that game or not.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Problem is this, they (owners) lost so much money in Seattle, they are just now recovering from those loses with profitable years here in OKC.
> 
> 
> So, with Westbrook still out--we lose and look shabby.  This is the beginning of the sixth season here.  Count our blessings, the first two were years we struggled; the past three we were competitive.  Westbrook is a key element to this team.  He and Durant are our franchise players.  Now, we realize Harden and Martin's (once our sixth men) value.  
> 
> We remember how so many fans threw darts at Westbrook for taking too many shots.  Wouldn't you love to have Westbrook back as that ole bull-headed aggressive player?


...and I don't disagree with anything you're saying.  Realizing Harden's value and the team organization's value that is placed on Ibaka, even to keep those players, you'd have to cross the line and spend in the luxury tax.  Also, no one ever said that owning a sports franchise was profitable, lol.

----------


## dankrutka

Ibaka was statistically the 2nd best mid-range shooter in the NBA last season. His jumper will come. Don't overanalyze small sample sizes. Serge needs to improve in several areas, but he had improved every year and his shooting will improve (he shot 57% last season!) 

However, I've said it since way before the decision. I still can't believe we essentially signed Serge over Harden (not exactly, but pretty much). That's done though.

http://m.newsok.com/article/3900539

----------


## Just the facts

Holy Cow - some of you need to step back from the ledge.

----------


## betts

Sports fans are always teetering on the edge.  That game in Minnesota just very graphically brought back memories of 2008.  That's scary.  However, they're my team, good or bad.  I may worry, but I'll be in the arena no matter the record or the players.*

*Unless Ed Shadid becomes mayor and dismantles MAPS 3.  I have an apartment in Chicago and in that case, I'll see them when they play the Bulls :Wink: (that's only half a wink).

----------


## Laramie

> Sports fans are always teetering on the edge.  *That game in Minnesota just very graphically brought back memories of 2008.  That's scary.  However, they're my team, good or bad.  I may worry, but I'll be in the arena no matter the record or the players.**
> 
> *Unless Ed Shadid becomes mayor and dismantles MAPS 3.  I have an apartment in Chicago and in that case, I'll see them when they play the Bulls(that's only half a wink).


THANK YOU, YOU'RE A TRUE THUNDER FAN & SUPPORTER...

*Chicago?*  Shadid's chances of becoming Mayor of OKC are like that of a mosquito pushing a train.

----------


## jn1780

Westbrook is back tonight.

----------


## TaoMaas

> Westbrook is back tonight.



How many times are we allowed to push the "like" button?

----------


## Dustin

> westbrook is back tonight.


say whaaaaaaaa?

----------


## Pete

How does Russ look thus far??

----------


## Dustin

I believe the game is on NBATV along with Fox Oklahoma.  

He looks _alright_.  Definitely not 100% but that is expected.  He has 5 pts thus far.

----------


## Teo9969

He could be shooting 0/10 and have 10 Turnovers and I'd still say he looks wonderful  :Big Grin: 

Seriously though, he looks like he'll be fine. Just needs to get reoriented. I'd guess he'll be back to his pre-injury form in no more than 6 games.

----------


## Laramie

> How does Russ look thus far??


Timing and breaks to the basket are slightly off; he'll be alright--just needs to calibrate his rythum.   Russell is one of those players who plays to a tempo as the game progresses.

Derek Fisher's participation in training camp has really improved his game and timing with the team.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> Timing and breaks to the basket are slightly off; he'll be alright--just needs to calibrate his rythum.   Russell is one of those players who plays to a tempo as the game progresses.


His movement without the ball looked a bit awkward too. But being Westbrook it won't take long to get his rhythm back. Maybe it was wishful thinking but I think he already looked better by the end of the game.

----------


## Bellaboo

He had a better second half than first. He looked as explosive as ever, he got nothing but net on his 4 crunch time free throws.....He's Back !

----------


## warreng88

I always thought Gerald Green would be a good pick up for the Thunder as a bench player. He makes $3.5 million a year playing for the Suns and has this year and next year left on his contract. He is a bit of a defensive liability, but that can be taught and if he has any attitude issues, that can be taken care of with this team as well.

----------


## Teo9969

> His movement without the ball looked a bit awkward too. But being Westbrook it won't take long to get his rhythm back. Maybe it was wishful thinking but I think he already looked better by the end of the game.


He definitely looked better at the end of the game.

I really think he'll be back to form within 2 or 3 games. And that includes how he plays with everyone else.

----------


## Mel

Glad to see Russ back. Team has been running like a engine missing a spark plug. Plug is back in, a few games for a tune-up and the Thunder will be ready for another run for the title.

----------


## Stan Silliman

The Thunder does need another piece. The outside shooting needs mending. In other words, part of Martins value last year was making sure everyone had to cover all our three point shooters. This gave Durant, Sefalosha and Jackson more time to set. I don't think Lamb has the experience or the confidence to fill in with what an eight year veteran provided. There are a lot of good shooters in the $ 3-5 million dollar range.

----------


## Laramie

> The Thunder does need another piece. The outside shooting needs mending. In other words, part of Martins value last year was making sure everyone had to cover all our three point shooters. This gave Durant, Sefalosha and Jackson more time to set. I don't think Lamb has the experience or the confidence to fill in with what an eight year veteran provided. There are a lot of good shooters in the $ 3-5 million dollar range.


Totally agree Stan,

Based on the preseason exhibition games and the Orlando Summer League, we don't have any three-point marksmen identified.  This team will need time to develop; therefore I wouldn't hit the panic button.  There will be time for trades, based on the Thunder's previous seasons--don't get your hopes up.   

Here are some important NBA dates:

2014

Jan. 6 -- 10-day Contracts can now be signed
Jan. 10 -- All Contracts are guaranteed for remainder of the season 

Feb. 14-16 -- 2014 NBA All-Star (New Orleans, LA)
Feb. 20 -- 2014 NBA Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET) 

March 1 -- Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline

April 16 -- Last Day of 2013-14 Regular Season 

April 19 -- 2014 NBA Playoffs begin 

May 5 -- Conference Semifinals begin (possible move-up to May 3 or 4)
May 20 -- Conference Finals begin (possibly move-up to May 18 or 19)
May 20 -- 2014 NBA Draft Lottery 

June 5 -- The Finals begin 
June 16 -- NBA Draft Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline (5 p.m. ET) 
June 26 -- 2014 NBA Draft

----------


## dankrutka

I agree, but I don't think the Thunder do not want to go in the tax this year. So... they'd have to trade someone and throw in an asset (maybe a draft pick) to get anyone decent.

----------


## Teo9969

I would think they'll stay set this year, it's worth missing the tax-line this year.

What I would rather see than getting a guy whose presence requires more attention than your average shooter, is do at least some of what San Antonio does getting people great shots by efficient movement. It drove me insane against Minnesota how someone would pass the ball to another guy on the arc, and then everyone sat there, and no dribbling occurred. Watch sometime the 2nd unit is in, Sefolosha will get the ball at the top of the key from say Reggie or Lamb…he won't dribble and no one will move. So literally nothing is happening for 2 to 4 seconds while the defense figuring out exactly what spacing is present. 

The only people who consistently move or dribble when they get the ball are Durant, Westbrook, Reggie and Fisher. Nobody on this team moves particularly well off-the-ball except for Perkins, Collison, Fisher, and Westbrook. The offense only ever initiates at one point. That is not efficient for getting less skilled player better opportunities for easy baskets.

----------


## Sonny_Crockett

Drew Gooden is still available on the market. It wouldn't hurt the Thunder to a look at him.

----------


## Mel

Welcome back Russ!

----------


## Laramie

> Drew Gooden is still available on the market. It wouldn't hurt the Thunder to a look at him.


In addition to Gooden, Daequan Cook is now available.




Shooting improved in our 107-93 win over Dallas.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I had a bad feeling going into tonight's game but the team played very well, minus the monstrosity of turnovers and bad free throw shooting.  Seemed like Dallas was playing very well and for the fourth time without JR Smith.  Regardless, everyone played their roles very well.  I don't think Adams is going to spend any time in Tulsa this year.  Ibaka needs to play like that every night to be worth his contract.  Lamb looked comfortable even though he still looks nervous.  That Westbrook dunk?  Dayyyyyummmm!

----------


## BoulderSooner

Jr smith plays for the Knicks.  Not Dallas

----------


## Laramie

Those feelings were on display for a different veteran point guard less than a year later when the recently-released Derek Fisher returned to Dallas wearing an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey. Cuban told Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas that he would “just boo (Fisher) like hopefully everybody else (will do).” Cuban, who went on to say he “was just being nice” by granting Fisher’s earlier release, said that he “shouldn’t have been surprised” that Fisher signed with the Thunder given his history, a dig at Fisher’s integrity and loyalty.--_Two Man Game, March 20,02013_

Cuban better off silent - ESPN, Dallas Mavericks NBA | The Two Man Game

Now with the departure of Chandler, Kidd and Fisher from the Dallas--you can't help but think that Mark Cuban should come to grips with that fact that sports teams in the Metroplex which are micromanaged by their owners (Jones, Cuban) is not a good thing.  

When will these owners learn to trust the people they hire.  *Has their arrogance  reached and all time high?*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Jr smith plays for the Knicks.  Not Dallas


Ok well someone on the Mavericks roster was suspended for the first 5 games... A difference maker.

----------


## Laramie

Detroit tonight?

Our quiet and powerful Maurice Cheeks will host the Thunder as the Detroit Pistons (2-2) with wins over Washington & Boston, a heart-breaking OT loss to Memphis 111-108 and undefeated Indiana 99-91.

This game willl be tough; the Palace @ Auburn Hills will have an enthusiastic crowd as the Pistons have stepped up their game.

Brandon Jennings and Chauncey Billups are new additions to their roster.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Everytime I see a game here, I can't help but think of Ron Artest...excuse me, bad fans, lol...

----------


## PWitty

The Thunder may not have a guy as talented as Harden to bring off of their bench this year, but I think with the guys they have playing in their second unit they could end up being very productive. If Lamb continues to improve and Reggie gets back to playing how he was in the Playoffs last year the two of them could be very potent off of the bench at the guard position. Adams has also been very impressive in the post so far when I have been able to watch them play. With Russ back I like what I see, I think they were missing his energy on and off the court.

----------


## adaniel

Speaking of Harden, here is a little reminder of his defensive performance as of late:

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Detroit tonight?
> 
> Our quiet and powerful Maurice Cheeks will host the Thunder as the Detroit Pistons (2-2) with wins over Washington & Boston, a heart-breaking OT loss to Memphis 111-108 and undefeated Indiana 99-91.
> 
> This game willl be tough; the Palace @ Auburn Hills will have an enthusiastic crowd as the Pistons have stepped up their game.
> 
> *Brandon Jennings and Chauncey Billups are new additions to their roster.*


Don't forget Josh Smith.

----------


## Dustin

So how about Steven Adams!  This kid has a big future and I hope he sticks around with the Thunder for awhile!

----------


## soonerguru

> So how about Steven Adams!  This kid has a big future and I hope he sticks around with the Thunder for awhile!


He is GREAT!

----------


## Pete

Adams is a great compliment to Perkins and it looks like he is going to help this team a lot.

----------


## Laramie

> So how about Steven Adams!  This kid has a big future and I hope he sticks around with the Thunder for awhile!


Steven Adams is one draft pick that we can't lose;  uncork the salary CAP when this guy's contract comes up for signature.

----------


## soonerguru

> Adams is a great *STARTER IN LIEU OF* Perkins and it looks like he is going to help this team a lot.


Fixed it for you.

----------


## PWitty

I have to admit, I am VERY pleasantly surprised by Adams' production up to this point. He always seemed to have decent body control he just always looked like he was a little slow or out of position (in college), but that has not been the case up to now.

As for Harden's defense, it was never any secret that D wasn't his strongest attribute on the court.

----------


## bradh

Adams shouldn't start, but he should get starters minutes

----------


## Bellaboo

> Adams is a great compliment to Perkins and it looks like he is going to help this team a lot.


Who's Perkins ???

----------


## Bellaboo

> Adams shouldn't start, but he should get starters minutes


Adams got 30 minutes last night, Perk got 16....Perk didn't score either.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Adams got 30 minutes last night, Perk got 16....Perk didn't score either.


If Adams sets picks like Perk is infamous for then the controversy will grow even larger...

----------


## Laramie

> If Adams sets picks like Perk is infamous for then the controversy will grow even larger...


Keep hearing about Perkins setting a good pick.  What does it take to set a pick?  

My support for Perkins has been fading as his production on offense has been stagnant.  He does yeoman work on defense.  Adams is quickly learning how to challenge the opponent's offensive sets and picks.  *Steven knows how to catch and finish...*

Steven Adams' development is ahead of Kendrick Perkins who has been with the Thunder since 2011.  

Adams is tough; did you notice how that elbow he took from Vince Carter in the Mavericks' loss to the Thunder didn't appear to phase him(?):




Vince Carter has been suspended one game without pay for throwing an elbow to the head of Thunder center, Steven Adams.

----------


## ThomPaine

> I have to admit, I am VERY pleasantly surprised by Adams' production up to this point. He always seemed to have decent body control he just always looked like he was a little slow or out of position (in college), but that has not been the case up to now.
> 
> As for Harden's defense, it was never any secret that D wasn't his strongest attribute on the court.


So far, in five games in the NBA, he's topped his career college highs:




> Scored a career-high 16 points along with 10 rebounds against Bethune Cookman


From his NBA bio.

----------


## Mel

Our bench is starting to look pretty good. After the All Star Games we are going to have a serious run at the Championship.

----------


## Teo9969

If Lamb and Adams continue to make steady improvement in their own games throughout this season, coupled with a squad that is only going to gel more as the season goes on, then this team could be scary good. It looks as though Lamb, Reggie, and Adams all have the talent to start for a lot of teams in the NBA (to be sure, they all need some polishing).

I have a sort of nervous anticipation about this team. If they can really be as good as I think they can, then this is potentially a squad that could be as good as anything we ever envisioned with Harden, and a squad that is far more sustainable with a lot less drama than this team would have been with Harden.

Something to keep in mind, Serge and Sefolosha have both struggled early in this season and they will get locked in at some pointso we still haven't seen anything close to the best OKC has to offer.

All that being saidit's easy to be excited about the potential with new offensive pieces in the mix, but it really won't matter if these guys don't commit to the defensive side of the ball. Adams, Lamb, and Reggie all need to focus heavily on their defensebecause if that doesn't develop then their offensive contributions aren't going to matter in May and hopefully June.

----------


## ljbab728

I agree.  I not giddy with excitement but I see reasons to be very optimistic.

----------


## Praedura

Wizards later tonight.

I would say easy win, except.... the Wizards are a little bit better this year, and we have a habit the last couple of seasons of not playing well against them.

Anyway, I'm still looking to improve to 5-1 after this game.  :Smile:

----------


## Praedura

Oh, and the OKC ballet is totally pumped as well:

----------


## Laramie

Some highlights of Steven Adams development in such a short time:




Forgive me, for saying this:   "Perkins' development remains the same; it's like a mosquito pushing a train."

Adams has progressed toward a stature of a herculean profile rookie center who has barely tapped his potential.  Let's hope he continues to develop and improve surrounded by the Thunder's seasoned gym rats like Collison, Durant, Jacksoon, Sefolosha & Westbrook.

Really don't want to get too excited because the season is still young.  Presti appears to be a real genius with his draft picks.  The 12th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft (Steven Adams) could become a real gem.  Many of us posters were skeptical of this Pitt freshman who could have followed the channel of Byron Mullens and Cole Aldrich.

----------


## Laramie

The greatest challenge for successful small market franchises in NBA is to look at the Utah Jazz:

They were not able to hold on to some impact players:

Deron Williams
Andrei Kirilenke
Kyle Korver
C. J. Miles
Devin Harris
Paul Millsap

The Utah Jazz have lost their first seven games including a home opener to the Thunder.  Presti will continue to build this team through the draft with an ever recurring eye on some potential trades.

The big markets like New York,Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Boston & Philadelphia will be coming after this young man (Adams).

Now is the time to win some NBA championship and mirror the small market San Antonio Spurs as this young Thunder team does get back into the conversation among NBA championship caliber teams.  



*Let's Go Thunder!   O-K-C, O-K-C...*

----------


## Mel

Referee explains new delay of game rule enforcement | ProBasketballTalk I still do not like this new rule.

----------


## adaniel

> Steven Adams' development is ahead of Kendrick Perkins who has been with the Thunder since 2011.  
> 
> Adams is tough; did you notice how that elbow he took from Vince Carter in the Mavericks' loss to the Thunder didn't appear to phase him(?):


Doesn't surprise me. Kid is half Maori (Pacific Islander) and played rugby through his youth. He's one tough SOB.

----------


## Mel

Wowza! What a squeaker.

----------


## Pete

Yep, we were way behind late in that game and managed to pull it out in OT.

Great win!!

----------


## Laramie

Presto!

Thunder pulls a rabbit from the hat.  Outstanding determination by our

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Referee explains new delay of game rule enforcement | ProBasketballTalk I still do not like this new rule.


Agreed.  Let's blow the whistle to give a "warning" to the players that if they do it again that there will be a technical and free throw...which delays the game even longer.  Stupid!

----------


## Teo9969

I think it's less meant to be about Delay of Game and more like impeding the progress of the game. If you touch it as a team who just made a basket and the touching in anyway makes it such that your team can get back more easily than they otherwise would, then that's when I see the call being made.

It will lessen as the season goes on, so it's really not worth worrying about. But when things like the Westbrook one happen, they really ought to let it slide. If the ball finds them, you can't really do much about that.

----------


## OSUMom

> I think it's less meant to be about Delay of Game and more like impeding the progress of the game. If you touch it as a team who just made a basket and the touching in anyway makes it such that your team can get back more easily than they otherwise would, then that's when I see the call being made.
> 
> It will lessen as the season goes on, so it's really not worth worrying about. But when things like the Westbrook one happen, they really ought to let it slide. If the ball finds them, you can't really do much about that.



The funny thing is, if the ball hits you, your only recourse is to lift your hands and show you aren't intentionally touching the ball.  But what happens is you still hit the ball, but you do nothing to get it back to the ref or the other team faster.  Therefore doing the very delay the rule is against.

----------


## Laramie

*Westbrook incident with Nene:*

Nene has taken his game to a new level; one of intimidation and bullying.  Westbrook apparently had enougn of Nene's nonsense.




This backfired on the Washington Wizards.  It was after this incident in which the Thunder clawed its way back into the game with an eventual win in overtime.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Yeah it definitely worked in favor of OKC. I thought it was the catalyst of our come back.  That and the seconds ticking off the game clock!

----------


## Praedura

Notice how Harrington basically grabs Westbrook's leg, causing him to lose his balance. Nene then seals the deal by coming over and pushing him down. It's like a damn tag team.

Then afterward, Nene and Harrington are smiling/laughing and head slapping each other. "Good job, bro... we took him down!"

And if that wasn't enough, Ariza then has to walk over and talk some trash to Russell.

PUNKS

Here's to hoping that the Wizards remain the cellar dwellers this season that they so richly deserve to be.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Notice how Harrington basically grabs Westbrook's leg, causing him to lose his balance. Nene then seals the deal by coming over and pushing him down. It's like a damn tag team.
> 
> Then afterward, Nene and Harrington are smiling/laughing and head slapping each other. "Good job, bro... we took him down!"
> 
> And if that wasn't enough, Ariza then has to walk over and talk some trash to Russell.
> 
> PUNKS
> 
> Here's to hoping that the Wizards remain the cellar dwellers this season that they so richly deserve to be.


This post is going to prove I'm not a homer.  If you saw the replay, Harrington is down on the ground with Westbrook standing over him.  An opposing team member is not suppose to stand over a player when that player is down.  Had the situation been reversed, we'd all be pissed if it were KD on the ground and, say, Artest, was violating his personal space.  I saw Harrington raise his arm up trying to assess what the ref was going to call.  Initially, I thought he was giving Westbrook a love tap to the crotch, but alas, I think he was just wondering why they weren't calling Westbrook for standing over him.  That's when Nene came in--who virtually bugs the crap out of everyone (even when he was with the Nuggets)--and got involved.  Westbrook snapped (like he did that one time on the bench with his baby fit all hitting the bench chairs and whining about who knows what) and shoved Nene, which thankfully, Ibaka stepped in and backed him up (to halfcourt) away from the situation.  Nene scoffed at the double ejection because, yes, as a PUNK, he was happy that he got Westbrook out of the game.  Thankfully, our team stepped up and I found it more of a catalyst to our victory than a speed bump.

Unfortunately, this was the Wizards and there are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better teams that we need to be focused on which means that Westbrook, AS A LEADER, needs to carry himself with more composure and class on the court.  His emotion gets in the way sometimes and it will lose a game for us one of these days.  That game could also be one that we can't ill afford to lose.

----------


## Praedura

> This post is going to prove I'm not a homer.  If you saw the replay, Harrington is down on the ground with Westbrook standing over him.  An opposing team member is not suppose to stand over a player when that player is down.  Had the situation been reversed, we'd all be pissed if it were KD on the ground and, say, Artest, was violating his personal space.  I saw Harrington raise his arm up trying to assess what the ref was going to call.  Initially, I thought he was giving Westbrook a love tap to the crotch, but alas, I think he was just wondering why they weren't calling Westbrook for standing over him.  That's when Nene came in--who virtually bugs the crap out of everyone (even when he was with the Nuggets)--and got involved.  Westbrook snapped (like he did that one time on the bench with his baby fit all hitting the bench chairs and whining about who knows what) and shoved Nene, which thankfully, Ibaka stepped in and backed him up (to halfcourt) away from the situation.  Nene scoffed at the double ejection because, yes, as a PUNK, he was happy that he got Westbrook out of the game.  Thankfully, our team stepped up and I found it more of a catalyst to our victory than a speed bump.
> 
> Unfortunately, this was the Wizards and there are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better teams that we need to be focused on which means that Westbrook, AS A LEADER, needs to carry himself with more composure and class on the court.  His emotion gets in the way sometimes and it will lose a game for us one of these days.  That game could also be one that we can't ill afford to lose.


"Harrington is down on the ground with Westbrook standing over him.  An opposing team member is not suppose to stand over a player when that player is down."

Absolutely nothing Westbrook could do about the initial positioning. That's just where they both landed when the play ended. Russell IMMEDIATELY tried to step over and away from Harrington but couldn't because HARRINGTON GRABBED WESTBROOK'S LEG AND HELD ON. Had he not done that, Russell would have been away from him in one second. But he couldn't because he was being held. Which also caused him to lose balance and allowed Nene to come over and push him down.

That could have been an injury right there. Russell could have twisted an ankle or even landed wrong and injured a knee. Not cool.

You're glad that the team used this to fire themselves up and win the game? So am I. But it might not have happened that way. Russell might have been injured, been out again for weeks or even months, and the game lost anyway. How does that scenario grab you?

----------


## Just the facts

You can't blame Westbrook for not falling down.  If he had been Harden he could have flopped into the second row.

----------


## Bellaboo

> This post is going to prove I'm not a homer.  If you saw the replay, Harrington is down on the ground with Westbrook standing over him.  An opposing team member is not suppose to stand over a player when that player is down.  Had the situation been reversed, we'd all be pissed if it were KD on the ground and, say, Artest, was violating his personal space.  I saw Harrington raise his arm up trying to assess what the ref was going to call.  Initially, I thought he was giving Westbrook a love tap to the crotch, but alas, I think he was just wondering why they weren't calling Westbrook for standing over him.  *That's when Nene came in*--who virtually bugs the crap out of everyone (even when he was with the Nuggets)--*and got involved.*  Westbrook snapped (like he did that one time on the bench with his baby fit all hitting the bench chairs and whining about who knows what) and shoved Nene, which thankfully, Ibaka stepped in and backed him up (to halfcourt) away from the situation.  Nene scoffed at the double ejection because, yes, as a PUNK, he was happy that he got Westbrook out of the game.  Thankfully, our team stepped up and I found it more of a catalyst to our victory than a speed bump.
> 
> Unfortunately, this was the Wizards and there are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better teams that we need to be focused on which means that Westbrook, AS A LEADER, needs to carry himself with more composure and class on the court.  His emotion gets in the way sometimes and it will lose a game for us one of these days.  That game could also be one that we can't ill afford to lose.


Nene got involved by pushing Westbrook first. It's very common for players who get tangled up to stop and separate. In my eyes, after seeing Nene laugh about it, I think he should get a fine for player endangerment. That's how my homer eye saw it.....

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> "Harrington is down on the ground with Westbrook standing over him.  An opposing team member is not suppose to stand over a player when that player is down."
> 
> Absolutely nothing Westbrook could do about the initial positioning. That's just where they both landed when the play ended. Russell IMMEDIATELY tried to step over and away from Harrington but couldn't because HARRINGTON GRABBED WESTBROOK'S LEG AND HELD ON. Had he not done that, Russell would have been away from him in one second. But he couldn't because he was being held. Which also caused him to lose balance and allowed Nene to come over and push him down.
> 
> That could have been an injury right there. Russell could have twisted an ankle or even landed wrong and injured a knee. Not cool.
> 
> You're glad that the team used this to fire themselves up and win the game? So am I. But it might not have happened that way. Russell might have been injured, been out again for weeks or even months, and the game lost anyway. How does that scenario grab you?


Regardless of Harrington "helping Westbrook fall down" as stated by Grant Long in the replay that I just watched, I do also agree with Grant that it looked like Harrington was "motioning to someone on the bench".  Your scenario doesn't grab me because in reality IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.  I'm not playing a game of 'what ifs'.  I'm playing a game of 'what do I see with my own eyes based on the replay on YouTube'.  How do you like that?  

Pointless to argue it.  Westbrook still has an attitude that could very well cost us games AND I'm certain Scotty Brooks already had a "come to my office and lets talk about your snafu" talk with him.

----------


## Laramie

> Regardless of Harrington "helping Westbrook fall down" as stated by Grant Long in the replay that I just watched, I do also agree with Grant that it looked like Harrington was "motioning to someone on the bench".  Your scenario doesn't grab me because in reality IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.  I'm not playing a game of 'what ifs'.  I'm playing a game of 'what do I see with my own eyes based on the replay on YouTube'.  How do you like that?  
> 
> Pointless to argue it.  Westbrook still has an attitude that could very well cost us games AND I'm certain Scotty Brooks already had a "come to my office and lets talk about your snafu" talk with him.


Putting Westbrook attitude aside, tell me again what you see in that Video(?):




I agree with Grant Long.  Westbrook is trying to step over/away when Harrington grabs his leg and he was pushed by Nene.  What does that have to do with attitude?

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Westbrook has attitude.  We obviously know that.  It's good for the team.  It gets the team fired up.  Mucho positive.  I  d-o   n-o-t d-i-s-a-g-r-e-e o-n h-i-s a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e w-i-t-h r-e-g-a-r-d t-o i-t b-e-i-n-g a g-o-o-d t-h-i-n-g f-o-r o-u-r t-e-a-m.  My point is he's a lil feisty and has issues controlling his temper.  Every personality is different.....I get that, lol.

So let's move on, I shouldn't have even brought up considering this was on....

What day?  

Oh yeah, Sunday.

This game was otherwise a snooze fest before this happened and I'm still talking about it....we're still hashing it.....moving on.

----------


## Praedura

Looks like Steven Adams is getting his first start in a regular season NBA game tonight.

That didn't take long!

Perkins will miss the next two games due to the death of his grandfather.

Report: Thunder's Perkins To Miss Games Due To Death In Family - News9.com

----------


## Praedura

Btw, if you're French and a Thunder fan, I guess this is the page to go to:

http://www.facebook.com/SupportersFr...omaCityThunder

----------


## Praedura

Clippers tonight. Gonna be a tough one.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Clippers tonight. Gonna be a tough one.


Last year, we matched up really well with them, took all 4 games.....Hopefully it'll continue.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Clippers tonight. Gonna be a tough one.


Steven Adams is getting his first start of the season.

----------


## Anonymous.

Back to back 9:30 central time games... Brutal

----------


## HangryHippo

> Steven Adams is getting his first start of the season.


Only because Kendrick Perkins is missing the next two games due to the death of his grandfather.  I felt your post was a little disingenuous in not sharing why Adams was getting the start.

----------


## Teo9969

> Only because Kendrick Perkins is missing the next two games due to the death of his grandfather.  I felt your post was a little disingenuous in not sharing why Adams was getting the start.


It was already posted earlier in the thread...

----------


## adaniel

Disappointing loss tonight, especially considering we were firmly in control in the 1st half. Complete BS call on Ibaka. He was having a pretty good night and his ejection was nothing short of fatal for us tonight. Oh well, I said 2 for 3 on this trip and I'll stick by that. 

Barnes and Griffin are fake tough guys. I am so over Blake Griffin, and I hope he gets booed when the Clips come to OKC. I really do not care that he's from here. He is gaining a reputation as a cry baby anyway.

----------


## Teo9969

Such an aggravating game.

The only good thing I can take away from it is that we saw that the Clippers really are not a threat to OKC. With as poorly as OKC played for the first 18 minutes of the 2nd half, for OKC to even be in the game late was pretty amazing.

With Ibaka and Perkins, OKC runs LA out of their own building.

----------


## Jake

Ibaka was 6-6 from the field before the ejection. If OKC was at full strength, this would have been a W.

----------


## Laramie

> Disappointing loss tonight, especially considering we were firmly in control in the 1st half. Complete BS call on Ibaka. He was having a pretty good night and his ejection was nothing short of fatal for us tonight. Oh well, I said 2 for 3 on this trip and I'll stick by that. 
> 
> Barnes and Griffin are fake tough guys. I am so over Blake Griffin, and I hope he gets booed when the Clips come to OKC. I really do not care that he's from here. He is gaining a reputation as a cry baby anyway.


Very disappointing loss and even more disappointed that the officials didn't even take the time to review this high profile call incident on the monitor; especially in light that they made some ejections.  Jeff Van Gunder got it correct; what was Serge Ibaka to do?

Didn't think I'd say this; so far the refs have been HORRIBLE the whole season. They definitely need to tweak the NBA's rule on the ball inadvertently touching the player after scoring.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:9974320


Glad Durant & Scott Brooks exhibited exempliary leadership because it shows character in that they focused on what they can control and didn't belly-ache about the officials. Making remarks about the officials would only resulted in fines and that money could be better spent at home. 

Why are there always issues when the Thunder play a team from Los Angeles? How well I remember the incident with Ron Artest or 'World Peace' or somebody's piece?

The Clippers will get a taste of good old fashion 'Oklahoma City hospitality' when they come to the Peake on November 21. "Ooo wah, ooo wah, ooo wah did-he boy from Oklahoma City (Griffin)" will get a grand welcoming as well...

Serge Ibaka will be fine; Durant and the boys will continue to work on timing and finesse with their game.

Chalk this up as a good learning experience.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Disappointing loss tonight, especially considering we were firmly in control in the 1st half. Complete BS call on Ibaka. He was having a pretty good night and his ejection was nothing short of fatal for us tonight. Oh well, I said 2 for 3 on this trip and I'll stick by that. 
> 
> *Barnes and Griffin are fake tough guys.[B] I am so over Blake Griffin, and I hope he gets booed when the Clips come to OKC. I really do not care that he's from here. He is gaining a reputation as a cry baby anyway*.


Griffin sucks, all he can do is dunk. Barnes would get his skinny a$$ ripped by Ibaka if it came down to it, it was a case of the officials taking the easy way out. Griffin 'chicken winged' Serge, then Barnes came from nowhere and got involved. In the worst case scenario, Serge should of had a technical and Griffin should have had a tech....Barnes should have been ejected with a flagrant II, and missed the next game.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Only because Kendrick Perkins is missing the next two games due to the death of his grandfather.  I felt your post was a little disingenuous in not sharing why Adams was getting the start.


I only posted because that's all the update told me on my theScore app at the time but thanks big guy!

----------


## Teo9969

> Griffin sucks, all he can do is dunk. Barnes would get his skinny a$$ ripped by Ibaka if it came down to it, it was a case of the officials taking the easy way out. Griffin 'chicken winged' Serge, then Barnes came from nowhere and got involved. In the worst case scenario, Serge should of had a technical and Griffin should have had a tech....Barnes should have been ejected with a flagrant II, and missed the next game.


1. Griffin does not suck…he can do a lot more than dunk. Dude had like 8 assists last night a good amount of rebounds and managed to bait our 3rd best player into an ejection.

2. Barnes should not have been ejected, nor should serge have. Nothing really happened.

3. Really and truly, only Blake and Barnes should have gotten techs.

----------


## Laramie

NBA needs more consistency with its officials.  Russell Westbrook & Nene Hilario were both ejected for a push Westbrook received and for his push back (retailation) directed at Nene.  

Now Ibaka is pushed and he get ejected in a game in which a third party (Matt Barnes) got involved when Ibaka was trying to get his hand from underneath the intentional clamped arm of Blake Griffin.

What next?  Hope we get a better group of officials in Oakland tonight when we play the Warriors.

----------


## BoulderSooner

Westbrook and nene were ejected for getting there second tech.  They both were t'ed up earlier in the game

----------


## PWitty

Man, another tough loss. The comebacks are great, but OKC's defense is going to have to pick up as the season progresses if they want to start beating some of these top teams on the road. Ranked 24th in the league through the first 8 games, giving up points at a clip of 104/game ain't gonna cut it. Gave up 110+ in back-to-back nights.

----------


## Laramie

> Man, another tough loss. The comebacks are great, but OKC's defense is going to have to pick up as the season progresses if they want to start beating some of these top teams on the road. Ranked 24th in the league through the first 8 games, giving up points at a clip of 104/game ain't gonna cut it. Gave up 110+ in back-to-back nights.


A *dagger exchange* and a real heart-breaker when *Russell Westbrook put us ahead 115-114 leaving 2.3 seconds to go in the game only to lose 116-115 with  Andre Iguodala's response.*  Our back to back games in Los Angeles and Oakland-San Francisco was a real experience.  Le'st view the videos and put these two losses behind us.

Andre Iquodala's dagger exchange with Westbrook.  "Warriors Win Thriller Over Thunder At Buzzer.":

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:9979303

"Matt Barnes Uses Racial Slur In Tweet." (after game with incident involving Clippers-Thunder)

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:9975360

We have got to make so much noise at the Peake when the three West Coast plumbs come into Oklahoma City that they'll hear us in Los Angeles and Oakland-San Francisco.

----------


## Anonymous.

Emotional roller coaster last night.

Westbrook was on fire last night. Durant cannot get into foul trouble like that against good teams. Some of them were BS calls, but Durant gets a lot of BS calls on the other end, so no complaining. Just have to play the refs and how they're calling each night differently.

----------


## Bellaboo

> 1. Griffin does not suck…he can do a lot more than dunk. Dude had like 8 assists last night a good amount of rebounds and managed to bait our 3rd best player into an ejection.
> 
> 2. Barnes should not have been ejected, nor should serge have. Nothing really happened.
> 
> 3. Really and truly, only Blake and Barnes should have gotten techs.


Sorry Teo, But it was Barnes who baited Serge..Go re-watch and unprovoked he came in and pushed Serge..... I guess Griffin does makes good commercials....lol

----------


## Laramie

> Emotional roller coaster last night.
> 
> Westbrook was on fire last night. Durant cannot get into foul trouble like that against good teams. Some of them were BS calls, but Durant gets a lot of BS calls on the other end, so no complaining. Just have to play the refs and how they're calling each night differently.


Yes, I thought that a few of the fouls called on Durant were ticky-tack fouls.  

*If you complain to the officials; that's how they reward you.  They will show you who's in control of the game. That's why Perkins receives no mercy...* 

Durant needs to show his displeasure with some of those calls and move on instead of trying to make a satement by questioning the individual referee about his call.  Most officials will give you that next 'toss up' call as a make-up if you will move on.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Due to catching up on sleep last night, I didn't watch the game or find out the score until earlier today.  My guess was that Curry probably went off for 46.  I was only off by 3.  Friend of mine said we need to improve our defense.  My thought is, you just can't defend GS, especially on the perimeter.  Judging from the stats line, you really see how much of an improvement Ibaka has made...27 and 13 last night.  He's going off early this season.  I hope that's not due to inferior competition in the paint!

Tomorrow night, I hope we can come out with a victory at the Bucks.  We're currently favored by 10.5.

----------


## BoulderSooner

Curry had 22

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Curry had 22


Silly me, I was looking at minutes, lol.  I'm not a Sherlock Holmes in the AM.

----------


## Laramie

We have to remember that OKC had a tough lost against the Clippers and then had  to play the Warriors in Oakland.  Golden State had a day off prior to meeting the Thunder.

Their exhaustive efforts against the Clippers the day before wore down on the team as they entered the contest against the Warriors.

There will be lessons learned and brighter days ahead for the Thunder.   You're seeing the development of some key pieces in Steven Adams, Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones as well as continued maturing of Durant, Ibaka & Westbrook.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I agree about the bench guys.  I'm happy to see them get the minutes this year that they didn't get last year.  The departure of Martin helps...

----------


## Praedura

Nobody has mentioned last night's game against the Nuggets, so I'll take the honors.

Great win last night!  :Smiley173: 

(notice how I didn't say "Great game"...)

You know, taking 7 out of the first 10 games is a darn good start, and I'm happy about that. But goodness gracious, this team needs to get itself organized. Definitely issues to be worked on.

For example, not turning over the ball 10 zillion times per game. And how about playing more than one quarter of defense?

Anyway, Go Thunder!

----------


## Bill Robertson

True there are issues but November and December are about putting marks in the W column and working on those issues. As long as they have it together by February/March all will be OK.

----------


## Anonymous.

Revenge night. 7pm on ESPN. Thunder and Clips.

Would be awesome to see Ibaka go off and have a full-length great game against them.

----------


## Praedura

Tonight we face..........the clippers



Time to avenge past wrongs and slap on some basketball karma.

Go Thunder!

 :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

No, no, not a nail clipper.  That's for the nails (manicure and pedicure).  Let's do this the right way and get below the belt to backup our payback.

Seriously:  *Should be a great game tonight with the Thunder winning at home by three...*

----------


## Mel

Our bench strength has really shined this game. Charles Barkley is a weiner.

----------


## Pete

Funny his comments about the Skirvin being haunted -- without mentioning it by name.

----------


## Praedura

Now that is MORE FREAKING LIKE IT!!!

105-91 beatdown at the 'Peake!

 :Biggrin:   :Smiley199:   :Smiley173:   :Smiley051:   :Dance:   :Cool:

----------


## ljbab728

> Now that is MORE FREAKING LIKE IT!!!
> 
> 105-91 beatdown at the 'Peake!


And with Beyonce watching courtside.   :Big Grin:

----------


## Praedura

Real defense played for 4 quarters... I love it!

This was a good team win too, as Russell never really got going. KD and Serge were great, though. Nice contribs from Jackson, Lamb, and Adams from the bench.

----------


## Praedura

This is fun:

Best Tweets from Oklahoma City Thunder Showdown with Los Angeles Clippers | Bleacher Report

Barkley's ongoing clown game with Oklahoma is beyond stupid, but I guess it's some kind of schtick that he thinks is working for him and he doesn't want to let it go.

Oh, and to the fan that thinks KD is heading to the Nets... umm, no.

----------


## HOT ROD

yes, very nice to see star power at the game. Beyonc and Jayzee courtside, Charles Barkley, Marv Albert, and Steve Kerr calling the game. Thursday night was shining brightly in downtown Oklahoma City - looked so great on TV.

OKC is really becoming a staple NBA city and the future looks even brighter as the city continues to develop and grow!

Makes me proud up here in Seattle.  :Wink:

----------


## catcherinthewry

> yes, very nice to see star power at the game. Beyonc and Jayzee courtside, Charles Barkley, Marv Albert, and Steve Kerr calling the game. Thursday night was shining brightly in downtown Oklahoma City - looked so great on TV.
> 
> OKC is really becoming a staple NBA city and the future looks even brighter as the city continues to develop and grow!
> 
> Makes me proud up here in Seattle.


Next step, All Star game in OKC.  I hope we get one soon. Come on Nate Silver, make this happen.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Next step, All Star game in OKC.  I hope we get one soon. Come on Nate Silver, make this happen.


There would still need to be a ton of hotel rooms added to what the OKC metro already has available.  This probably won't happen for at least 10 years.  My guess is that the NBA commissioner is going to want to see that the Thunder are here for the long haul, in good times and in bad times.

I did some research.  My research consists of all the NBA cities and their metro populations, followed by every location an All-Star game has ever been held (dating back to 1951), and with the league's 8 smallest small market cities (those of which have no other pro franchises ala MLB, NFL, NHL, etc.).

OKC 1.3 mil - never (Seattle hosted once)
Memphis 1.3 mil - never
San Antonio 2.2 mil - twice
Orlando 2.2 mil - twice
Charlotte 2.3 mil - once
Portland 2.3 mil - never
Salt Lake City 2.3 mil - once
Sacramento 2.6 mil - never

I included in my search what I would refer to as small market (metro populations of less than 3 million which is very subjective considering that bleacherreport.com included Miami as one of their small market teams for 2013, going solely off of actual city proper populations) cities.

The other metros with less than 3 million metro but have other pro sports are:

New Orleans 1.2 mil - once
Milwaukee 1.6 mil - once
Indianapolis 1.8 mil - once
Cleveland 2 mil - once
Denver 2.6 mil - twice

The most populous large market cities that have hosted numerous times are Boston (4), NYC (4), Philly (4), Houston (3), Los Angeles (3) and Phoenix (3).

----------


## Easy180

I was going to say our lovely Feb weather hurts but maybe not since I see a few cold weather cities above...Let me go with cold weather and small market hurts our chances

----------


## Laramie

What hurts our chances for hosting an NBA All Star event?  As OKCisOK4me stated: "There would still need to be a ton of hotel rooms added to what the OKC metro already has available."  The last number I heard was when the event was held in Houston--you need 6,000 hotels room within a mile radius of the downtown area.

Last I heard, we are somewhere between 1,250 to 1,500 downtown quality hotel rooms with 12,000-13,000 throughout the metro area. * If someone has an update, please don't hesitate to chime in.*  At the rate we are growing, we will probably exceed 2,500-3,500 hotel rooms downtown come 2020-25.  An NBA All Star Game could be a possibility after 2030. Please don't hold your breath. 

Many of us will never see an NBA All Star Game hosted here in our lifetime. Hey it's not the end of the world if we never host one.  *My goal is to see us host another NBA best-of-seven championship series again--followed by a downtown victory championship parade.*

----------


## catcherinthewry

I'm not giving up on the All Star game coming here.  In Pete's Downtown Hotel Summary, OKC has 3,673 rooms either built, under construction or proposed within a mile of the Peake.  We are getting there!

----------


## Teo9969

I think we should start making a push for the All-Star game when MAPS 3 projects are finished.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> I'm not giving up on the All Star game coming here.  In Pete's Downtown Hotel Summary, OKC has 3,673 rooms either built, under construction or proposed within a mile of the Peake.  We are getting there!


Well, that's only 2,327 rooms away from that minimum room count goal.  With the biggest proposed project being 150 rooms and the biggest under construction project being 255 rooms, even if every project from here on out is an average of those two, we're looking at another 11-12 hotels that would need to be built within a one mile radius of downtown.

----------


## Easy180

Somebody needs Malone and Stockton back....Turrible

----------


## Mel

Not a bad game for Russ to miss.

----------


## Stan Silliman

!2,000 rooms in the city, 3000 near downtown, that's an easy sell. 
OKC has hosted dual Big 12 tournaments with few snags. 

OKC is an easy town to get around in, without nearly the traffic complications
found in larger towns. That's why the density of downtown hotels is not such
a stumbling block as it is with other cities.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> !2,000 rooms in the city, 3000 near downtown, that's an easy sell. 
> OKC has hosted dual Big 12 tournaments with few snags. 
> 
> OKC is an easy town to get around in, without nearly the traffic complications
> found in larger towns. That's why the density of downtown hotels is not such
> a stumbling block as it is with other cities.


That's my thinking too. We have rooms in downtown. The South Meridian area has a number of rooms with more under construction. South Meridian is easy to get to and from downtown.

----------


## Anonymous.

Russ will be well rested for the Spurs tomorrow. 

Spurs have only lost 1 game this season, to the Trailblazers, who have only lost 2.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Russ will be well rested for the Spurs tomorrow. 
> 
> Spurs have only lost 1 game this season, to the Trailblazers, who have only lost 2.


Neither team has hit the meat of the season.  It's like the Pacers...who have they really played?  No doubt they're a great team but we're still in the first month of a six month regular season.

----------


## catcherinthewry

> !2,000 rooms in the city, 3000 near downtown, that's an easy sell. 
> OKC has hosted dual Big 12 tournaments with few snags. 
> 
> OKC is an easy town to get around in, without nearly the traffic complications
> found in larger towns. That's why the density of downtown hotels is not such
> a stumbling block as it is with other cities.


Shhhh, don't tell OKCisOK4me.  Excellent point about the dual Big 12 tourneys.  Those were a lot of fun.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> What hurts our chances for hosting an NBA All Star event?  As OKCisOK4me stated: "There would still need to be a ton of hotel rooms added to what the OKC metro already has available."  *The last number I heard was when the event was held in Houston--you need 6,000 hotels room within a mile radius of the downtown area.*
> 
> Last I heard, we are somewhere between 1,250 to 1,500 downtown quality hotel rooms with 12,000-13,000 throughout the metro area. * If someone has an update, please don't hesitate to chime in.*  At the rate we are growing, we will probably exceed 2,500-3,500 hotel rooms downtown come 2020-25.  An NBA All Star Game could be a possibility after 2030. Please don't hold your breath. 
> 
> Many of us will never see an NBA All Star Game hosted here in our lifetime. Hey it's not the end of the world if we never host one.  *My goal is to see us host another NBA best-of-seven championship series again--followed by a downtown victory championship parade.*





> Shhhh, don't tell OKCisOK4me.  Excellent point about the dual Big 12 tourneys.  Those were a lot of fun.


Hey, catcher, if you look above at what Laramie said, it's what he said, I was just doing a little math on Pete's numbers, m'kay?  No reason to be down trodden toward me because I crushed your dream.  I'd love for OKC to host the NBA All Star game as well so there's no reason to get all PMSy...

Feel free to read this link showing some concerns of Grizzlies fans having the same issues:

http://boards.grizzliesonline.com/in...howtopic=13315

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Hey, catcher, if you look above at what Laramie said, it's what he said, I was just doing a little math on Pete's numbers, m'kay?  No reason to be down trodden toward me because I crushed your dream.  I'd love for OKC to host the NBA All Star game as well so there's no reason to get all PMSy...


It doesn't really seem that you'd love for OKC to host the AllStar game.  Instead of looking for reasons to host the game, you're looking for reasons why we can't.  If you want to be a glass-half-empty guy, that's you're deal.  No need to rain on other's parade.  

I never said "We should have the All Star game in OKC in the next five years".  I said it should be a goal and then I cited Pete's numbers in response to Laramie's comments and said "We are making progress".  We may never get the game here, but if no one ever tries it is a certainty it will never happen.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> It doesn't really seem that you'd love for OKC to host the AllStar game.  Instead of looking for reasons to host the game, you're looking for reasons why we can't.  If you want to be a glass-half-empty guy, that's you're deal.  No need to rain on other's parade.  
> 
> I never said "We should have the All Star game in OKC in the next five years".  I said it should be a goal and then I cited Pete's numbers in response to Laramie's comments and said "We are making progress".  We may never get the game here, but if no one ever tries it is a certainty it will never happen.


Agreed but just cause I'm a glass half empty (realist-optimist) doesn't mean I'm raining on your parade. It's not a dark seeded agenda... Lol

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Feel free to read this link showing some concerns of Grizzlies fans having the same issues:
> 
> Any Chance Memphis Apply For The NBA All Star Game - Grizzlies Boards


You're "can't-do" attitude would fit in nicely there.  I'm glad you weren't in charge of getting the Hornets here after Katrina.KD and RW would be playing for the Sonics today if you were. LOL

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> You're "can't-do" attitude would fit in nicely there.  I'm glad you weren't in charge of getting the Hornets here after Katrina….KD and RW would be playing for the Sonics today if you were. LOL


It's okay to say "we're not there yet" if it's the truth…. Just because we can't support an NBA All-Star game right now doesn't mean OKCisOK4me is some sort of evil blasphemer that doesn't want OKC to progress any further if he states that we can't support an NBA All-Star game right now. It's okay to have a "can do" attitude, but don't get offended & become anti-(insert posters name) if they aren't floating on cloud nine with you thinking of all the glass half-full scenarios for OKC.

Disclaimer: I don't think that OKC could host the ASG within the next 2-3 years, but I don't think it'll be longer than 5-7 years before OKC has the ability to host an ASG & it be a legit success.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I agree with Mississippi Blues. If OKC hosts an All Star Game, it will be such a successful weekend that I think we could easily be on a carousel of cities that regularly host the event. My hope is that MAPS 3 is 80% implemented before we do host so that our city is more attractive than it is now to us locals! As long as the city is tasteful to all outsiders then we will be world class enough to host anything!




> You're "can't-do" attitude would fit in nicely there.  I'm glad you weren't in charge of getting the Hornets here after Katrina.KD and RW would be playing for the Sonics today if you were. LOL


Apparently you're severely confused...

----------


## Mel

After the All-Star Game is like the final stretch of a horse race. I think our Thunder will get a few titles under their belt and if construction keeps pace we will see a All-Star happen here. It even takes bread a bit to rise.

----------


## Bill Robertson

It's still early in the season but tonight we had two positives. One, we handed S.A. their second loss. Two, Ibaka, Lamb and Jackson looked pretty good in the process.

----------


## Laramie

According to the NBAs executive vice president of events, Ski Austin, the NBA sends out bid requests to all of its teams three to four years in advance of an All-Star Game.  For this years game, Austin noted that the NBA received several bids from NBA cities to host the event.  The way the process works, is that teams go into their market and aggregate the various resources we need.  A lot of what we ask the teams to do is gather the vendors we need, from the convention center, the arena and *somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000 hotel rooms.*  Each market has a different way of putting these things together.  We then look at the bids that are the most viable and go with that, Austin said.

Source:  How Houston Became the Host City for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game - Forbes

----------


## OSUMom

> It's still early in the season but tonight we had two positives. One, we handed S.A. their second loss. Two, Ibaka, Lamb and Jackson looked pretty good in the process.


That they did.  But Ibaka always LOOKS good.   :Embarrassment:

----------


## adaniel

Can I just vent?

If you needed further proof how much ESPiN rides Lebron James..uh, "private parts", they would rather show the Heat/Cavaliers game rather than what could be a preview of the WCFs. The Lebron and Cleveland saga is so 2011. I am in Dallas with the family and couldn't believe the Thunder/Spurs game wasn't on nationally. 

Now that I've gotten out of the way, from what I've seen of the highlights, it seemed like we played a good game :-). Glad to hear Reggie is starting to hit his stride.

----------


## BoulderSooner

There is a limit to how many games a team can be on nationally.   Okc is at that limit

----------


## Jake

Kind of off topic, but goodness gracious the Eastern Conference is terrible.

----------


## Teo9969

> There is a limit to how many games a team can be on nationally.   Okc is at that limit


I think OKC is one game off that this year (24 instead of 25), but the point still stands.

The selection of games to choose for OKC has some meh games. The only one that seems egregious to me is we have a TNT game @ Denver in January. But lots of games with the Lakers are National, and if they suck, then that sucks.

----------


## PiePie

> I think OKC is one game off that this year (24 instead of 25), but the point still stands.
> 
> The selection of games to choose for OKC has some meh games. The only one that seems egregious to me is we have a TNT game @ Denver in January. But lots of games with the Lakers are National, and if they suck, then that sucks.


Who would want to watch Laker games? I do not care if Lakers get high ratings either

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I know this is the Thunder thread, but in regard to the NBA, I enjoyed seeing Sly Coach Kidd lip "hit me" so he could spill his drink, which gave them a timeout which they didn't have while they cleaned up the spill.  Alas, Paul Pierce missed the 3 pointer and LA still won by 5.

----------


## PiePie

> I know this is the Thunder thread, but in regard to the NBA, I enjoyed seeing Sly Coach Kidd lip "hit me" so he could spill his drink, which gave them a timeout which they didn't have while they cleaned up the spill.  Alas, Paul Pierce missed the 3 pointer and LA still won by 5.


Kidd got fined $50,000 for that so that is one expensive drink

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Kidd got fined $50,000 for that so that is one expensive drink


I wonder if his player got fined for complying and lying about it in his post game interview.

----------


## PiePie

> I wonder if his player got fined for complying and lying about it in his post game interview.


Nope, never did

----------


## Mel

Looks like Russ is getting his mojo back.

----------


## OKCDrummer77

Russell. Freakin'.  Westbrook.

If these two teams meet in the Playoffs,  I will be dead. No way I survive 4-7 games like this.

----------


## Dustin

Cold-blooded killa

----------


## PiePie

It is pretty hilarious it went the exact same way as the last Warriors-Thunder game except the Warriors did not hit the game winning buzzer beat shot this time

----------


## Mel

This was an intense game. Edge of the seat the last 2 minutes.

----------


## soonerguru

Love Russell!

----------


## Laramie

*Unbelievable! Westbrook's Super Dagger*


*If you left this game early; you got just what you deserve...*

----------


## Praedura

Russell!!! Oh my!!!

Let's have another look at that unbelievable play:


Russell leaps high into the air for the rebound




He bats the ball away...




Sefolosha makes a great leaping, behind-the-back "blind" save to keep the ball inbounds




Russell stretches out to catch the ball tossed by Thabo




After securing the ball and finding his spot behind the 3-point line, Russ takes a shot




And here we go.........

----------


## Laramie

*Thunder and Warriors are not strangers to the dagger exchange:*





*Jeff Green's buzzer beater vs. Warriors (January 22, 2009).*

----------


## Laramie

*Warriors’ Andre Iguodala hits buzzer-beater to defeat Thunder*




*November 14, 2013*

----------


## Laramie

Please don't forget that the 2013-14 NBA All Star Voting has begun.

_Oklahoma City Thunder players Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka and Russell Westbrook are featured on the 2014 NBA All-Star Ballot that was unveiled earlier today during a special tip-off event in New Orleans, the Official Host City of NBA All-Star 2014._ 

Voters can select 10 unique players per day. 

The NBA All-Star ballot features 120 players  60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences  with 36 frontcourt players and 24 backcourt players from each conference comprising the list. Voters select three frontcourt players and two backcourt players from each conference. 

Balloting concludes on Monday, Jan. 20, and starters will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 23. 

Durant, Ibaka and Westbrook Featured on 2014 NBA All-Star Ballot | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

----------


## Anonymous.

Tonight is the chip shot of this week's back to back.

Kings tonight, Trailblazers tomorrow. Trailblazers beat Pacers last night. Giving Pacers their 2nd loss of the season.

Portland seems to be stepping up against the big names so far this season. I am sure OKC will be no different. We gotta come out big tomorrow. Look to see Russ/KD get rest tonight if we are ahead, late.

----------


## Richard at Remax

Ill be at the game Friday in New Orleans. Ill try to give them some extra encouragement

----------


## BoulderSooner

I will be at the game tonight in Sacramento   Go thunder

----------


## ljbab728

8 wins in a row now for the Thunder going into a big early season showdown Wednesday night against Portland.  
It's interesting now that the Western Conference currently has 10 teams over 500 and the Eastern Conference has 2.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Western Conference either has better team chemistries resulting in more wins or the WC teams haven't hit the toughest parts of their schedules yet...

----------


## dankrutka

> Western Conference either has better team chemistries resulting in more wins or the WC teams haven't hit the toughest parts of their schedules yet...


The Western Conference has pretty much been better since 1999. This year it's just getting ridiculous. There only appear to be two teams in the East that would make the playoffs in the West. That's insane, terrible for the NBA, and a huge advantage for Miami and Indiana.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I don't disagree with what you say...

----------


## betts

It's never a guaranteed chip shot, even with missing key players like Demarcus Cousins.  A couple of our worst losses last year were to teams I assumed we'd beat.

----------


## Dubya61

> The Western Conference has pretty much been better since 1999. This year it's just getting ridiculous. There only appear to be two teams in the East that would make the playoffs in the West. That's insane, terrible for the NBA, and a huge advantage for Miami and Indiana.


Thread derail warning:  The same is true of the NHL.  If playoffs were held, the Eastern conference doesn't even have a single team that could make it into the Western conference's playoffs.  Although the NBA and NFL conferences aren't all THAT geographic, lately, the NFC is considered to be much superior to the AFC (and some of the divisions are a VERY small pond to be a big fish in).  I find the disparity odd and wonder about the vaguely geographic relationship.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Thread derail warning:  The same is true of the NHL.  If playoffs were held, the Eastern conference doesn't even have a single team that could make it into the Western conference's playoffs.  Although the NBA and NFL conferences aren't all THAT geographic, lately, the NFC is considered to be much superior to the AFC (and some of the divisions are a VERY small pond to be a big fish in).  I find the disparity odd and wonder about the vaguely geographic relationship.


So anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay...the guys are gonna have to play their butts off tonight to be victorious.  No lapse in the 4th quarter.  Heck no lapse in any quarter.  They'll play to the level of their competition if not better!  Gonna be a toughy though!

----------


## warreng88

Since the last second loss at Golden State, we have won handily @Milwaukee, a squeaker versus Denver, owned the Clippers and the Jazz, beat SA, Golden State (last second OT shot by RW), won a good game against Minnesota and another squeaker versus Sactown. They have a combined W-L of 69-74. If you take out the three worst teams (Milwaukee, Utah and Sacramento), you get a combined W-L of 58-33. We have played some really good teamson this stretch and the schedule isn't going to let up until really the beginning of the year. We play Portland, New Orleans, Indiana, Atlanta and Memphis in one week, then LAL, Orlando and Denver the next week then Chicago and San Antonio. We might get a little bit of a break around X-mas when we play Toronto, the Knicks and Charlotte all within a week but then we play Houston and Portland to end the year.

A bit off topic, but what the hell is going on in NYC? The Knicks and Nets have two of the worst records in the NBA and have the two largest team payrolls this year. Is it coaching? Brooklyn is bringing on some new (old) people so is just trying to find the right fit for them?

----------


## Laramie

> A bit off topic, but what the hell is going on in NYC? The Knicks and Nets have two of the worst records in the NBA and have the two largest team payrolls this year. Is it coaching? Brooklyn is bringing on some new (old) people so is just trying to find the right fit for them?


They have created the perfect *recipe* for an NBA delicacy known as a *KNICK-NET*:

*Ingredients:* Marquee name players, support personnel

Mix together in one bowl too many marquee name players who are surrounded by a few support personnel; work the support personnel in until they get tired of doing all the hustle;  set aside these prima donna's pose-in-action (avoid of breaking their polished nails) taking their most glorified money ball simultaneously throwing up a Baltic brick.--_True recipe for disaster._

*Serve cold* on a hard-wood or parquet floor in front of 17,749 to 19,812 oscillating  fans.

----------


## Anonymous.

Well it was time. Portland ends OKC's winning streak tonight.

----------


## GoThunder

> Well it was time. Portland ends OKC's winning streak tonight.


LaMarcus Aldridge is an absolute freak.

----------


## Laramie

> LaMarcus Aldridge is an absolute freak.


He is a very strong herculean figure, who if very dominate on the offensive boards.

Great game!  Statistically we could have very easily won this game.  Their three-point shooting made the difference.

Portland was 8 - 23 (34.8%) *24 points*; Oklahoma City was 5 - 11 (45.5%)  *15 points,*  a difference of 9 points in a 7-point loss.

23 personal foul were called against the Thunder; 16 on Portland.

Free throws:  Trailblazers 15/17  Thunder 21/24

----------


## dankrutka

I don't think 3 point shooting was the difference. We shot more efficiently so I wouldn't consider that a deficit. If I were looking to one factor, I'd say it was their offensive rebounding/second chance points. 

Tough loss on the second half of a back to back. Nothing to be ashamed of.

----------


## Laramie

> I don't think 3 point shooting was the difference. We shot more efficiently so I wouldn't consider that a deficit. If I were looking to one factor, I'd say it was their offensive rebounding/second chance points. 
> 
> Tough loss on the second half of a back to back. Nothing to be ashamed of.


You know something, the more I analyze this, you're  right on target.  We blew several opportunities right under our goal.  This is also K.D. worst turnover night.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:10081713

----------


## Laramie

> Well it was time. Portland ends OKC's winning streak tonight.


OKC was playing the second game of a back-to-back (@Sacramento Dec. 3rd) on the road to a Trail Blazer squad which had a one day rest before playing at home (Dec. 4th).

We'll see what Portland can do when they play back-to-back on the road against New Orleans (Dec. 30th) and meet  the Thunder at the Peake on the 31st.   The Thunder will have a one day rest in between as they meet Houston at home (Dec. 29th).

----------


## OKCisOK4me

That NYE game against the PTBs would be a damned good game to go to.  They've gained victory over every team they've lost to on the road thus far.  For now, I'm more concerned about our home game on Sunday against the Pacers.  Two Georges got me worried.

----------


## Stan Silliman

I kept wondering whether Thabeet would be long enough to bother or alter Aldridge's jumper or, at a minimum, force Aldridge into driving into Ibaka's blocks. It could be a strategy to test out in practice and see whether or not Thabeet can disrupt LaMarcus's rhythm.

----------


## dankrutka

> I kept wondering whether Thabeet would be long enough to bother or alter Aldridge's jumper or, at a minimum, force Aldridge into driving into Ibaka's blocks. It could be a strategy to test out in practice and see whether or not Thabeet can disrupt LaMarcus's rhythm.


Brooks probably just should have brought Perk back earlier. Perk is the best at keeping bigs from establishing their position. Thabeet is long, but not at all a great one-on-one defender, especially on a mobile guy like Aldridge.

----------


## Anonymous.

> That NYE game against the PTBs would be a damned good game to go to.  They've gained victory over every team they've lost to on the road thus far.  For now, I'm more concerned about our home game on Sunday against the Pacers.  Two Georges got me worried.



At a glance IND looks scary, but their schedule has been relatively weak. Only notable win is over Clips, IMO.

----------


## Richard at Remax

Good win last night in New Orleans. There were a lot of thunder fans there. Like the previous game I went to down there the atmosphere is just lousy. No one really stands up or gets into it. A lot of golf clapping going on. If they could channel 25% of the passion they have for the saints towards the pelicans it could be a tough place to play.

----------


## Easy180

> Good win last night in New Orleans. There were a lot of thunder fans there. Like the previous game I went to down there the atmosphere is just lousy. No one really stands up or gets into it. A lot of golf clapping going on. If they could channel 25% of the passion they have for the saints towards the pelicans it could be a tough place to play.


I thought the same thing. What a crappy fan base, but then again there are tons of other things to do down there and their team sucks

----------


## Laramie

New Orleans is building a good foundation with pieces like Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans.   Eric Gordon isn't worth the $14.2 million he is being paid.  Davis is out with an injury (a non-displaced fracture in his left hand). 

_ We've been fortunate to win two road games with key players out: @Sacramento (DeMarcus Cousins-center) and New Orleans (Anthony Davis)._

worthy cook:  "A lot of golf clapping going on."   Let's not give the New Orleans fans that much credit;  more like the applause you would hear at a symphony.

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Brooks probably just should have brought Perk back earlier. Perk is the best at keeping bigs from establishing their position. Thabeet is long, but not at all a great one-on-one defender, especially on a mobile guy like Aldridge.


I think Perk got into foul trouble. I wanted Thabeet so that Ibaka could guard the other postman. Aldridge is a great mid-range jump shooter and offensive rebounder. But, I don't see him as a great interior passer, which means Ibaka can help when Aldridge blows by Thabeet. 

I think Thabeet can bother Aldridge's jumper, obscure his vision, force him to arc the shot higher. He's not a great defender but if he's not asked to do too much, like take charges or move his feet a lot, he can set up Ibaka to be the backup defender.

----------


## Anonymous.

Pacers smacked the Spurs last night in SA. They will have a hard time in the 'Peake tonight coming off of that.

----------


## Praedura

> Pacers smacked the Spurs last night in SA. They will have a hard time in the 'Peake tonight coming off of that.


Yeah, hopefully they expended a lot of energy for that win. And it's a quick turnaround for the next game. But I gather that Indiana is a deep team, so they're still going to be a very tough customer.

If we win tonight, we'll tie San Antonio for win/loss record. So I believe we'll take the #2 spot based on better home record and last 10 game record -- though I'm not certain about that (I forget the exact rules).

----------


## Laramie

The Thunder appears to be maturing right before your eyes--especially at home where the crowd is very vocal and enthusiastic; the home team feeds off that.

----------


## Bill Robertson

We just dominated the #1 team in the East from wire to wire. Yes, they played last night and yes, it's early in the season. But this is still a good (great?) Win.

----------


## adaniel

FWIW the starters for the Pacers rested during the 4th quarter during the Spurs game so we definitely did not get a "tired" team. Good win, too bad the ESPNers are so busy falling over themselves about Kobe's return to even mention it.

----------


## Teo9969

Indiana was still tired and has played a ridiculous stretch over the last week. Certainly I think OKC proved they could win tonight, but if this OKC squad is shooting 61%, not even the '96 Bulls would beat them. But 61% is hard to shoot against air, so that much is an aberration. I certainly wouldn't expect a season average of better than 50% (OKC shot 48.1% last season and that's the highest mark in OKC).

But it's good to see your potential every once and awhile, and play toward that.

----------


## Laramie

10-0 Home  vs.  5-4 Road

Durant, Thunder Top Pacers - ESPN Video - ESPN




> That NYE game against the PTBs would be a damned good game to go to.  They've gained victory over every team they've lost to on the road thus far.  For now, I'm more concerned about our home game on Sunday against the Pacers.  Two Georges got me worried.


Thunder took care of business at home against what appears to be the best in the Eastern Conference right now.  _So true, as Anonymous mentioned, the Clippers appear to be the only good competition we've played so far._




> Indiana was still tired and has played a ridiculous stretch over the last week. Certainly I think OKC proved they could win tonight, but if this OKC squad is shooting 61%, not even the '96 Bulls would beat them. But 61% is hard to shoot against air, so that much is an aberration. I certainly wouldn't expect a season average of better than 50% (OKC shot 48.1% last season and that's the highest mark in OKC).
> 
> But it's good to see your potential every once and awhile, and play toward that.


OKC definitely have the pieces in place.  Keeping this tandem together will be a challenge  You saw this on display last night as to what our Thunder can do when they're hitting on all cylinders.  It's going to be interesting when we return the favor and play in Indy.

----------


## warreng88

10-0 this season at home and who do we play next at home? The Lakers... This Friday night... Better believe that will be a loud one to be at. Then we play Orlando (Where's MonkeesFan?) who are 6-14 and then Chicago, Toronto, Houston and Portland to finish out the year at home. We could be 16-0 at home by the end of the year. The only back to back we play over that stretch is @Spurs on 12/21 and then Toronto (with the newly acquired Rudy Gay) on 12/22, so I guess that could be a trap game.

----------


## Bellaboo

> 10-0 this season at home and who do we play next at home? The Lakers... This Friday night... Better believe that will be a loud one to be at. Then we play Orlando *(Where's MonkeesFan*?) who are 6-14 and then Chicago, Toronto, Houston and Portland to finish out the year at home. We could be 16-0 at home by the end of the year. The only back to back we play over that stretch is @Spurs on 12/21 and then Toronto (*with the newly acquired Rudy Gay)* on 12/22, so I guess that could be a trap game.


I think Pete deep sixed him when he continuosly used the F bomb awhile back.....


Gay got traded from Toronto to Sacremento.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

So glad we manhandled the Pacers last night!  Now only if we can work out our road woes.  As long as we win half of our road games or more, we'll be looking fine (at least that's what the media guys said on the radio).  I'd like to have that road record we had a couple or few seasons ago.

----------


## CaptDave

Please tell me Dean Blevins was incorrect in reporting a rumor the Thunder were considering trading Jeremy Lamb to Cleveland. Lamb and Jackson are developing into an impressive backcourt combo.

----------


## soonerguru

> Please tell me Dean Blevins was incorrect in reporting a rumor the Thunder were considering trading Jeremy Lamb to Cleveland. Lamb and Jackson are developing into an impressive backcourt combo.


Deano is often wrong. Don't sweat it. Presti knows what's up more than Deano.

----------


## dankrutka

> Please tell me Dean Blevins was incorrect in reporting a rumor the Thunder were considering trading Jeremy Lamb to Cleveland. Lamb and Jackson are developing into an impressive backcourt combo.


I think he got this from a very unreliable source. Blevins really should have been fired years ago.

----------


## Bellaboo

> I think he got this from a very unreliable source. Blevins really should have been fired years ago.


Yes, the reporter who put it out was trying to match up a trade for Iman Shumpert of the Knicks.... he also said that the Thunder could throw in Reggie Jackson along with Lamb to even it out.......

That told me it was all total BS.

----------


## OSUMom

> Yes, the reporter who put it out was trying to match up a trade for Iman Shumpert of the Knicks.... he also said that the Thunder could throw in Reggie Jackson along with Lamb to even it out.......
> 
> That told me it was all total BS.


 

That would be monumentally stupid.  And Presti isn't stupid.

----------


## CaptDave

It certainly made no sense when I heard it. Monumentally stupid is an understatement for that trade.

----------


## dankrutka

> Yes, the reporter who put it out was trying to match up a trade for Iman Shumpert of the Knicks.... he also said that the Thunder could throw in Reggie Jackson along with Lamb to even it out.......
> 
> That told me it was all total BS.


Lol. I wouldn't trade Jackson OR Lamb for Shumpert, much less Jackson AND Lamb. Anyway, moving on...

----------


## Anonymous.

Quick back to back road trip tonight.

Hawks tonight then Grizzlies tomorrow. Finally some non-west coast game times.

----------


## Laramie

Durant Drops 30 In Thunder's Win - ESPN Video - ESPN

Good tough road win tonight against the Hawks.  On nights when one of our two franchise players are off; the bench seems to step up.  Nick Collison dunk in the final stanza let the air out of the Atlanta offense.

----------


## Mel

They ran hot and cold but finally stepped up when it counted.

----------


## Praedura

OKC and Atlanta got into a battle to see who could miss the most number of shots in a game. Fortunately, the Hawks won that contest.

Anywho... we take the game and move to .800!  :Smiley199:

----------


## Laramie

Going to be a tough game tonight in Memphis because of the possibility of a mental let down.  Why?  

The Grizzlies are missing some pivotal pieces in their line-up tonight.  Mark Gasol and  Quincy Pondexter are out indefinitely;  several members Tony Allen, Ed Davis and Zach Randolph have missed games recently with nagging injuries.

----------


## dankrutka

It's funny you think the Thunder will struggle _because_ Memphis _doesn't_ have some of their best players.  :Wink:  

Happens all the time though. It's just very counterintuitive.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

Yeah, that was a really tough game tonight….

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Hope the Adams injury isn't too bad.

----------


## ljbab728

> Going to be a tough game tonight in Memphis because of the possibility of a mental let down.  Why?  
> 
> The Grizzlies are missing some pivotal pieces in their line-up tonight.  Mark Gasol and  Quincy Pondexter are out indefinitely;  several members Tony Allen, Ed Davis and Zach Randolph have missed games recently with nagging injuries.


Not so much. 

Next theory?

----------


## Laramie

> Not so much. 
> 
> Next theory?


Here are some facts:

 *Oklahoma City Thunder 17-4 record: [home 10-0/road 7-4].*

OKC has won 12 of its last 13 games; Thunder won four of its last five games on the road with a three-game road winning streak. 

Memphis is probably the most physical team in the NBA; just hope that the injury to Adams is minor.  

We have players building a lot of trust and continuity on the court, this should pay big dividends as the season progresses.

----------


## Jake

Good time to be a Thunder fan. I remember in 2008 when they were just awful. I would come home everyday and check nba.com to see how much they lost by. If they won a game, I would be ecstatic.

My, how times change.

----------


## Bellaboo

Our bench is soooo dominating. At one time last night, the bench had scored 39 points. Not sure how much they ended up with.

Sure not missing Kevin Martin lately.

----------


## Anonymous.

> Our bench is soooo dominating. At one time last night, the bench had scored 39 points. Not sure how much they ended up with.
> 
> Sure not missing Kevin Martin lately.




I think they finished around 58 pts on 68% shooting or something amazing.

Jackson/Lamb/Adams off the bench with Collison mixed in is deadly. Finally our bench is back to being one of the best in the league since the days of Maynor/Harden/Collison combos.

----------


## Laramie

> I think they finished around 58 pts on 68% shooting or something amazing.
> 
> *Jackson/Lamb/Adams off the bench with Collison mixed in is deadly.* Finally our bench is back to being one of the best in the league since the days of Maynor/Harden/Collison combos.


Truly a deadly lethal bench capable of maintaining or extending the lead.  These guys are beginning to click on all cylinders.  Scott Brooks has done an outstanding job blending these players in a combination that allows for maximum proficiency.

*Has anyone heard anything on Steven Adams' injury?*


 _ "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole._

----------


## warreng88

> *Has anyone heard anything on Steven Adams' injury?*


He said he just rolled it and would be fine. It looked like a knee issue to me and I'm glad it wasn't.

Here is the link to the Oklahoman story: OKC Thunder notebook: Steven Adams sprains right ankle | News OK

----------


## Bill Robertson

> Just out of curiousity, who is ready to see the Thunder whoop up on the Lakers tonight?


I hope the Thunder struggle as much tonight as they did against Memphis. No offense meant Laramie.

----------


## Laramie

*Gotta love it!*
 *Oklahoma City Thunder 122*

 *Los Angeles Lakers 97*

 _ "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole._

----------


## Mississippi Blues

While looking at the box score, I noticed something I don't think I've seen before. In the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th quarters, the Thunder outscored the Lakers by the same score in all three quarters, 28-23.

----------


## Joe Kimball

I watched the game on ESPN. This thing with calling OKC "Oak City" really is a shibboleth to separate non-residents from the locals, isn't it?

----------


## Pete

Really good article on the Thunder this is the current headline on ESPN.com:

NBA: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder at their very best - ESPN

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Really good article on the Thunder this is the current headline on ESPN.com:
> 
> NBA: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder at their very best - ESPN


Jeff Van Gundy and the other commentator were having a love fest for the Thunder last night.  Seriously, they were drooling.  I think the best line I heard was when JVG referenced John Stockton & Karl Malone saying that Westbrook & Durant were them in this era...  I posted the same on Facebook and a friend of mine responded with, "the only difference is Stockton and Malone never earned rings..." (a mighty fine style of thinking).

----------


## Bill Robertson

One thing I love about blow-outs is the play makes my wife happy. They seem to do a lot more "drive to right under the basket and kick it back out to a player driving through the paint for a fantastic slam" and similar type plays when they're pretty well ahead. My wife loves those plays and when she's happy, I'm happy.

----------


## Thundercitizen

> One thing I love about blow-outs is the play makes my wife happy. They seem to do a lot more "drive to right under the basket and kick it back out to a player driving through the paint for a fantastic slam" and similar type plays when they're pretty well ahead. My wife loves those plays and when she's happy, I'm happy.


Here's to hoping your family is very happy in June!

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> One thing I love about blow-outs is the play makes my wife happy. They seem to do a lot more "drive to right under the basket and kick it back out to a player driving through the paint for a fantastic slam" and similar type plays when they're pretty well ahead. My wife loves those plays and when she's happy, I'm happy.


I can only guess you're referring to the play last night where Adams was down on the court, got the ball to Westbrook who drove in for what looked like an easy lay up but instead fed it to an incoming PJ3 for a healthy dunk.  I had to rewind that play and film it with my iPhone.  It was a beaut!!

----------


## Laramie

This should be a routine win against Orlando tonight.

I was really impressed with the play of Thabeet in the Lakers' game.  Adams' energy has rubbed off onto Perkins & Thabeet.

Thunder by double-digits...


 _ "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole._

----------


## OKCisOK4me

RIP Monkeesfan.

----------


## dankrutka

> I watched the game on ESPN. This thing with calling OKC "Oak City" really is a shibboleth to separate non-residents from the locals, isn't it?


So annoying. It seems that only national broadcasters have come up with that. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say it that's not on a national station. 

The Thunder look really good right now and a lot of it has to do with Reggie and Serge (and Lamb). Serge has continually improved, but Reggie really has made "the leap" as Steve Kerr said recently. Enjoy him now though because he might be playing his way into a trade next season. If the Thunder can't afford him then they'll likely try to get as much value as possible for him before or during next season (the last on his rookie deal). It is possible the Thunder finally use the amnesty on Perkins to stay under the cap, but that would still mean signing Reggie on a reasonable deal. He might be playing himself above a reasonable deal. It's unfortunate how the new cap punishes the Thunder for continually drafting and developing players so well.

----------


## Teo9969

> So annoying. It seems that only national broadcasters have come up with that. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say it that's not on a national station. 
> 
> The Thunder look really good right now and a lot of it has to do with Reggie and Serge (and Lamb). Serge has continually improved, but Reggie really has made "the leap" as Steve Kerr said recently. Enjoy him now though because he might be playing his way into a trade next season. If the Thunder can't afford him then they'll likely try to get as much value as possible for him before or during next season (the last on his rookie deal). It is possible the Thunder finally *use the amnesty on Perkins to stay under the cap*, but that would still mean signing Reggie on a reasonable deal. He might be playing himself above a reasonable deal. It's unfortunate how the new cap punishes the Thunder for continually drafting and developing players so well.


To stay under the cap? That's literally impossible at this point. OKC's not even going to stay under the Tax line next year, let alone the Cap.

And why couldn't we afford Reggie? His ceiling is probably a 4-year, $42M contractand I think OKC would be fine with paying him $9M/year. So it's a little bit of a discount from $10.5M per but not so far off that he'd not consider taking the pay cut to stay and win championships.

Amenstying Perkins has about a 0% chance of happening, and it really would not save OKC that much money. Perkins *might* get picked up for $3M, which leaves OKC with at least a $6.5M bag. Even if that keeps them out of the tax one more year, it's not worth the risk of messing up the teams short-term chemistry nor losing the ability to develop Steven Adams at a regulated pace.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> I can only guess you're referring to the play last night where Adams was down on the court, got the ball to Westbrook who drove in for what looked like an easy lay up but instead fed it to an incoming PJ3 for a healthy dunk.  I had to rewind that play and film it with my iPhone.  It was a beaut!!


That would be the one!

----------


## Bill Robertson

As for Perkins. I'm on the fence about his value to the team. But has anyone else noticed how this season Davis and Long praise his every pick, etc. and point out that his value dosn't show in the stats?

----------


## bradh

This team is ridiculously deep.  You've got a guy like Thabeet who was a somewhat regular in the rotation at times last year (albeit for not huge minutes) now the 11th guy on the bench.  

I agree with whoever said Serge (along with Reggie) has made the leap this year.  Last year was such a letdown for him, especially after Harden was gone they expected the jump to happen then.  It was a year late, but I'm pleased with the production.

----------


## dankrutka

> To stay under the cap? That's literally impossible at this point. OKC's not even going to stay under the Tax line next year, let alone the Cap.
> 
> And why couldn't we afford Reggie? His ceiling is probably a 4-year, $42M contract…and I think OKC would be fine with paying him $9M/year. So it's a little bit of a discount from $10.5M per but not so far off that he'd not consider taking the pay cut to stay and win championships.
> 
> Amenstying Perkins has about a 0% chance of happening, and it really would not save OKC that much money. Perkins *might* get picked up for $3M, which leaves OKC with at least a $6.5M bag. Even if that keeps them out of the tax one more year, it's not worth the risk of messing up the teams short-term chemistry nor losing the ability to develop Steven Adams at a regulated pace.


You're right about the tax (mistake) and Perk (I mixed up years on contracts). We're pretty much good for next year, but it's the year after that becomes a problem and Reggie could be gone next season in anticipation of 2015-2016. 

Reggie has said repeatedly that his goal is to be the best PG in the NBA. You don't do that as a back up. A huge reason that Harden left is because he wanted to be a star. Reggie may be the same. Not only is it unlikely he signs a discount deal (very few players do), but he may not even want to stay here. He has the potential to be a very good player in this league and he may prefer to go somewhere where he's not the third banana at best.

----------


## Teo9969

> You're right about the tax (mistake) and Perk (I mixed up years on contracts). We're pretty much good for next year, but it's the year after that becomes a problem and Reggie could be gone next season in anticipation of 2015-2016. 
> 
> Reggie has said repeatedly that his goal is to be the best PG in the NBA. You don't do that as a back up. A huge reason that Harden left is because he wanted to be a star. Reggie may be the same. Not only is it unlikely he signs a discount deal (very few players do), but he may not even want to stay here. He has the potential to be a very good player in this league and he may prefer to go somewhere where he's not the third banana at best.


When has Reggie "said repeatedly that his goal is to be the best PG in the NBA"? I don't recall any such interview occurring.

The issue for Reggie is that he will never be a star. He's not quite gifted enough. The best he'll ever be is top 10/15 PG. He doesn't have the size nor athleticism to be a Top 5 PG. He's more probably a Top 15/20 player and can either start on a less/non-competitive team or play backup on a perennial conference finals team. Being the starting PG for Milwaukee may make you $2M/year more in the NBA, but in terms of endorsements and anything else, does it net you more than being on a consistent Western Conference champion team?

He'll never be a #1 guy, and probably never a #2 guy on a contending team. Right now, he's a #3/#4 type guy, and I'm not sure that he can really demand much more.

----------


## Bellaboo

Teo,

I had my picture taken with Reggie his rookie season. I'm a little over 6 foot tall, and I looked up to him. He can really through down the dunks, he's very strong.

Not a lot of point guards that can drive the lane and put it in like he can.

----------


## warreng88

The thing is, we still have RJ for this year and then another two years. He comes up for an extension at the same time KD comes up for his next extension. The next years Westbrook, Serge, Lamb and PJ3 come up for extensions again. If we can win a championship by the time RJ's contract is up, I think he seems grounded enough to take less to stay with a championship team. And, as much as I love Westbrook, in order to keep KD here and happy, I could see the Thunder trading RW toward the end of his contract and RJ running the point if he comes along like RW did. Again, I hope we keep all of them, but I could see that happening to pay KD if KD and RW aren't willing to take less to keep the team together.

----------


## Bellaboo

> The thing is, we still have RJ for this year and then another two years. He comes up for an extension at the same time KD comes up for his next extension. The next years Westbrook, Serge, Lamb and PJ3 come up for extensions again. If we can win a championship by the time RJ's contract is up, I think he seems grounded enough to take less to stay with a championship team. And, as much as I love Westbrook, in order to keep KD here and happy, I could see the Thunder trading RW toward the end of his contract and RJ running the point if he comes along like RW did. Again, I hope we keep all of them, but I could see that happening to pay KD if KD and RW aren't willing to take less to keep the team together.


Westbrook took a couple of million per year less when he signed his 5 year deal last year.....RW is all in.

----------


## warreng88

> Westbrook took a couple of million per year less when he signed his 5 year deal last year.....RW is all in.


I don't think that necessarily means he is all in three years from now. Things could change I see the Thunder paying KD whatever he wants to stay here and possibly having to negotiate with RW to pay him less since they signed KD for more money. Not saying he will leave, but I think there is a better chance of him leaving than KD. Of course, all the Thunder haters/Seattle-starbucks lovers thought both of them would leave OKC at the first chance they got and look how that turned out.

----------


## Teo9969

> Teo,
> 
> I had my picture taken with Reggie his rookie season. I'm a little over 6 foot tall, and I looked up to him. He can really through down the dunks, he's very strong.
> 
> Not a lot of point guards that can drive the lane and put it in like he can.


I'm not saying he's a deficient player. Just that he has limitations. Jrue Holiday, Kirk Hinrich, Mike Conley, shoot, even Stephen Curry are all making less than $10M/year right now. Reggie has not surpassed any of these guys and needs to maintain consistency (and I do believe he will) to actually be on these players' level. I just don't think he has the talent to be among the elite point guards like Westbrook, Paul, Irving, Parker. Those are the only guys commanding top dollar as PGs.

----------


## Just the facts

> A huge reason that Harden left is because he wanted to be a star.


Harden didn't leave, he got traded because he wanted $1 million more per year and wanted 24 hours to think about the Thunder offer.  The Thunder gave him one hour to 'think about it.  After an hour they didn't hear back from Harden so he got traded.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

What was it I heard on the post game radio broadcast the other night about Reggie...  It was something like for 25+ minutes on the court, his player efficiency rating was 3rd in the league only behind Lebron James & Dwayne Wade. Someone will pay him... Will it be the Thunder?

----------


## warreng88

> Harden didn't leave, he got traded because he wanted $1 million more per year and wanted 24 hours to think about the Thunder offer.  The Thunder gave him one hour to 'think about it.  After an hour they didn't hear back from Harden so he got traded.


Harden was trying to call their bluff and get $60 million over four years instead of $55 million over four years. He said when negotiations started that people would have to "sacrifice" to keep KD, RW, Ibaka and Harden together. He said after he was traded when someone called him out on that quote that he meant coming off the bench, not money. I guess he meant everyone else would have to sacrifice money, not him.

----------


## dankrutka

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Reggie will be a restricted free agent after next season. We don't have him for 3 more years.

----------


## dankrutka

> When has Reggie "said repeatedly that his goal is to be the best PG in the NBA"? I don't recall any such interview occurring.
> 
> The issue for Reggie is that he will never be a star. He's not quite gifted enough. The best he'll ever be is top 10/15 PG. He doesn't have the size nor athleticism to be a Top 5 PG. He's more probably a Top 15/20 player and can either start on a less/non-competitive team or play backup on a perennial conference finals team. Being the starting PG for Milwaukee may make you $2M/year more in the NBA, but in terms of endorsements and anything else, does it net you more than being on a consistent Western Conference champion team?
> 
> He'll never be a #1 guy, and probably never a #2 guy on a contending team. Right now, he's a #3/#4 type guy, and I'm not sure that he can really demand much more.


Wait. You're saying Reggie is a top 15-20 player in the entire NBA, but that he'd have to be a back up on a competing team. That doesn't make sense.

Second, check out Reggie's per 36 numbers and compare them to Harden's in his 3rd season and get back to me. Reggie's already a better defender. I don't think Reggie will be as good of an offensive player as Harden, but he's a heck of a lot closer than I could have imagined at this point in his career.

----------


## warreng88

> Correct me if I'm wrong, but Reggie will be a restricted free agent after next season. We don't have him for 3 more years.


We drafted him and he started playing in the 2011-2012 season. This is only his third season with the Thunder. I was looking at the hoopshype website (HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Oklahoma City Thunder) where it breaks down what every player makes and it looks like we have him this year and next year guaranteed and the following year it says, "Qualifying Offer" which means RFA. In other words, yes, you're right.

----------


## Mel

A side note but when I was working at the airport most pilots would call in range using the Oak City moniker. That is when they were calling in on company freq.

----------


## warreng88

I went to a banking conference downtown several years ago and the woman speaking started out with "Good morning Oak City!" We all kind of looked around the room at each other until one who was brave enough said "No one who lives here calls it that. It's Oklahoma City, OKC or 'The City' if you live in the suburbs. Carry on..." It got awkward for a second then she apologized and moved on.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> I went to a banking conference downtown several years ago and the woman speaking started out with "Good morning Oak City!" We all kind of looked around the room at each other until one who was brave enough said "No one who lives here calls it that. It's Oklahoma City, OKC or 'The City' if you live in the suburbs. Carry on..." It got awkward for a second then she apologized and moved on.


They pronounce it OakState so I've said Oak City a time or two and I've lived here for 32 years of my 35.  At least she didn't say Okie City!

----------


## Teo9969

> Wait. You're saying Reggie is a top 15-20 player in the entire NBA, but that he'd have to be a back up on a competing team. That doesn't make sense.
> 
> Second, check out Reggie's per 36 numbers and compare them to Harden's in his 3rd season and get back to me. Reggie's already a better defender. I don't think Reggie will be as good of an offensive player as Harden, but he's a heck of a lot closer than I could have imagined at this point in his career.


Top 15-20 PG.

----------


## ljbab728

Not that it is a major issue at this point in the season, but after tonight's losses by the Pacers and Spurs, no team has an advantage over the Thunder in the loss column and only the Pacers and Trailblazers match them.

----------


## Teo9969

> Not that it is a major issue at this point in the season, but after tonight's losses by the Pacers and Spurs, no team has an advantage over the Thunder in the loss column and only the Pacers and Trailblazers match them.


If nothing else, it's a great reminder at how unbelievable this Thunder organization is. To be able to have as much instability as the Thunder have had over the last 4 seasons and yet still manage to put out a premier NBA product is nothing short of amazing.

It's also a testament to how great Kevin Durant is.

I've say it frequently, but it bears repeating on a regular basis. Kevin Durant is very likely the best player that will ever don a Thunder uniform. Fans need to really comprehend that and cherish it.

----------


## Bellaboo

I just renewed my tickets for another 3 years, as long as KD is here, i'm in.

----------


## Anonymous.

Nuggets tonight. Bulls on Thursday.

----------


## Laramie

Oklahoma City Thunder 118  Denver Nuggets  115

Nuggets will be out for revenge and Durant will make them pay.


 * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> I just renewed my tickets for another 3 years, as long as KD is here, i'm in.


If KD leaves then you're not in?  :Wink:  It'll be interesting to see how this city supports the team when they're not good. Luckily, if we can sign KD to another contract (which is no guarantee) after this one then we won't know what that's like for a while...

----------


## Bill Robertson

> If KD leaves then you're not in?  It'll be interesting to see how this city supports the team when they're not good. Luckily, if we can sign KD to another contract (which is no guarantee) after this one then we won't know what that's like for a while...


Even if KD retires in OKC he will retire. The Knicks, Celtics, Suns, Jazz, Blazers and on and on have won titles but now are bad to horrible. There will be years or stretches of years that the Thunder will not be good. It happens to every team. To think the Thunder will be immune is unrealistic. I will be a fan if they go 0 and 82, just like I was one of the handfull of people in OU's seats during the Schnellenberger year.

----------


## Laramie

*Thunder put their chips on 9 tonight, as Thunder roll Nuggets 105 - 93.* 



*...and Ibaka answered with the first 11.*




 * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Keep on predicting those scores Laramie!  I predicted a 22 point 4th quarter and I was wrong too--in a good way!

----------


## betts

> I just renewed my tickets for another 3 years, as long as KD is here, i'm in.


I'm in, as long as the Thunder are in.  Worst record in the NBA, I'm in. Best record in the NBA, I'm in.  Everything in between.  New arena, I'm in.  Same arena, same. Whatever it takes to support and keep the team here.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Even if KD retires in OKC he will retire. The Knicks, Celtics, Suns, Jazz, *Blazers* and on and on have won titles but now are bad to horrible. There will be years or stretches of years that the Thunder will not be good. It happens to every team. To think the Thunder will be immune is unrealistic. I will be a fan if they go 0 and 82, just like I was one of the handfull of people in OU's seats during the Schnellenberger year.


The rest of your point is valid, but Portland is not bad to horrible right now.

----------


## Bellaboo

> I just renewed my tickets for another 3 years, as long as KD is here, i'm in.


Now i'm not saying I wouldn't go to games if and when I don't renew......just not all 40 plus....but as long as KD is the face of the team, i'll keep renewing.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> The rest of your point is valid, but Portland is not bad to horrible right now.


You're right this year. I guess I'm just used to them being bad.

----------


## dankrutka

> The rest of your point is valid, but Portland is not bad to horrible right now.


The Suns and Celtics are two of the best stories in the NBA right now too.

----------


## dankrutka

> You're right this year. I guess I'm just used to them being bad.


They've actually been a pretty successful franchise. They're rarely "bad." They've only had 3 or 4 losing seasons since 1990.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> You're right this year. I guess I'm just used to them being bad.


Yeah, this is definitely an unusual year for them compared to the past couple of years, which were by no means terrible years. I completely overlooked it at first when you said Blazers because I usually think "Blazers, they're alright", but then I reread it & was like "wait, Portland is actually really good this year".

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> The Suns and Celtics are two of the best stories in the NBA right now too.


Definitely. I didn't expect much from the Celtics this year after that start they had & Phoenix is just playing really good right now. The season is still young, but both teams are staying pretty consistent.

----------


## Stan Silliman

The two best benches in basketball are the Thunder's and the Spurs'. The Spurs put up five foreign players at times who average as a bench about 46 ppg. 
We match them in skill and almost match them in experience. 
The game winner Saturday might foretell the Western champ.

----------


## Bellaboo

Okay,

A little side note form last night's game in Denver. My son and his girlfriend who lives in Denver went to the game last night. They bought their tickets 3 rows behind the Thunder bench next to the aisle, kind of at the center where the coaches sit next to the players. 

If you remember when Russell Westbrook went to rebound the ball with one hand and lost control and it went out of bounds ?? Well, I heard (on the TV broadcast) some one start heckling Russell, making fun of him and laughing real loud. Really dogging him.

My son said the heckler was sitting about 5 rows behind Brian Davis and Grant Long....that's why we were hearing the heckling so much.

He said at the next time out, Russell came over to the side of the court and stared the heckler down big time. He said he pointed to the heckler and told him twice to 'Shut The F**k Up !'......

Son said there was not another sound out of him... I'd say Russell got the point across.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> The Suns and Celtics are two of the best stories in the NBA right now too.


I was looking at the last few years, not so far this year. OK, both of these and the Blazers look good 24 games into this season. But the season is young.

----------


## dankrutka

> The game winner Saturday might foretell the Western champ.


Both teams look good, but games in December don't determine what happens in June. Don't put too much weight into early season games. The Thunder have a great approach of continual improvement and playing their best basketball at the right time, which is the end of the season.

----------


## ljbab728

After loses tonight by Portland and Indianapolis the thunder are alone at only 4 loses.  Hopefully that will last for at least a couple of games.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

As long as we go 12-0 for the next 12 games at home, we will be fine!

----------


## Laramie

*Some interesting statistics about the Thunder as we round out the month of December:*

Home: 12-0  Road: 8-4 

Northwest Division:  5-2   
Western Conference: 14-4   
Eastern Conference:  6-0

Winning streak:  7 

Loss/rebound win:  

@Minnesota 100-81/@Oklahoma City 113/103
@L.A. Clippers 111-103/@Oklahoma City 105-91
@Golden State 116-115/@Oklahoma City 113-112 OT
@Portland 111-104/*@Oklahoma City Tue, Dec 31*

Big game against Portland when the Trail Blazers visit OKC on December 31st.

Some posters may be concerned about the point differential in our rebound wins; remember, a win is a win and style points aren't factored into the standings.

2013-2014 NBA Regular Season Conference Standings - National Basketball Association - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

> Some posters may be concerned about the point differential in our rebound wins; remember, a win is a win and style points aren't factored into the standings.


I think as much or more than any other sport, NBA point differential is among the least relevant stats to analyze as the season progresses. Too many OT games that can turn into double-digit wins by virtue of just one or two turnovers, or one team gets on a hot streak from behind the arc, or another goes cold. Given that NBA games can swing wildly even among relatively close, good teams, point differential is a red herring. 

Only thing that matters is the W's and the L's, baby  :Smile:

----------


## Anonymous.

I am okay with all of those losses except the Clippers one. I know we already got revenge and Griffin got boo'd to all hell. But I won't be satisfied until we smoke them in a playoff series.

----------


## Teo9969

> I think as much or more than any other sport, NBA point differential is among the least relevant stats to analyze as the season progresses. Too many OT games that can turn into double-digit wins by virtue of just one or two turnovers, or one team gets on a hot streak from behind the arc, or another goes cold. Given that NBA games can swing wildly even among relatively close, good teams, point differential is a red herring. 
> 
> Only thing that matters is the W's and the L's, baby


Point differential in individual games is a useless stat, but as a compiled stat it's a good indicator of how good both your offense and defense are performing.

----------


## Teo9969

> I am okay with all of those losses except the Clippers one. I know we already got revenge and Griffin got boo'd to all hell. But I won't be satisfied until we smoke them in a playoff series.


My hunch is that won't be until next year at the earliest. They won't make it out of the 1st round, which is almost sure to be a matchup between them and Houston.

----------


## dankrutka

> My hunch is that won't be until next year at the earliest. They won't make it out of the 1st round, which is almost sure to be a matchup between them and Houston.


How can you say any match up almost sure at this point in the season? There's not one seed that is sure in the Western conference at this point. The Clippers could definitely make it out of the first round. Will they? Well, there's a lot of the season and their playoff match up left to be determined...

----------


## Teo9969

> How can you say any match up almost sure at this point in the season? There's not one seed that is sure in the Western conference at this point. The Clippers could definitely make it out of the first round. Will they? Well, there's a lot of the season and their playoff match up left to be determined...


That latter statement was predicated on my first "hunch".

----------


## warreng88

I know this is the Thunder thread, but I thought I would share it here instead of starting a new one:

Lakers lose Kobe Bryant again

Updated: December 19, 2013, 3:55 PM ET
By Ramona Shelburne | ESPNLosAngeles.com 

Los Angeles Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant is expected to miss six weeks with a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in his left knee, the team announced Thursday.

Bryant suffered the injury Tuesday in the Lakers' victory at the Memphis Grizzlies. An MRI exam Thursday revealed that Bryant actually played for a half against the Grizzlies with it.

The news comes as an undeniable blow to the Lakers, who in late November signed Bryant to a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension before the 35-year-old had made it back onto the floor from a torn Achilles.

Bryant returned to the court from the injury Dec. 8, and has averaged 13.8 points and 6.3 assists in six games since.

Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles Lakers likely out six weeks with injured knee - ESPN Los Angeles

----------


## Easy180

I think it's safe to say Kobe won't ever be the same...Time for the Lakers to clean house and get young again

----------


## nighttrain12

> I think it's safe to say Kobe won't ever be the same...Time for the Lakers to clean house and get young again


I prefer them to be old and injury prone.

----------


## Easy180

Pretty freakin scary that the Spurs can beat Golden State on the road w/o Ginobili, Parker or Duncan

----------


## betts

Golden State can't turn the ball over like they did and hope to beat the Spurs, no matter which Spurs..  They weren't shooting that well last nigh either, although Curry had 30.

----------


## Bellaboo

Clay Thompson has been in a slump lately. Shot 30 % last night and only 1 for 7 from three.......the Warriors have regressed lately.

----------


## Laramie

> I think it's safe to say Kobe won't ever be the same...Time for the Lakers to clean house and get young again


20*13* The basketball gods weren't kind to the Los Angeles Lakers:

*1.* Kobe Bryant tears Achilles tendon.
*2.* Kobe Bryant out the next six weeks due to a fracture in his knee
*3.* The sky is falling in Laker land.

Remedy:  Visit:  :Smiley122:    Miss Rudolph the voodoo lady in New Orleans:   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   :Wink:   :Big Grin: 

 *TIPS:  Don't forget to leave her a goose or a turkey...*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

 :Ot:

----------


## Laramie

Serge Ibaka's two blocks on Joakim Noah, followed by a Kendrick Perkin's rebound and pass to K.D. with 2:50 left in the 2nd quarter leading to a fast break sparked by a Durant 3-pointer deflated the injury plagued Chicago Bulls en route to 107-95 victory.

----------


## Pete

> I think it's safe to say Kobe won't ever be the same...Time for the Lakers to clean house and get young again


This is a really good article on OKC (Putnam City) product Xavier Henry, who seems to be hitting his stride with the Lakers.

He was a lottery pick after a one-and-done at Kansas and then bounced around, but he's still only 22 and is crazy talented:

The resurrection of Lakers forward Xavier Henry - Grantland

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> This is a really good article on OKC (Putnam City) product Xavier Henry, who seems to be hitting his stride with the Lakers.
> 
> He was a lottery pick after a one-and-done at Kansas and then bounced around, but he's still only 22 and is crazy talented:
> 
> The resurrection of Lakers forward Xavier Henry - Grantland


I went to school with him at PCO & man, he was good. I'm a basketball player myself & I could make it in the NBA if that was the direction I wanted to go, but Xavier is a whole lot better than me (at least at the time we played together, he's probably on a different planet than me now with his NBA experience). I'm glad to see he's making a mark with the Lakers, he's a pretty good person from my time with him so he deserves the opportunity.

----------


## ljbab728

That was an impressive win tonight over the Spurs while leading for most of the game.  We are now 2 - 0 against them for the season and broke a losing streak against them in San Antonio.  If they stay focused for the next four games they should have a 13 game win streak when Portland comes here on New Years Eve.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> That was an impressive win tonight over the Spurs while leading for most of the game.  We are now 2 - 0 against them for the season and broke a losing streak against them in San Antonio.


Very impressive. Especially when you consider that KD only scored 17. The team as a whole looked really good.

----------


## Laramie

You're witnessing a carbon copy of the Spurs when they went on their championship runs spanning 1999, 2003, 2005 & 2007.  You have different guys stepping up on any given night.  This is our recipe to success.  Durant or Westbrook can have an off night.

This was a* signature win* for the Thunder as they continue with their winning streak and went into San Antonio where they lost six previous meetings.  Popovich rested his big three as they had a night off prior to this game. They definitely can't complain about the calls--the Spurs got the benefit of the doubt.

Nick Collison was a key to the Thunder success against the Spurs tonight as he and Reggie Jackson manned the offense and defense for the second team with a spice of Westbrook and/or Durant.

Thunder Put Away Spurs - ESPN Video - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

This is looking like most complete Thunder team yet. Really impressive win. I LOOOOOVVVEEEDDD how Brooks stuck with the bench in the 4th quarter longer than normal. We need play like this in April/May/June... #ThunderUp

----------


## Laramie

Interesting site on NBA & ABA Players Born in Oklahoma:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...ry=US&state=OK


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

Toronto comes to town tonight. Their stud is DeMar DeRozen who wouldn't have been at USC except for this guy: 

 Percy Miller

----------


## PWitty

> If nothing else, it's a great reminder at how unbelievable this Thunder organization is. To be able to have as much instability as the Thunder have had over the last 4 seasons and yet still manage to put out a premier NBA product is nothing short of amazing.
> 
> It's also a testament to how great Kevin Durant is.
> 
> I've say it frequently, but it bears repeating on a regular basis. Kevin Durant is very likely the best player that will ever don a Thunder uniform. Fans need to really comprehend that and cherish it.


I often fear that because of how great the Thunder have been, that the fans may start to feel a little entitled. And like you said, I don't think people comprehend how great KD is and understand how big of a blessing it is to have him represent this team and city. The Thunder are having their best start to a season since they've been in OKC and I already hear people talk about how there are fans leaving games early. I'll admit, it is tough to continually get amped up over and over again as a fan for games that aren't "prime time" games. I just graduated from KU this last year, and as a student who didn't miss a single home KU basketball game over a VERY dominant stretch for KU basketball, I can attest to seeing fans get spoiled by success. People just expect you to win every game regardless of the type of environment the home crowd provides.

----------


## ljbab728

> If they stay focused for the next four games they should have a 13 game win streak when Portland comes here on New Years Eve.



Well, so much for that idea.  LOL

----------


## Laramie

One of those games where you can't take your foot off the gas pedal.  *Toronto hit key shots down the stretch...*

Great minutes for the bench.  Let's hope K.D. can maintain his concentration and get his groove back.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Easy180

Well with a loss at home look for Presti to fire Brooks any day now

----------


## Laramie

> Well with a loss at home look for Presti to fire Brooks any day now


Come on now Easy180--take it easy; let's have a better attitude than that.  A momentum shift in which Toronto took full charge.

Glad we got that home streak where we can put it behind us.  The Raptors hit some shots in which they were well guarded by the Thunder.

Thunder shot 36.8% and the Raptors shot 39.6% from the field.  We were 30.4% from the three point line and they shot 40.0%.  

Tough loss for our Thunder tonight after coming off that big win in San Antonio.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

If anything, Easy180 was being sarcastic.

----------


## ljbab728

> If anything, Easy180 was being sarcastic.


That was exactly how I took it.

----------


## Easy180

Most definitely...I was playing the part of a Sooners fan lol

----------


## Anonymous.

Traptors.


They always seem to do this to us. Can only learn from it. On to the next!

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> That was exactly how I took it.


I wasn't pointing you out, lol.

----------


## ljbab728

> I wasn't pointing you out, lol.


I know, I was just agreeing with you.

----------


## Laramie

> Most definitely...I was playing the part of a Sooners fan lol


Wow!  You had me concerned; glad you brought that up because you convinced me.  I should know better as much as I have read your posts.  

It is typical of fans who become spoiled like those in college football to demand competitive play and become additive with a team's winning success.  We are indeed fortunate to have an NBA franchise here in OKC.  Our fans are great and they know when to turn on the amplifier to rally the Thunder.   A unique situation in which some OU & OSU fans unite together in an NBA major league setting.  

Had Birmingham obtained the NFL franchise that's now in Jacksonville, just wonder if that state (Alabama/Auburn) would have united behind a common cause? 

*Great play by a united Thunder front.*  The non-starters or second string of mixed greens are truly beginning to mature as Scott Brooks keeps a Durant and/or Westbrook on the floor to bring in the harvest.  True they (Knicks) didn't have Carmelo Anthony available in their 123-94 beat down by OKC. 

_My friend called me from New York; he couldn't believe how the Thunder manhandled the boys in the Big Apple.   He said it was the worst beating the Knicks have taken in the Garden in a long time._ 

Our team is really bonding together; especially our back-up players; they have displayed real ball movement. The non starters are showing the starters the benefits of spacing and  ball movement anchored by Adams, Collison, Jackson, Jones & Lamb.  Notice how Brooks inserts a veteran (Durant, Fisher and/or Westbrook) in with that bunch and the team doesn't skip a beat.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

Your friend needs to watch more Knicks games. They were just beat at home by 41 by a weak Celtics team two weeks ago. The terribleness of the New York teams is off-the-charts right now.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

^^damn

----------


## Laramie

> Your friend needs to watch more Knicks games. They were just beat at home by 41 by a weak Celtics team two weeks ago. The terribleness of the New York teams is off-the-charts right now.


Wow!  A game in which the Knicks had Carmelo Anthony play 32 minutes with 19 points losing 114-73 at the Garden.

New York City area has two NBA basketball teams (Knicks, Nets) with 2013-14 team salaries of $88,249,065 (New York) and $102,211,009 (Brooklyn).

Oklahoma City Thunder's team salary is $70,343,704 according to NBA Team Salaries 2013/14 | HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors


Oklahoma City Thunder Team Salary | HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors


Oklahoma City Thunder 2014 Team Roster - ESPN
According to the HoopsWorld (U.S.A. Today) and ESPN 2013-14 sources their reporting on player salaries aren't the same.

----------


## dankrutka

And with the tax penalties, I think both will pay significantly more than that for their teams, particularly the Nets. The Nets mortgaged their future (i.e., draft picks) for THIS season. I have no clue what they're going to do moving forward with so many huge contracts and almost no assets. It's depressing to even consider...

----------


## Anonymous.

Looks like Russell is out again.

More surgery on his knee for swelling. Slated for post Allstar-break return.


They seem to be getting it overwith now so he will be ready for a championship run into playoffs.

----------


## Easy180

Out at least 7 weeks...Really sucks since he has been on fire...May cost us a seed or two but definitely better now than in March

----------


## OKCisOK4me

It's a good thing Coach Brooks has been experimenting with the rotations. So with Reggie running the point, who backs him up now? Or will we see KD as a hybrid point?

----------


## Pete

OKC Thunder: Russell Westbrook has knee surgery, out at least 7 weeks | News OK

Crap, out until the all-star break.

Step up, Reggie!

----------


## warreng88

> It's a good thing Coach Brooks has been experimenting with the rotations. So with Reggie running the point, who backs him up now? Or will we see KD as a hybrid point?


Fisher obviously will run the second team but you will probably see KD and possibly even Lamb running it with Fisher in.

----------


## Mel

I am glad they are getting him healthy now for the big run later on. This team is not the same one that lost Russell last year. The players have really been stepping up their game this year. Might be a little stumble but they will not fall.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Fisher obviously will run the second team but you will probably see KD and possibly even Lamb running it with Fisher in.


I like the timing on this.  I just don't want Russell to turn into our own little Derrick Rose...

----------


## warreng88

> I like the timing on this.  I just don't want Russell to turn into our own little Derrick Rose...


Agreed. I think if Reggie has a good couple of months in Westbrook's absence, he could command quite a payday after next year. I hope he is humble enough to want to stay in OKC for less and be a part of something great instead of just jumping ship to get a starting PG job replacing Steve Nash, Darren Collison or Isaiah Thomas at SAC.

----------


## Easy180

It is now completely obvious his surgery earlier this year was not as minor as some on here insisted it was

----------


## s00nr1

Observation: First game back following the All-Star break would be at home against the Heat.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Observation: First game back following the All-Star break would be at home against the Heat.


Stay on target.......STAY on target!

----------


## ljbab728

Let's don't underestimate Russell.  Remember he came back from his last surgery much sooner than expected.

----------


## OSUMom

> Let's don't underestimate Russell.  Remember he came back from his last surgery much sooner than expected.



Which might have been the problem?  Maybe?  I hate to think it, because I would love to see him back ASAP!

----------


## ljbab728

> Which might have been the problem?  Maybe?  I hate to think it, because I would love to see him back ASAP!


OKC Thunder: Russell Westbrook has knee surgery, out at least 7 weeks | News OK




> When asked about the possibility of Westbrook returning early, Presti said the team “needs to let nature take its course.” But he insisted that Westbrook's early return to start the season did not lead to this setback. Presti added that this third surgery wouldn't make him more cautious about allowing Westbrook to again attempt an early return.


Like tonight, every win without Russell, especially on the road is a big plus. Miami would have been very happy with a four point road win tonight against a Golden State with only 9 wins on the season.

----------


## Laramie

Listed below are some key impact players on NBA teams who could be out for an indefinite period of time. 

This has been an unusual year for NBA player injuries:

*Eastern Conference*
Al Horford, Atlanta
Brook Lopez, Andrei Kirilenko, Brooklyn
Rajon Rondo, Boston
Brendan Haywood, Charlotte
Derrick Rose, Chicago
Chauncey Billups, Detroit
Zaza Pachulia, Carlos Delfino, Milwaukee
Carmelo Anthony, New York
Jason Richardson, Philadelphia
Glen Rice Jr., Al Harrington, Washington


*Western Conference*
Devin Harris, Dallas
JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari, Denver
Jermaine O'Neal, Golden State
Omer Asik, Houston
Reggie Bullock, L.A. Clippers
Kobe Bryant, Steve Blake, Steve Nash, L.A. Lakers
Quincy Pondexter, Marc Gasol, Memphis
Ronny Turiaf, Minnesota
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Emeka Okafor, Phoenix
Carl Landry, Sacramento

Basketball Injury News and Analysis - Rotoworld.com

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Miami has a big game in Portland tonight and Lebron is day-to-day with a strained groin.  Portland is 11-0 against Eastern Conference opponents.  

Side note: Greg Oden is still injured...

----------


## Laramie

> Miami has a big game in Portland tonight and Lebron is day-to-day with a strained groin.  Portland is 11-0 against Eastern Conference opponents.  
> 
> Side note: Greg Oden is still injured...


Unfortunate for Greg Oden; he is probably history... 

Miami thought that they could rest a few guys and it backfired; they underestimated the Sacramento Kings and they paid to the piper (DeMarcus Cousins).   *Brooks' has emphasized 'to always respect your opponent.'*  Portland will be out for a signature win and to make a statement to the rest of the NBA. Erik Spoelstra doesn't have the experience yet to pull a Popovich chest move.  

Popovich's aging Spurs can't run up and down the court against teams which uses the same youth pattern as our Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Sure it's a blow to hear that we are going to be temporarily without the services of Russell Westbrook.  

The Thunder will have to move forward and continue to develop players who can assist Durant in getting the job done and not have all of this fall on K.D.'s shoulders.  If Kevin takes on more than he can handle--he just might succumb to an injury.

When R.W.  is given the green light to play; limit his minutes and gradually work him back into the line-up.  *Let's face it, Westbrook is a stubborn, bull-headed competitor and a gym rat   who doesn't know, feel or recognize pain--like an energizer bunny--he feeds on it.*  :Hungry: 

*Thunder coaches need to consider:* 

Keep *Reggie Jackson* on the second unit where these guys have developed continuity; also continue to rotate him in with both units.  This combination has maintained production; sometimes extending leads when one of our big three were not productive. 

*Thabo Sefolosha* needs to be put in a situation in which he has to perform.  He plugged the hole of  Charlotte's fat lady before she had a chance to sing (two key game ending free-throws). 

Bring *Andre Roberson* off the bench and insert him back into the starting lineup. 

 Finally, for goodness sakes leave Kendrick Perkins alone--we need that intimidation x-factor to keep the opponents honest; if looks could kill, Perkins would be up for manslaughter charges.    We know that he's an expensive piece in that role--use him.  Perkins has fouled opposing team players so hard that IMO it affected their free throw shooting along with the distraction of a noisy and barebelly intimating beneath-the-basket gallery.

----------


## Stan Silliman

I hate to not win all the games possible. It'll make a difference come playoff time. 

I'd like to see Brooks bring in another ball handler as point guard, perhaps a D-Leaguer with 10 game contracts or a foreign player who might want to chase a ring. 
Otherwise, we take the risk of overtaxing our only PG reserves - Reggie and Fish. Reggie, who was prone to back spasms early in the season could be stressed again
if not given enough rest. Fisher is... just old and to overtax him would be a dis-service despite how much Brooks trusts him.  

Westbrook was just starting to get his shooting touch back. He was doing a bunch of good things but he still wasn't quite up to the par of last year. When he comes back 
in February, I expect it will take even another adjustment to get back to where he was.

----------


## OSUMom

I don't get the whole Andre Roberson thing.  He's good enough to start for Thabo when he was sick and injured.  But he isn't good enough to play off the bench unless we are in garbage time.  I just don't get it.

----------


## dankrutka

> I don't get the whole Andre Roberson thing.  He's good enough to start for Thabo when he was sick and injured.  But he isn't good enough to play off the bench unless we are in garbage time.  I just don't get it.


Brooks just wanted continuity in his lineup's when Thabo was out for just a couple games. Roberson is not ready to play night in and night out in my opinion. He has a ton of work to do on the offensive end and time spent in Tulsa will serve him well.

----------


## PWitty

It sounds like this injury had nothing to do with him coming back early. The doctors indicated they saw swelling in his knee caused by something that hadn't shown up on the MRI's until recently. Likely just a coincidence they're in the same leg.

----------


## Anonymous.

Destroying the Rockets without Westbrook last night was pretty nice. Granted Houston was on number 2 of a back to back.

Regardless, it should not have been a 30 point blowout. I think this team (and mostly KD) is taking the talk about losing games and falling seeds with Westbrook being out, personal.

Also every time we cream the Rockets, I wonder how many Harden-trade haters shut their traps? Especially when we do it using the pieces we got in the trade. Presti is a god.

----------


## Laramie

> It sounds like this injury had nothing to do with him coming back early. The doctors indicated they saw swelling in his knee caused by something that hadn't shown up on the MRI's until recently. Likely just a coincidence they're in the same leg.


You're probably onto something...  

Russell is no stranger to shaking off pain. There was a game in which Russell collided with another player shortly before he was put back on the injury list and I said to myself then; oh no, not again.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

My mom and I are going to the game tomorrow evening.  Can't wait!  The game against Portland holds a magnitude of importance for this team.  As much as I can't stand Miami, I'm glad they beat Portland the other night.

----------


## Anonymous.

I will be there tomorrow night, as well. Potentially a preview of one of our playoff rounds. NYE and playoff basketball in OKC, should be a great night in all of downtown.

----------


## ljbab728

Portland lost tonight in New Orleans and that could be both good and bad thing for the Thunder.  They now have a two game lead but could let up a little in the game on Tuesday night because of that.  Of course, Portland could be really tired in a back to back after a very tight game tonight.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Portland lost tonight in New Orleans and that could be both good and bad thing for the Thunder.  They now have a two game lead but could let up a little in the game on Tuesday night because of that.  Of course, Portland could be really tired in a back to back after a very tight game tonight.


As evidenced by our older but still young team, back to backs aren't good for the teams that have them.

----------


## Bill Robertson

As Perk said after the Rockets thumping, the team wants to prove they can play well without Westbrook and be even better for his return. I don't think there will be a letting up tonight for the Thunder.

----------


## OKCRT

> As Perk said after the Rockets thumping, the team wants to prove they can play well without Westbrook and be even better for his return. I don't think there will be a letting up tonight for the Thunder.


When RW was lost for the playoffs last year the team played like they were feeling sorry for themselves. This time they look to be playing with a chip on their shoulder and wanting to show everyone that this team can win even while losing one of their best players. I like that.....

----------


## Bellaboo

I went to the Houston game the other night, so I gave mine away for tonight...

What's amazing to me, is that we've been destroying a lot of contenders..S.A, Clippers, Houston, etc.

----------


## CCOKC

I would really like to see that again tonight as well.  LaMarcus Aldridge is very fun to watch though.  He seems to especially like playing against the Thunder.

----------


## Laramie

Tough loss with a nightmare ending...

Did Durant score only one point in the whole second half?  Which means he had 36 in the first half? Other players have got to step up in Westbrook's absence; everything can't fall on Kevin Durant.  

*Correction:* I understand that Durant put up 14 points in the third quarter.

That's was what I thought I heard the announcers say on FoxOklahoma about the one point!  *Just like Granny use to say, "You thought like Little Orphan Andy, you thought a piece of (blank) was a piece of candy." * 

Thunder offensive production:

 Durant 37
 Ibaka 17
 Jackson 12
 Lamb 10
 Collison 4
 Fisher 4
 Adams 4
 Sefolosha 4
 Perkins 2 

Two of these five players scoring four points and less; have got to double their production.

We had fives points taken off the board with late whistles in the fourth quarter.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Weird game last night. Joey Crawford was in full effect. And Thunder went cold (raptors 4th anyone?) and started missing free throws.

Way too many key plays at the end blown by OKC. On to the next.

----------


## catcherinthewry

The Thunder didn't have near the ball movement they did against the Rockets, only 15 assists last night.  When they move the ball the Thunder are still very good even without RW.

----------


## shawnw

If Thabo would get his mojo back scoring wise it would be a big help.

----------


## Anonymous.

> If Thabo would get his mojo back scoring wise it would be a big help.


Yea it seems he has reverted back to his 2012 hesitation.

----------


## OSUMom

I think there was a problem with the game tonight.  It was the same one from two nights ago.

----------


## Anonymous.

Another 4th quarter choke. 

On a side note. The amount of game winner buzzer beaters this season across the league is amazing.

----------


## Mel

The Hail Mary's are prominent this season.

----------


## ljbab728

If it makes anyone feel better, the Spurs lost at home tonight to the Knicks and the Heat lost at home to Golden State.

----------


## Laramie

*We now appreciate and know the value of Russell Westbrook...*

----------


## ljbab728

That was a good, come from behind, road win tonight for the Thunder and helped take the sting out of the last two losses.  Any road win without Russell is a good one.  As a bonus, Portland lost at home tonight to Philly so we're back alone in first place in the West.

----------


## Easy180

Got a little lucky with this win since Perk could have easily been the goat for fouling Love behind the line

----------


## betts

That was an MVP performance by Kevin Durant.

----------


## Laramie

> Got a little lucky with this win since Perk could have easily been the goat for fouling Love behind the line


*He definitely would have been the 'goat' for fouling Love.* 

NBA officials appear to express no love for players like Perkins who have a reputation for complaining. 

*How many times do you see teams get that call?*  There is an unwritten rule that officials claim that they do not like to make that call which could  decide the outcome of the game at the free throw line.  *Were players getting the green light that it was OK to foul in the remaining moments of the game?* 

Now the NBA appears to be fine-tuning its officials.    Remember how they were going to *enforce the rule on an offensive player touching the ball after his team scores?*  Do you see them calling that now?   Well, that did more to stagnant the flow of the game than the actual intent of what the rule was being enforced to resolve.

Kevin Durant was clobbered (by C.J. Miles) while taking a shot in the remaining seconds of a game in Salt Lake City some years ago and that call wasn't made; I remember the TV announcer saying, _'You're not going to get that call.'_  The NBA league office later stated that a foul should have been called--*so much for that.* 

 Thunder games are getting tough; we miss you Russell!

What Perkins did would normally be a no-call from what I have observed in the NBA; What direction is the league going now(?)...  

My belief is that a foul is a foul no matter when or what phase of the game it is made.


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

Westbrook on his rehab.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Will Russell Westbrook again return sooner than expected? | News OK




> Russell Westbrook came as close as he could Sunday to confirming our suspicions.
> 
> There's no way he'll be on the shelf through the All-Star break.
> 
> Speaking for the first time since undergoing a third surgery to his right knee, Westbrook refused to reveal any clues about when he'll be back in action.
> 
> But he was again resolute that team timelines aren't his timelines.
> 
> “Yeah, I don't pay no attention to none of those projections, man,” Westbrook said. “I just wake up and try to get better each and every day. That's it.”
> ...

----------


## OSUMom

Can I just say I love Steven Adams?

Oklahoma City Thunder notebook: Steven Adams show no ill effects after spraining right ankle | News OK

My favorite quote:

“He's as tough as I've been around, any player,” Scott Brooks said. “Every day, he just plays. The elbows, the pushes, nothing phases him. All he cares about is eating a lot of food and playing basketball.”

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Can I just say I love Steven Adams?


Me too. The Big Funaki is becoming my favorite player.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

With two of our big three out, I'm giving Utah their 12th victory. The Thunder is a shell of itself tonight.

----------


## bradh

Jackson is more of a ballhog than Russell has ever been

----------


## OSUMom

The comeback would have been successful if they hadn't dug themselves such a big hole.  Oh and if Opie (Haywood looks like Opie) had missed just a few down the stretch.

----------


## Laramie

> With two of our big three out, I'm giving Utah their 12th victory. The Thunder is a shell of itself tonight.


Starting a game without Westbrook & Ibaka on top of losing Thabo during the course of the game stretched out the bench and created havoc among the second string players who loss continuity with a modified line-up.  

Durant (45 min,) & Jackson (42 min.,) played quite a few minutes.  Getting regrouped and ready for Denver shouldn't be that big of a task.  Let's hope that Ibaka is ready for Denver and Thabo can contribute more than 20 minutes.

Give it up to Gordon Hayward (37 min.,) SG with an outstanding performance; he shot 13-16 FGM, 2-3 3PM-A, 9-13 at the charity line for 37 points.  The Jazz shot 58% from the field.

Are we stressing out Kevin Durant who had a game high 48 points?

Box Score:  Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz - Box Score - January 07, 2014 - ESPN



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Setup was perfect for a loss last night. I hope Reggie didn't turn his ankle too bad in those closing seconds.

Cannot wait for Russ to be back. And hopefully Ibaka does not spread his illness to the rest of the team.

----------


## Anonymous.

National TV game tonight in Denver. 9:30 CT time tip off, TNT.

Denver is on a short winning streak after losing almost every game in December.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Negative. Win by one. 109 - 110


I watched the whole game, tyvm, but good try ;-)

Sounds like the radio guys are branding tonight's game as Denver's redemption game.  Ibaka should be back in the line up but they don't know if he's recovered quickly from his flu like symptoms or he'll still be under the weather.




> Starting a game without Westbrook & Ibaka on top of losing Thabo during the course of the game stretched out the bench and created havoc among the second string players who loss continuity with a modified line-up.  
> 
> Durant (45 min,) & Jackson (42 min.,) played quite a few minutes.  Getting regrouped and ready for Denver shouldn't be that big of a task.  Let's hope that Ibaka is ready for Denver and Thabo can contribute more than 20 minutes.
> 
> Give it up to Gordon Hayward (37 min.,) SG with an outstanding performance; he shot 13-16 FGM, 2-3 3PM-A, 9-13 at the charity line for 37 points.  The Jazz shot 58% from the field.
> 
> Are we stressing out Kevin Durant who had a game high 48 points?
> 
> Box Score:  Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz - Box Score - January 07, 2014 - ESPN
> ...


Yo, it's like the middle of the season, I'm well aware that down the stretch this team is going to be a contender, just as they are now with everything all in a funk and I scoff at other teams fans that get all excited cause they're whooping up on the almighty Thunder but they don't even know the half of it.  Again, you don't have to recap what I already know and get all defensive because I'm a pessimistic realist who knows the future is very bright for the Thunder whether it be next month, net year or seasons to follow, lol.

----------


## adaniel

> I watched the whole game, tyvm, but good try ;-)
> 
> Yo, it's like the middle of the season, I'm well aware that down the stretch this team is going to be a contender, just as they are now with everything all in a funk and I scoff at other teams fans that get all excited cause they're whooping up on the almighty Thunder but they don't even know the half of it.  Again, you don't have to recap what I already know and get all defensive because I'm a pessimistic realist who knows the future is very bright for the Thunder whether it be next month, net year or seasons to follow, lol.


Meh...haters gonna hate. Thunder are successful so they will get their detractors, its just the name of the game. And since Portland keeps losing games despite being completely healthy--they lost to the Kings Tuesday and unlike us have no excuse for it--we are still no. 2 in the West. As long as we are no worse than the 3 seed when playoff time comes we are in good shape.

----------


## blangtang

> Out of curiosity, what does everyone expect Thunder's record to be in the regular season. Try to answer honestly. I'm genuinely curious.


Win about 3 outta 4, or 4 outta 5

maybe 62 - 20

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Meh...haters gonna hate. Thunder are successful so they will get their detractors, its just the name of the game. And since Portland keeps losing games despite being completely healthy--they lost to the Kings Tuesday and unlike us have no excuse for it--we are still no. 2 in the West. As long as we are no worse than the 3 seed when playoff time comes we are in good shape.


Who's hating? lol.  I think you're misinterpreting my message...  I'm Thunder lover thru and thru but when you're watching a game and you just know it in your heart they're gonna lose and you talk about it before it happens it doesn't mean that you're hating on the organization.  It just means you know.  Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.




> Out of curiosity, what does everyone expect Thunder's record to be in the regular season. Try to answer honestly. I'm genuinely curious.


Refer to my post...#6 on page 1 ;-) and then post #32 on page 2 (which was a revision).

----------


## warreng88

> Out of curiosity, what does everyone expect Thunder's record to be in the regular season. Try to answer honestly. I'm genuinely curious.


We are 27-8 right now. I will say we win 28 and be 55-27. I only say that because I think we will struggle a little without Westbrook until the All-Star break which is still 20 games away. I think we will be third in the Western conference behind Portland and SA but ahead of the Clippers as the top four and we will open in the playoffs against Houston again.

----------


## HangryHippo

What exactly happened that caused Westbrook to need a third surgery?  Did he re-injure the same spot?  Different injury?  Exploratory?  Poor procedure done the first time?

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Too bad Russ isn't rehabbed enough to punk Rocky again tonight.

----------


## dankrutka

> What exactly happened that caused Westbrook to need a third surgery?  Did he re-injure the same spot?  Different injury?  Exploratory?  Poor procedure done the first time?


Swelling. The second time it was because of a loose stitch from the first surgery. He just had a scope so it's not a completely new procedure. If that doesn't sound right it's because I'm not a medical doctor.  :Wink: 

If Westbrook comes back later this month, which I expect, then I'll say between 54-58 wins. If Westbrook hadn't been injured I expected between 58-64ish.

----------


## Stan Silliman

I said in an earlier thread and I'll say it again. We need an additional ball handling point guard.
Reggie is getting worn out and he won't be as much help in the playoffs if he re-injures his back from over playing. 
Derek never was a great ball handling pass first pg, more of a shooting guard. 
We need to either rent a top notch developmental league player or someone from a foreign league.
You can rent them on 10 game contracts. Since we shipped Ryan Gomes, we've got two spaces open.
I don't see what it hurts. It might help rest some guys and it might help win some games we wouldn't.

----------


## ljbab728

After the embarrassing  performance tonight in Denver, anything would help.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Those two open spaces are second round draft picks that aren't available to us until after this season.  No short term relief...

----------


## Teo9969

It wouldn't be the end of the world to give Lamb more time on the ball, and it would be valuable experience for him as things move forward.

Even so, OKC needs to find another option for backup PG. That or even start Fisher and bring Reggie off the bench early on (~8 minute mark).

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I'm very impressed with Lamb.  I think that look on his face that he carries is just natural.  I thought at first it was a confused look but now I see it as a face that steals victory away from our opponents.  He's stone cold.  Definitely needs more playing time.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> Those two open spaces are second round draft picks that aren't available to us until after this season.  No short term relief...


We do have two open roster spots and some money under the cap.

----------


## Anonymous.

Last night's game was a trash game. I don't think more than 4 plays were actually planned and executed on.

The team is broken without Russell, the only reason we have chances in games is if KD goes off for some insane amount of points.

I am glad Brooks ran with the 3rd string for the last quarter and a half last night.

Right now Lamb is shooting terribly, Thabo is back to being hesitant, Reggie is trying too hard and looks frustrated when his teammates stand around, Fisher is a mess trying to do anything but stand on the 3 point line.



The worst part about all of this, is this coming week is probably the toughest stretch in our schedule. Maybe we can at least beat the Bucks in our only Saturday home game... lol

----------


## Bill Robertson

> Last night's game was a trash game. I don't think more than 4 plays were actually planned and executed on.
> 
> The team is broken without Russell, the only reason we have chances in games is if KD goes off for some insane amount of points.
> 
> I am glad Brooks ran with the 3rd string for the last quarter and a half last night.
> 
> Right now Lamb is shooting terribly, Thabo is back to being hesitant, Reggie is trying too hard and looks frustrated when his teammates stand around, Fisher is a mess trying to do anything but stand on the 3 point line.
> 
> 
> ...


Scary as it is for us Thunder fans you hit the nail squarely on the head. I hope Westbrook comes back with a completely healed knee.

----------


## Richard at Remax

The Thunder are playing like Buzz's girlfriend right now....WOOF!

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> We do have two open roster spots and some money under the cap.


How did we get those two open spots?

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Scary as it is for us Thunder fans you hit the nail squarely on the head. I hope Westbrook comes back with a completely healed knee.


The problem with our fan base is that they expect a mythical national championship. Shouldn't confuse the two, lol.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> How did we get those two open spots?


Each team can have 15 players on the roster. We only had 14 so we had 1 open spot all along. Then Gomes wasn't replaced by a warm body so that's a second.

----------


## Teo9969

> We do have two open roster spots and some money under the cap.


tax line and cap are not the same. We're well over the cap.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Each team can have 15 players on the roster. We only had 14 so we had 1 open spot all along. Then Gomes wasn't replaced by a warm body so that's a second.


Gotcha.  I was under the impression that we only have the two "picks" for the upcoming second round of the draft.  

Question is, will Sam Presti fill the two spots with minimum salary players or try to bring in one player that's worth more by the trade deadline?




> tax line and cap are not the same. *We're well over the cap*.


Do you have a link to that?  I know that you can see individual salaries on ESPN.com but is there a link to that kind of info?  Thanks.

----------


## Laramie

> tax line and cap are not the same. We're well over the cap.


Here is a source on the team salary CAP:

According to NBA free agency 2013: What cap space and exceptions do teams have left? - SBNation.com; we are well over the CAP.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Here is a source on the team salary CAP:
> 
> According to NBA free agency 2013: What cap space and exceptions do teams have left? - SBNation.com; we are well over the CAP.


I actually had a little down time and found this site which shows we're $12,000,000 over the cap:

Oklahoma City Thunder Team Payroll | Basketball-Reference.com

----------


## dankrutka

> Gotcha.  I was under the impression that we only have the two "picks" for the upcoming second round of the draft.  
> 
> Question is, will Sam Presti fill the two spots with minimum salary players or try to bring in one player that's worth more by the trade deadline?


One of the picks we'll probably never actually get because it's heavily protected, but the other one we'll get at some point, but it may not be in this upcoming draft.

----------


## Laramie

> One of the picks we'll probably never actually get because it's heavily protected, but the other one we'll get at some point, but it may not be in this upcoming draft.


_"As part of the Harden trade, Oklahoma City received a first-round pick that belongs to Toronto. The Raptors sent the pick to Houston in July in exchange for point guard Kyle Lowry, and the Rockets conveyed that selection to the Thunder to acquire Harden.

The worse the Raptors do, the better that pick becomes.

But there's a catch.

There are certain conditions on which Toronto gets to retain the pick. The Raptors negotiated them into the original trade to protect themselves from relinquishing a highly coveted selection, hence the popular term “protected pick,” or “conditional pick.”



In this case, the pick is protected through the 2017 NBA Draft.

In 2013, the selection is protected from picks 1 through 3 and 15 through 30. That means the Thunder receives the pick if it's anywhere from 4 to 14."_--The No. 1 reason for Thunder fans to root against the Raptors | News OK


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

So part of the trade for Harden was a draft pick that we not get afterall?  that's wacked.  Do we get anything in exchange if the Raptors can take it back?  Or is it just SOL?

----------


## catcherinthewry

> _"As part of the Harden trade, Oklahoma City received a first-round pick that belongs to Toronto. The Raptors sent the pick to Houston in July in exchange for point guard Kyle Lowry, and the Rockets conveyed that selection to the Thunder to acquire Harden.
> 
> The worse the Raptors do, the better that pick becomes.
> 
> But there's a catch.
> 
> There are certain conditions on which Toronto gets to retain the pick. The Raptors negotiated them into the original trade to protect themselves from relinquishing a highly coveted selection, hence the popular term “protected pick,” or “conditional pick.”
> 
> 
> ...


Not sure why you posted this.  The Thunder drafted Steven Adams with Toronto's draft pick.  I'm sure Presti was hoping for something higher than the no. 12 pick, but Toronto went on a nice run after they traded Rudy Gay and moved the pick down.  Anyway, the only player I would've wanted before Adams was Olidipo.  Both of them would've filled a need, but in the long run VO probably would've cost more and thus would've been harder to keep.  All in all, I'm very happy with Adams.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> tax line and cap are not the same. We're well over the cap.


Right. I knew that, just used the wrong word.

----------


## OSUMom

Why does everyone want to hit Adams?

----------


## Laramie

> Why does everyone want to hit Adams?


There was some excitement when Adams had that one outstanding game.   Adams is in the development stages and he is a lot further along than Byron Mullens and Cole Aldrich.

----------


## Easy180

Last night's first quarter was probably the worst play by both teams that I have ever seen...Really turned it around in the second half and still found a way to hit the century mark

----------


## Bellaboo

> Why does everyone want to hit Adams?


If you solely watch him, he really irritates who he's defending...a lot of physical banging going on. I guess it gets under their skin to the point they retaliate.

----------


## Bill Robertson

> If you solely watch him, he really irritates who he's defending...a lot of physical banging going on. I guess it gets under their skin to the point they retaliate.


Yes, and that is what makes him valuable.

----------


## OSUMom

Talking about Adams.....

OKC Thunder: Rugby, siblings taught Steven Adams how to play tough | News OK

OMG.  His sister could probably kick Perkins all over the court if she wanted to.  Wow.

And I'm not surprised he used to play Rugby.  That's a special breed of crazy right there.

----------


## Mel

FSN really needs to time their commercials a bit better!

----------


## Anonymous.

OKC drops another last night in Memphis. No surprise there, this was Gasol's return performance.

Lamb was terrible and Obviously we didn't have Russell and we still almost won.

Got a break tonight then two tough games back-to-back with two nationally televised games. Houston tomorrow, back at home against Golden State Friday.


Finally a Friday night game in OKC, and one that shouldn't suck.

----------


## Laramie

( ) Minutes played.

We have played Memphis two times in Memphis (1-1); the next two against Memphis will be in OKC.

Minutes played by Durant (41) and Jackson (39) the top scorers with 37 & 17 points.  Ibaka (31) with 11 points.   One area continues to stand out more than any other--FTM-A  (*F*ree *T*hrow *M*ade-*A*ttempted).  Free throw shooting:  Memphis 22-*27*   81.5%   Oklahoma City 16-*20* 80.0%

We got whistled for *7* less free-throw opportunities which gave Memphis the game.  The difference in this game was 6 more made free throws; statistics for this game appeared to be even.  Our rookie mistakes hopefully will be resolved.    

The high volume of minutes Durant & Jackson are playing there will be turnovers on their part.   Other players will need to step up.

Perkins (17) had 1-2 for 2 points and Sefolosha  (19) 0-6 for  0 points  *Two points scored between the two of them.*

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?id=400489437

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

OKC has re-signed Ivy to a 10 day contract.

Could mean we see Russ back within the next couple weeks.

----------


## Teo9969

It's nice to grab someone who is familiar with Brooks and his system.

----------


## Laramie

> OKC has re-signed Ivy to a 10 day contract.
> 
> Could mean we see Russ back within the next couple weeks.


Royal Ivey will be a welcome addition the Thunder; especially on defense to clog of the paint.  Lately, opposing players have been walking in with layups and tear-drops scoring easy baskets.


Texas connection.
  Ivey played at University of Texas 200-2004.

Zwerling: Royal Ivey to the Thunder on a 10-day contract - Welcome to Loud City




> It's nice to grab someone who is familiar with Brooks and his system.


Continuity and familiarity will play key as we beef up our roster to 15.  Bringing in a mediocre outsider (affordable small market player)  at this stage of the season will only increase turnovers  until that player learns the various sets.  Ivey is a former Thunder player who is familiar with Brooks' system and a Durant Longhorn.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Ivey is a former Thunder player who is familiar with Brooks' system and a Durant Longhorn.


I definitely thought he was formerly on our team, like two seasons ago.

----------


## dankrutka

> It's nice to grab someone who is familiar with Brooks and his system.


I guess. He's a good teammate and all... but it would be nice to grab someone that was actually considered a NBA player by any other team in the league. There's a reason he's unemployed. He's not very good. I don't think he'll be a part of the rotation. Who's minutes would he take? I'd far rather increase Lamb or PJ3's minutes than give any to Ivey.

----------


## Richard at Remax

I'd rather have Daniel Gibson

----------


## dankrutka

> I'd rather have Daniel Gibson


Agreed. If he's in any kind of shape and has his head on straight... Career 40% shooter. Exactly what we need.

----------


## ljbab728

It was an amazing game in Houston tonight with a Thunder win.  Houston scored 73 points in the first half and 19 in the second half.  That is an NBA record for difference in points between two halves.  The Thunder had a good late game run for the win.

----------


## OSUMom

We would have stomped them again if we had played the same defense in the first half that we did in the second.  But boy those 3 point marathons teams we play seem to go on always kill us.

----------


## Just the facts

That is the problem with relying on the 3-point shot.  When you go cold you can't score.  It wasn't all bad news for the Rockets though as Harden wins another 'flop of the week' award which wiped out a Fisher 3 pointer.

----------


## Laramie

This was clamp down defense in the second half.

The box score speaks volumes:

 ____1__2__3__4__ T 
OKC 36--23 24 21 104 
HOU 32--41 10 -9   92 




Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets - Box Score - January 16, 2014 - ESPN



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

The 3-point shot seems to work just fine at Grinnell.

----------


## Just the facts

> The 3-point shot seems to work just fine at Grinnell.


...but when you go cold you still can't score.  :Smile:

----------


## ljbab728

WOW, only a new career high of 54 tonight for KD in a nice win over Golden State.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> WOW, only a new career high of 54 tonight for KD in a nice win over Golden State.


I woke up from my evening nap just in time. It was something special from the very beginning (the game, specifically KD, not my nap).

----------


## Jake

First time I've ever heard The Peake chant "MVP!" Way overdue.

----------


## OSUMom

> First time I've ever heard The Peake chant "MVP!" Way overdue.


I've heard it before.  Seems like he would miss the freethrow a lot of times when they did it.

----------


## Laramie

Outstanding play by the Thunder as the team appears to jell.

ESPN Box score and recap:  Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - January 17, 2014 - ESPN


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> First time I've ever heard The Peake chant "MVP!" Way overdue.


Darnell Mayberry has been pointing this out for a while. The OKC crowd really needs to get that MVP chant going more regularly. It happens to other players, who are far less deserving, far more. 

Then again, there's not much time for any authentic crowd chants with the over-programming that the Thunder constantly pushes. Our crowd is conditioned to just wait for their next orders from organization before chanting anything... Lol.

----------


## Jake

I remember a few years ago when Kobe Bryant was shooting free throws at the Staples Center and the crowd was chanting "MVP!" He had like 23 points on 30% shooting.

----------


## Laramie

*Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors*
How did this guy slip through the radar of so many NBA teams in the 2009 NBA draft?  

He was the 7th draft pick in the 2009 NBA draft selected by the Golden State Warriors.  The same year the Thunder selected James Harden; Timberwolves chose Ricky Rubio and the  Clippers picked OU's Blake Griffin as the No. 1 pick in the overall draft.

Stephen Curry Stats, Video, Bio, Profile | NBA.com
Stephen Curry


James Harden



Ricky Rubio

Minnesota had a chance to draft Rubio along with Curry; instead they went with Johnny Flynn, he was the sixth draft pick in the 2009 NBA draft.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I don't think he "slipped" through. It's the lottery and Golden State is probably glad that no other team grabbed him beforehand. With regard to going 7th, I'm surprised he didn't go earlier. Even I remember how far he took Davidson in the NCAA tourney! He's the purest 3pt shooter I've seen since Reggie Miller (who was the 11th pick in the 1987 NBA Draft).

----------


## Easy180

> *Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors*
> How did this guy slip through the radar of so many NBA teams in the 2009 NBA draft?  
> 
> He was the 7th draft pick in the 2009 NBA draft selected by the Golden State Warriors.  The same year the Thunder selected James Harden; Timberwolves chose Ricky Rubio and the  Clippers picked OU's Blake Griffin as the No. 1 pick in the overall draft.
> 
> Stephen Curry Stats, Video, Bio, Profile | NBA.com
> Stephen Curry
> 
> 
> ...


Thought some were worried he wouldn't be able to play defense with his build but I could be wrong

----------


## dankrutka

Yeah. There were some legitimate concerns with Steph coming out of college - his build was the key one. I liked him as a prospect, but the draft is not a science. Every team misses on some picks, some players develop unpredictably once they're in the league, and sometimes all the teams miss on the same player. Steph wasn't really overlooked - he still went top 10. The only pick that you could make a case was unreasonable at the time was the Flynn pick in my opinion.

Everyone is wrong sometimes about draft picks. I studied up on the last draft quite a bit and my only request before the draft was that the Thunder NOT take Steven Adams. I was convinced he didn't have the skill set to succeed. I was obviously dead wrong. Lol.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Yeah. There were some legitimate concerns with Steph coming out of college - his build was the key one. I liked him as a prospect, but the draft is not a science. Every team misses on some picks, some players develop unpredictably once they're in the league, and sometimes all the teams miss on the same player. Steph wasn't really overlooked - he still went top 10. The only pick that you could make a case was unreasonable at the time was the Flynn pick in my opinion.
> 
> *Everyone is wrong sometimes about draft picks. I studied up on the last draft quite a bit and my only request before the draft was that the Thunder NOT take Steven Adams. I was convinced he didn't have the skill set to succeed*. I was obviously dead wrong. Lol.



In your defense, us outsiders looking in don't have the opportunity to see the work ethic during their pre draft training sessions with the individual teams. I remember that when Westbrook was drafted, they explained that he showed up an hour early and stayed late during his team workouts. I think that shows the mental desire required to develop is prominant.

----------


## Laramie

> Yeah. There were some legitimate concerns with Steph coming out of college - his build was the key one. I liked him as a prospect, but the draft is not a science. Every team misses on some picks, some players develop unpredictably once they're in the league, and sometimes all the teams miss on the same player. Steph wasn't really overlooked - he still went top 10. The only pick that you could make a case was unreasonable at the time was the Flynn pick in my opinion.
> 
> Everyone is wrong sometimes about draft picks. I studied up on the last draft quite a bit and my only request before the draft was that the Thunder NOT take Steven Adams. I was convinced he didn't have the skill set to succeed. I was obviously dead wrong. Lol.


Agree, 

This was about the same reason Portland chose Greg Oden over Kevin Durant who was acquired by Seattle.  More about something that had nothing to do with his shooting skill set.   They (T-Blazers) were concerned about the fact that Durant wasn't able to bench press 185 lbs., at the pre-draft camp in June 2007.  Kevin Durant showed them that it wasn't about how much you could bench press; but the art of putting that pill though the hoop.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

7:00 tip against Portland tonight.

We lost to them New Years Eve.

Portland lost last night to the Rockets after digging themselves in a hole first half and they almost came back in the 4th. Should be tired.

Good opportunity for OKC to work on the seeding race tonight.

----------


## dankrutka

> In your defense, us outsiders looking in don't have the opportunity to see the work ethic during their pre draft training sessions with the individual teams. I remember that when Westbrook was drafted, they explained that he showed up an hour early and stayed late during his team workouts. I think that shows the mental desire required to develop is prominant.


Actually, both Adams and Westbrooks' work ethics and determination were well reported leading up to the draft. I had heard Adams was a hard worker. I just didn't think he had the skill set to succeed. There are a lot of tough-minded, dedicated players who don't make it in the NBA.

----------


## Mel

That was pretty!

----------


## zookeeper

Those Durant 3's at the end amounted to a clinic. All net on all of them.

----------


## OSUMom

Uh.... who was that big guy in the #5 jersey there toward the end of the game?

----------


## Bill Robertson

The last 5 minutes of that game were the most fun I've had watching basketball in some time.

----------


## Bellaboo

Driving westbound on I-40 after the game last night, the electronic billboard by W&W Steel had  -     K E V I N   'MVP'   D U R A N T          displayed on it.

----------


## Anonymous.

I know the team is not very good without Russell.. But with the way they're playing right now, I think we could still be the best team out there when Durant is this deadly!

Such awesome games the last week.

On to another tough one tonight in San Antonio!

----------


## Bill Robertson

> I know the team is not very good without Russell.. But with the way they're playing right now, I think we could still be the best team out there when Durant is this deadly!
> 
> Such awesome games the last week.
> 
> On to another tough one tonight in San Antonio!


True. I hope the fire that seems to be lit under the Thunder stays lit tonight.

----------


## Just the facts

> I know the team is not very good without Russell.. But with the way they're playing right now, I think we could still be the best team out there when Durant is this deadly!


What?  Even without Russell they are still very good.  They are 9-5 since Russell went out and if they played at that percentage the whole season they would win 52 games.  In the last 10 games OKC is 7-3.  Only 5 teams have a better record over the last 10 games and they are all 8-2.  OKC has also won 4 in a row.  Only Indiana has a longer current streak, and it is 5 games.

----------


## Head

> The last 5 minutes of that game were the most fun I've had watching basketball in some time.


My wife was already in bed reading, and thought I'd lost my mind! Jumping up and down, hollering "HELL YEAH!!!" I was scaring the dog and cats for the last 5 minutes of that game! Durant is a machine. Life is good.

----------


## Laramie

*Watchout San Antonio!*

*Sheriff Durant & deputies  cleaned a three sweep in the Alamo City.*


Great win against the NBA's modern day league iconic champions; especially having to take on the two Western Conference leaders on back-to-back nights. 


*Oklahoma City Thunder are now leading the Western Conference.*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

> What?  Even without Russell they are still very good.  They are 9-5 since Russell went out and if they played at that percentage the whole season they would win 52 games.  In the last 10 games OKC is 7-3.  Only 5 teams have a better record over the last 10 games and they are all 8-2.  OKC has also won 4 in a row.  Only Indiana has a longer current streak, and it is 5 games.


Yes, the team has found how to play at an elite level without Russell. It also helps that Durant is a robot right now. 

Once Russ comes back, I fear no team across the league in a playoff series, barring good health.

----------


## Just the facts

Without RW - this team is really really good.
With RW - They are crazy scary good

----------


## warreng88

One thing that has been a little bit of a blessing in disguise is RW's injury. This has paved the way for RJ to get on average six more minutes per game. This also coincides with Lamb getting about five minutes more per game and PJ3 getting five more per game. This really gives our young guys a lot more playing time to get better at the game. Now, when RW comes back, we will have RW, Thabo, KD, Serge and Perk as our starting five with Reggie, Fisher, Lamb, PJ3, Collison and Adams coming off the bench. That is some really good bench play and that could take us a lot farther in the playoffs if guys are off.

----------


## Laramie

> One thing that has been a little bit of a blessing in disguise is RW's injury. This has paved the way for RJ to get on average six more minutes per game. This also coincides with Lamb getting about five minutes more per game and PJ3 getting five more per game. This really gives our young guys a lot more playing time to get better at the game. Now, when RW comes back, we will have RW, Thabo, KD, Serge and Perk as our starting five with Reggie, Fisher, Lamb, PJ3, Collison and Adams coming off the bench. That is some really good bench play and that could take us a lot farther in the playoffs if guys are off.


The extra minutes has helped give these guys the experience going forward into the All Star break.




> Efficiency. If a team is very efficient when they have the ball in their hands, they tend to win. High scoring teams and high % teams just are harder to beat. 
> 
> Once Russ comes back, I don't expect our efficiency to go down. I think it will go up in fact. Assists will go up and if Durant keeps that touch, we could see more record games late in the season and the post-season could very likely be a once-in-a-generation event. Right now, theses guys are good. Really good. The only thing I want to see improved is ball movement and Russ brings that in spades. I'd also like to see Adams figure out how to do what he does without fouling out every game. In the post-season, you can bet no coach is going to pass up the opportunity to capitalize on that.



Agree!

Westbrook's return will allow Scott Brooks to get back with his regular rotation in which Reggie Jackson leads the second team.  The combination of Westbrook & Durant will keep fresh legs on the court; this allows Brooks the flexibility to tweak the rotation.    Durant and Jackson are playing 35-42 minutes per game which does affect their player efficiency.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

NBA All Star game starters revealed:

Curry starts in first All-Star Game; LeBron top vote-getter | NBA.com

The east & west coast markets are always going to be in the spotlight.

Kevin Durant was second behind LaBron James in total votes casts.

Congratulations to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on their selections.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

Westbrook has not, and probably won't, make the team. The fans pick the starters and the coaches pick the reserves.

----------


## Laramie

*Kevin Love calls out teammates.*

"We can't have two guys sitting at the end of the bench that play good minutes just sitting there and not getting up during timeouts," Love said, referring to the *poor body language exhibited by veterans J.J. Barea and Dante Cunningham* in the fourth quarter. "We all need to be in this together. *That kind of pisses me off.  We're supposed to be a team."*

Kevin Love torches Minnesota Timberwolves teammates after loss - ESPN



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Another back to back starting tonight.

Both 6:30 games. Tonight in Boston, and tomorrow in Philadelphia.

----------


## Bellaboo

Guess KD's taking this one off tonight ?

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Sore shoulder. I don't like that. I'm very glad he's taking the night off to rest if it is bothering him. I'm not happy about the idea of his shoulder bothering him.


He did hit the floor pretty hard the other night.  He was squincing with pain and holding his right shoulder.

----------


## Easy180

Are we seriously about to beat Boston in Boston w/o KD and Westbrook?

Awesome for us but really Boston?  That is sad

----------


## Just the facts

> He did hit the floor pretty hard the other night.  He was squincing with pain and holding his right shoulder.


He hurt it on a dunk attempt that got blocked.  No matter though, Thunder win by 19.  He will probably take the 76ers game off as well with this win.

----------


## bradh

I really like what I see out of PJ3 when he gets more than 4 minutes in a game.  That dude is crazy long and athletic, and hustles his ass off.

----------


## Laramie

Don't look for K.D. to be in the lineup tonight.   Really can't see why Brooks would need to play him.  Go ahead and let this makeshift lineup work against Philadelphia as it did against Boston last night.  

This was the first time I've seen balanced ball movement among Thunder players; it took Boston away from their game.



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

I foresee him playing and ending up with a triple-double.

----------


## mugofbeer

I am really impressed they beat Boston without either Durant or Westbrook.  Really says a lot for the rest of the team.  These guys are going to rarely, if ever, lose in the 2nd half of the season

----------


## dankrutka

> I am really impressed they beat Boston without either Durant or Westbrook.  Really says a lot for the rest of the team.  These guys are going to rarely, if ever, lose in the 2nd half of the season


Does everyone realize that Boston is arguably playing the worst ball in the NBA right now? I was really happy with both the win and how they got it... But beating Boston in Boston is not much of an accomplishment right now. Still, the extra playing time our young guys are getting should only help when RW0 returns.

----------


## Laramie

> I am really impressed they beat Boston without either Durant or Westbrook.  Really says a lot for the rest of the team.  These guys are going to rarely, if ever, lose in the 2nd half of the season


We'll take any win on the road.  Durant was able to rest and gear-up for Philadelphia. 




> Does everyone realize that Boston is arguably playing the worst ball in the NBA right now? I was really happy with both the win and how they got it... But beating Boston in Boston is not much of an accomplishment right now. Still, the extra playing time our young guys are getting should only help when RW0 returns.


You bring out two good points:

_1.  The Celtics are playing their worst ball_.  This would have been a missed opportunity had we lost.

_2.  Our bench players are getting extended valuable playing time._  Let's hope this pays dividends in the Western Conference playoffs in that teams will think twice before doubling-up on our franchise players if they know that we have players who can step up to the plate and make them pay.

The Northwest Division is tough with Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Portland & Utah.  Did anyone realize that five of our eight loses against Western Conference teams have come from inside our Northwest Division?

*Thunder are 19-3 home, 
16-7 road, 
7-5 Northwest Division, 
22-8 Western Conference and 13-2 against the Eastern Conference. 

** "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Does everyone realize that Boston is arguably playing the worst ball in the NBA right now? I was really happy with both the win and how they got it... But beating Boston in Boston is not much of an accomplishment right now. Still, the extra playing time our young guys are getting should only help when RW0 returns.


Yeah, I thought about responding but I wanted mugofbeer to be impressed with the victory...

----------


## PWitty

I hope people are REALLY appreciating and taking advantage of the opportunity to see KD don an OKC jersey and be a representative of this city. Odds are a player as talented as KD won't be seen for quite awhile once LeBron and him hang up their sneakers, at least in our lifetimes. We really are spoiled as basketball fans right now. I just hope everyone else realizes that.

----------


## Anonymous.

Agreed. 

This is something special, if you know any non Thunder fans, or even non NBA fans. have them sit down and watch a game with you, let them witness something that millions of fans across the nation dream of seeing in their lifetime. And here in OKC we have it right now. 

This is quite possibly _the_ season, folks. The streets in OKC could be loud as ever this June.

----------


## Teo9969

> I hope people are REALLY appreciating and taking advantage of the opportunity to see KD don an OKC jersey and be a representative of this city. *Odds are a player as talented as KD won't be seen for quite awhile once LeBron and him hang up their sneakers, at least in our lifetimes.* We really are spoiled as basketball fans right now. I just hope everyone else realizes that.


Unless you're 70, that's just not going to be true. Jordan was (for all intents and purposes) done in 97/98 and Lebron started 03/04. So there was a 5 season gap, to make no mention of several other Top 10/15 players of all-time were still playing (Kobe, Duncan, Shaq). 

I'd be hesitant to include Durant in a discussion with Lebron until he replicates this season's kind of production for 2 or 3 straight years and wins at least 1 Title and MVP.

That being said, Durant is very likely the best player that will ever wear a Thunder jersey, unless the NBA is still operating 100 years from now (and even then, there's no guarantee if Durant ends up being a Top 5 player of all eras up to and including his).

----------


## PWitty

> Unless you're 70, that's just not going to be true. Jordan was (for all intents and purposes) done in 97/98 and Lebron started 03/04. So there was a 5 season gap, to make no mention of several other Top 10/15 players of all-time were still playing (Kobe, Duncan, Shaq). 
> 
> I'd be hesitant to include Durant in a discussion with Lebron until he replicates this season's kind of production for 2 or 3 straight years and wins at least 1 Title and MVP.
> 
> *That being said, Durant is very likely the best player that will ever wear a Thunder jersey*, unless the NBA is still operating 100 years from now (and even then, there's no guarantee if Durant ends up being a Top 5 player of all eras up to and including his).


That was my point  :Stick Out Tongue: 

And the talking heads in the sports world are already talking about Durant being the best offensive player of ALL TIME, and not in a sarcastic way. They're dead serious. He is by far the most talented player on the offensive side of the court that anyone has ever seen. His size, length, ball handling, and range for a guy that is 6'10 is out of this world. Cherish it.

----------


## Laramie

> Unless you're 70, that's just not going to be true. Jordan was (for all intents and purposes) done in 97/98 and Lebron started 03/04. So there was a 5 season gap, to make no mention of several other Top 10/15 players of all-time were still playing (Kobe, Duncan, Shaq). 
> 
> *I'd be hesitant to include Durant in a discussion with Lebron until he replicates this season's kind of production for 2 or 3 straight years and wins at least 1 Title and MVP.*
> 
> That being said, Durant is very likely the best player that will ever wear a Thunder jersey, unless the NBA is still operating 100 years from now (and even then, there's no guarantee if Durant ends up being a Top 5 player of all eras up to and including his).


Would LeBron have won an NBA championship without going to Miami to team up with two other franchise players (Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade)?  

Let's face the truth about the MVP award; it usually goes to the player who the NBA thinks will win the NBA championship.

We have two franchise players on our team and let's appreciate their efforts while they are here. 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## warreng88

One question I would like to pose to everyone: If the Thunder win a championship this year, do we see an influx of veteran players trying to come here to be a part of a dynasty like what has happened with Miami? Ray Allen, Chris Anderson, Shane Battier, Michael Beasley and Greg Oden went to Miami to be a part of LeBron, Dwayne and Bosh's dynasty. Do you think a small market like OKC would bring in the same kind of attention? Thabo and Fisher are the only players whose contract are up after this season. I think Fisher said this would be his last season. Perk may be amnestied after this season depending on how he plays and how Adams comes along. Thoughts?

----------


## adaniel

Good question. IMO that is a possibility but Presti and Co. seem pretty content with the "San Antonio" model: keeping a core group happy and together while willing to rotate out a cast of supporting players and developing their talent. Much like SA I think OKC would still have a small-market stigma attached to it, so I don't see the basketball greats stampeding here. But in the end I don't think it matters.

----------


## Laramie

> One question I would like to pose to everyone: If the Thunder win a championship this year, do we see an influx of veteran players trying to come here to be a part of a dynasty like what has happened with Miami? Ray Allen, Chris Anderson, Shane Battier, Michael Beasley and Greg Oden went to Miami to be a part of LeBron, Dwayne and Bosh's dynasty. Do you think a small market like OKC would bring in the same kind of attention? Thabo and Collison are the only players whose contract are up after this season. I think Fisher said this would be his last season. Perk may be amnestied after this season depending on how he plays and how Adams comes along. Thoughts?


Hasn't this occurred following many NBA finals; most recently Dallas made the wrong moves and Miami capatizied following their 2011 ouster. 

Making it to the NBA finals would invite a ton of players wanting to join Durant to become part of an OKC NBA experience; however that won't happen in OKC because Sam Presti is very protective of this team and its reputation.  There are some players who wouldn't fit the profile for the Thunder's organization.  We don't want to 'Frankenstein' a team to win a championship.  Miami took a chance and fortunately for them it played off.

Presti has a good eye for evaluating talent which will fit into the organization's scheme.

Kendrick Perkins came with some baggage in the Boston trade sending Green back to the team who drafted him.  He was an improvement over Nenad Krstic who lacked the toughness to compete long term in an 82-game NBA schedule.

Alan Iverson is a good example as to what happened in Memphis when they attempted to insert a veteran who was self serving to his own perceptual needs.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

If veteran players would come here on good deals (as happened in Miami) Presti would love to have them. We tried to get at least two veteran players (Mike Miller, Dorrell Wright) to take deals to compete for a championship last summer, but both chose other teams (Memphis, Portland). The Spurs are not simply a development, not a free agent, franchise. Both franchises look for the best players at the best value that are the best fit however they can get them. The question is, would veteran players take a pay cut to go for a championship in OKC? Or was it that opportunity combined with being in Miami that was so enticing for Battier, Allen, and others? Well, let's win a title and find out.  :Smile:

----------


## warreng88

> If veteran players would come here on good deals (as happened in Miami) Presti would love to have them. We tried to get at least two veteran players (Mike Miller, Dorrell Wright) to take deals to compete for a championship last summer, but both chose other teams (Memphis, Portland). The Spurs are not simply a development, not a free agent, franchise. Both franchises look for the best players at the best value that are the best fit however they can get them. The question is, would veteran players take a pay cut to go for a championship in OKC? Or was it that opportunity combined with being in Miami that was so enticing for Battier, Allen, and others? Well, let's win a title and find out.


Battier was offered by OKC (would have loved to have him) but OKC could only offer him a two year contract and Miami offered him three.

----------


## ljbab728

Portland and San Antonio are certainly trying to give the Thunder a little breathing room in the West as they have both lost their last two games.  Hopefully we can take advantage with a win over the Heat Wednesday night.

----------


## ljbab728

Scott Brooks to coach Western All-stars again.

OKC Thunder: Scott Brooks to be the Western Conference coach in the All-Star game | News OK

----------


## Anonymous.

Early tip tonight on east coast.

Our first meeting with Miami this season.


We will be Westbrook'less. But we have the Robot himself, KD.

6pm ESPN.

----------


## warreng88

> Early tip tonight on east coast.
> 
> Our first meeting with Miami this season.
> 
> 
> We will be Westbrook'less. But we have the Robot himself, KD.
> 
> 6pm ESPN.


I think we will see a lot of Battier and LeBron double teaming KD to force the others to score. If we can have good games from Reggie, Serge and Lamb, I think we have a good chance tonight.

----------


## Teo9969

Key to the game is Ibaka. He needs to put up about 20 points and pull about 13 rebounds. And we probably can't afford for anybody to shoot less than 45% if they take 5 or more shots.

San Antonio shot 50% on Sunday and were run out of the building.

----------


## Laramie

> Early tip tonight on east coast.
> 
> Our first meeting with Miami this season.
> 
> 
> We will be Westbrook'less. But we have the Robot himself, KD.
> 
> 6pm ESPN.


This will be a good challenge for the reserves to come in against *one of the best defensive matchups against the Thunder besides Toronto*.  We have a young team capable of going that extra mile.





> Key to the game is Ibaka. He needs to put up about 20 points and pull about 13 rebounds. And we probably can't afford for anybody to shoot less than 45% if they take 5 or more shots.
> 
> *San Antonio shot 50% on Sunday and were run out of the building.*


The Spurs' age is definitely catching up with them.  *They lost to the Rocketless 'Bearded Bull-in-a-China Closet' Harden*.  Tim Duncan looks like a dried-up stick-horse prune, Manu Ginobili is a troll working his last bridge and Tony Parker doesn't possess the energy to run with the younger teams.  Coach Popovich's patience is appoaching the Woody Hayes mentality. 

Ibaka and Durant will have to be atop of their A+ game.  Look for LeBron to charge the paint and the Miami fans to ride the officials until they get the 50/50 home court advantage calls.

*Referees are fed up with LeBron James and Kendrick Perkin's belly-aching about the officials' calls.  If Perkins can keep his cool tonight without complaining (objection talk, facial disapproval etc.,) the Thunder will be better off.*

Our Thunder of late appears to be more at an advantage when they are behind in the 4th quarter; it won't take a miracle finish to beat Miami, just good hard lock-down defense.  Keep LeBron out of the paint and on the beach to minimize his effectiveness .  Bosh will be a key on the 3-point line and Durant's debacle with Wade will insure that Wade will be attempting his best performance.   

If we reach the finals, there's a good chance that Indiana will be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.  Our 118-94 victory over the Pacers at the Peake was no fluke.  We'll rematch against the Pacers on Sunday, April 13, @ 6:00 in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.







* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Early tip tonight on east coast.
> 
> Our first meeting with Miami this season.
> 
> 
> We will be Westbrook'less. But we have the Robot himself, KD.
> 
> 6pm ESPN.


Actually, it's a 7PM (eastern standard time) tip, which it a regular tip time for the timezone the home team is in.  That's why we don't like the west coast games cause that means a tip time of 9PM here, which is when you're retiring to the bed.

----------


## Mel

I hope Steve Adams really dogs LeBron tonight.

----------


## Mel

This is off key but does anyone else think Chris Bosch would look just like "Crabman" from "My Name Is Earl" if he grew his hair out a bit?

----------


## Just the facts

> This is off key but does anyone else think Chris Bosch would look just like "Crabman" from "My Name Is Earl" if he grew his hair out a bit?


I would probably have to see them side by side, by to me there is a strong resemblance to Cecil Turtle (of Bugs Bunny fame).

----------


## dankrutka



----------


## Anonymous.

> Actually, it's a 7PM (eastern standard time) tip, which it a regular tip time for the timezone the home team is in.  That's why we don't like the west coast games cause that means a tip time of 9PM here, which is when you're retiring to the bed.



I am speaking in regards to us here in OK.


Great win tonight, OKC was fire beyond the 3 point line. Fisher really steps up in big games, he must be bored in the regular season filler games... lol

----------


## ljbab728

Outscoring the Heat in Miami by 35 points after being down 22 - 4 is just an amazing statistic.

----------


## Laramie

As one of my brothers messaged me following the third quarter, "It's over because the Fat Lady is singing 'Moon over Miami."  My reply, more like the 'Fat Lady' just MOONED MIAMI...

*Oklahoma City Thunder 112  Miami Heat 95*

All seriousness,  this was a very complete overall team effort and the best quick comeback the Thunder has performed against a top level NBA team.  The Heat appeared to have blown a gasket in the middle of the second quarter.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> I am speaking in regards to us here in OK.
> 
> 
> Great win tonight, OKC was fire beyond the 3 point line. Fisher really steps up in big games, he must be bored in the regular season filler games... lol


I know, right? 5-5 from 3pt line. Impressive!

----------


## OSUMom

Chris Bosh is definitely Jar-Jar Binks.

And the headline on NBA.com is.....  King Kevin Smokes Heat.  

King Kevin.  LOL

----------


## ljbab728

It's much too early to count out the Spurs but, after a home loss tonight to Chicago, they have lost 3 in a row and seem to be reeling.  Maybe this is the year that age starts to catch up to them.

----------


## Mel

It's time to make soylent green out of the old teams! That was a pretty win tonight.

----------


## Teo9969

> It's much too early to count out the Spurs but, after a home loss tonight to Chicago, they have lost 3 in a row and seem to be reeling.  Maybe this is the year that age starts to catch up to them.


The Spurs are done…They are both injury-plagued and pacing themselves for the playoffs…but they have no answer for the Thunder, and I don't think they'll have much of an answer for the Clips and potentially even Houston, should they meet either of those teams in the playoffs. If they make the WCF, it will take a lot of work. But once they are there, they'll lose to OKC in 5 or 6.

----------


## Laramie

:Evilsmile:  *Beat the Heat!*

**
We still have a date with the Heat in OKC.  A win here against Miami will certainly get into that team's head.  Can you imagine blowing an 18-point  lead in a marquee matchup at home especially when you came out and set the tone and quickly had the Thunder on their backs?  

Our last encounter with the Heat in Miami will be in their heads.  If Miami get a lead--they know we will be back kicking, clawing and scratching our way back into the game; that can be mentally draining.  If Miami gets behind; they know it could lead to an embarrassing disaster...  

*112**95*
The Thunder has knocked off some quality teams of late *and without Westbrook;* Houston, Golden State, Portland, San Antonio, Atlanta & Miami have all went down.

It won't be a challenge to work Westbrook back into this lineup.  Reggie now has valuable experience working with the starting line-up and the reserves.  Brooks also has the option of going with any three-guard combination (Westbrook, Jackson, Sefolosha/Fisher).  *Taking Perkins out of the game and getting away from that grit & grind game took Miami away from their game--smart move by Coach Scott Brooks.*

There's still work to do in Brooklyn, Toronto and Portland...

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> I can't stop saying this out loud... I loved last night's game. Man, what a performance and the best time in the season for it.


Being that you live in a suburb of Seattle now, can you say with honesty that a majority of people really do hate OKC up there or are there a lot of closet fans?  Is it hard to wear your colors?  :Wink:

----------


## betts

It was kind of like watching the Sugar Bowl.  I expected us to lose and I was just hoping we would keep the score respectable.  After our 21-4 start I was worried we were going to get blown out and from that minute onward the game just got better and better.  It was so fun I actually rewatched it and then watched about 2/3 of the midnight replay.

----------


## CaptDave

> The Thunder has knocked off some quality teams of late *and without Westbrook;* Houston, Golden State, Portland, San Antonio, Atlanta & Miami have all went down.


Rumors - or more accurately wishful NY dreaming - have begun. I wonder if the Thunder would do this..... (I hope not because Westbrook adds another dimension to the team.) I wonder what level the team would reach with a fast big man at the 5, but Chandler's injury history is discomforting. But most people were sure Harden would still be here too so you never know.

Y! SPORTS - A Realistic Trade for Russell Westbrook That Would Save the New York Knicks

----------


## s00nr1

Lol I don't understand how Yahoo! can possibly allow someone to write an article such as that and still be considered credible. There is less than 0% chance of that happening.

----------


## Mel

> It was kind of like watching the Sugar Bowl.  I expected us to lose and I was just hoping we would keep the score respectable.  After our 21-4 start I was worried we were going to get blown out and from that minute onward the game just got better and better.  It was so fun I actually rewatched it and then watched about 2/3 of the midnight replay.


I am so glad to hear I wasn't the only one to do that. :Cool:

----------


## Mel

> Lol I don't understand how Yahoo! can possibly allow someone to write an article such as that and still be considered credible. There is less than 0% chance of that happening.


They don't drug test bloggers.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> First suburb of Seattle? I live in Seattle proper. The Space needle is like right there. Look up Queen Anne neighborhood on a map.


Well, thank god you live in Seattle proper.  I thought you had been talking about possibly living outside of proper....FWEW!  :Tongue:

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Lol! How could you possibly think I would ever...  
> 
> I'm kidding. I think you probably just recall me mentioning that I live in a technically 'sub-urban' neighborhood. In that, it isn't all 2-3+ story, mixed use buildings. A nice mix of T3 & T4. 
> 
> Anyway, way off topic.


It's all good.  My last post was in jest as well.

Off topic?  Supersonic!

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Supersonic!


Supersonic boom sounds a lot like Thunder.

----------


## Just the facts

> Rumors - or more accurately wishful NY dreaming - have begun. I wonder if the Thunder would do this..... (I hope not because Westbrook adds another dimension to the team.) I wonder what level the team would reach with a fast big man at the 5, but Chandler's injury history is discomforting. But most people were sure Harden would still be here too so you never know.
> 
> Y! SPORTS - A Realistic Trade for Russell Westbrook That Would Save the New York Knicks


I don't even have to read the article to know this is the dumbest idea ever.  Why in a million years would the Thunder ever do this?   There are so many things wrong with this idea I don't even know where to begin.

on edit - crap, I read it but stopped right here...




> Rather, there is a realistic trade possibility that would both catapult the Thunder into the driver's seat in the Western Conference


Umm, the Thunder ARE in the drivers seat OF THE ENTIRE LEAGUE.  No catapulting necessary.

----------


## CaptDave

> I don't even have to read the article to know this is the dumbest idea ever.  Why in a million years would the Thunder ever do this?   There are so many things wrong with this idea I don't even know where to begin.


They wouldn't if sanity rules. Hence the NYC dreaming.... but Channel 9 said something about Brooklyn making a run at Russ when he hits the free agent market. I hope Sam Presti is knocking on his door at midnight when he is eligible.

----------


## Just the facts

> They wouldn't if sanity rules. Hence the NYC dreaming.... but Channel 9 said something about Brooklyn making a run at Russ when he hits the free agent market. I hope Sam Presti is knocking on his door at midnight when he is eligible.


That will be in 2017.

----------


## CaptDave

I might trade Perk for Chandler though... and I like what Perk brings in certain situations. But Chandler's speed fits the Thunder's best style of play _if_ he could stay healthy. I have no idea what Chandler's contract is like though.

----------


## ljbab728

OMG, I just heard Charles Barkley say that the Thunder are by far the best team in the West.  He like us, he really, really likes us.  LOL

----------


## zookeeper

> OMG, I just heard Charles Barkley say that the Thunder are by far the best team in the West.  He like us, he really, really likes us.  LOL


Yeah, talk about a 180. He even goes out of his way at times to mention that Oklahoma City is a "great city." He's visited now several times. He learned. There is redemption. I'm glad because I really like Charles Barkley - far and away the best TV NBA analyst there is.

----------


## Teo9969

> I might trade Perk for Chandler though... and I like what Perk brings in certain situations. But Chandler's speed fits the Thunder's best style of play _if_ he could stay healthy. I have no idea what Chandler's contract is like though.


near max…$14+M, or +$5M over Perkins.

The funny part about this trade is how much age is ignored. A 31 year old Chandler, a 29 year old Felton for a 25 year old Westbrook? Chandler is past his prime now, and Felton never had much of a Prime to speak of. Westbrook will start his 3 to 5 year Prime next season. Iman Shumpert is a nice role player…

----------


## Teo9969

The other thing that people ignore in all these discussions about Free Agency is that in 2016, if Durant walks away, he leaves the franchise in Westbrook's hands for a year. Westbrook may not be a Top 2 playerbut he's got a lot of potential yet and Durant would be risking his legacy as the most important player in Thunder history if he leaves the keys in Westbrook's hand, and Westbrook brings home (a) championship(s). OKC could still put together a contending team with Westbrook at the helm.

Not that a player who could realistically vie for Greatest of All Time is going to care about his legacy with one franchise over his legacy in the pantheon of NBA greats, but I think it will make an impact in his thought process, and I think, just enough impact to keep him here.

So because their contracts are a year apart, if either one is going to leave, he will have to leave the other behind (unless they both leave, and that would just suck).

And seriouslyAssuming everyone stays healthy for the playoffs this year and next year, does anyone really think that another team is going to put it together and challenge OKC next season when Lamb, Reggie, and Adams have all put a deep post-season run under their belt? Adams and Lamb in particular, will grow by leaps and bounds over the next 18 months. Couple that with an Ibaka who still has a lot of growth potential. Compare that to an aging Miami roster. 

 I think if Miami can find a way to turn it on in April that they will find their way into the Finals this season. Should OKC meet Miami, I think it's a 50/50 toss-up, and OKC will likely have home-court advantage. The following season, with even more miles on Wade and other Miami contributors (some of whom will not even rejoin the squad), I think that changes to a 75/25 advantage Thunder, and Miami likely doesn't even make it to the Finals over a young and improving Indiana squad.

Unless Lebron joins up with another, younger All-Star cast, this is Miami's last hurrah. And I just don't see the pieces moving around the league to compete with a team that has two Top 5 players + a host of high-quality role-players.

----------


## Anonymous.

If OKC brings home at least one ship this season, or next - Durant will sign with OKC again, book it!

----------


## warreng88

The Lakers have already been talking about trying to get Kobe to team up with LeBron or Carmelo after they are done being fully committed to their respective teams this year. Melo has one more year as a player option and LBJ has two more player option years. Gasol is a FA after this year so that would free up a lot of money for them (like it's a problem).

----------


## Laramie

> Yeah, talk about a 180. He even goes out of his way at times to mention that Oklahoma City is a "great city." *He's visited now several times.*  He learned. There is redemption. I'm glad because I really like Charles Barkley - far and away the best TV NBA analyst there is.


Charles Barkley found something in OKC he likes besides the city itself.  He hasn't made return visits to get a heart scan.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## CaptDave

> Charles Barkley found something in OKC he likes besides the city itself.  He hasn't made return visits to get a heart scan.


Huh? I think I missed something.

----------


## Anonymous.

Thunder straight up making a mockery of the Nets. Sucks that we lost to these guys at home.

----------


## Andrew4OU

> Thunder straight up making a mockery of the Nets. Sucks that we lost to these guys at home.


I didn't see that game because I was in NOLA watching the Sooners upset the Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl.  We were up by 20 in that game and somehow blew it, right?

----------


## Laramie

Continued *TEAM EFFORT* tonight by the Thunder!  

*This was one of those behind the barn beatings with a Grandma's size hickory stick:*

Thunder 120 Nets 95*T E A M !*

There's no *I* in *T-E-A-M.* Good decision by Scott Brooks not to concern himself with Durant's 30-point plus game streak; keep our eye on the 

*GRAND PRIZE.*


*Durant will continue to catalogue the record books.*
* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ... as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

Another amazing stat from tonight's game is that the Nets had a total of 17 rebounds which is an NBA record for the fewest.

----------


## OSUMom

Thunder at Nets - January 31, 2014 - Game Preview, Play by Play, Scores and Recap on NBA.com


 "Man, I'm glad that's over with. I'd much rather take the win, that's my type of game. Just playing how the game is played; if they double, make the pas. Just play easy, I wasn't trying to force anything. That streak was good while it lasted but that was the least of my concerns." 
-- Durant 


Figured this would be his attitude.  Would have been fun to see how long he could keep doing it, but if he would rather the streak be over, then so be it.  Everyone knows he could have gotten 30 tonight.

----------


## ljbab728

Interesting comments on KD and his future from NBC Sports.

Kevin Durant sings praises of OKC, sounds like a guy who wants to stay put | ProBasketballTalk




> Thursday we told you the Brooklyn Nets planned to go hard at Kevin Durant in 2016 when he can become a free agent. They will not be alone — it is likely the Knicks, Lakers and a host of other teams that could have cap space that year will be lined up at Durant’s door.
> 
> That doesn’t mean he’s leaving. Every time he speaks publicly he sounds like a guy who likes it in Oklahoma City and doesn’t want to bolt.
> 
> Like what he said on Spike Lee’s new SiriusXM NBA Radio show “Spike Lee’s Best Seat in the House”
> 
> “I love playing there. The city fits me. I’m one of those guys that just likes to chill. That’s exactly how the town is. The people are supportive. The fans are there all the time at the games. Every game feels like it’s a sellout. They just support us so much.”





> First, it is impossible to say what Durant will be thinking in 2016 — Durant doesn’t know what he will be thinking in 2016. He gets max money anywhere, he’s the level of international star who doesn’t get a big boost in endorsement deals in a big city because everyone is knocking on his door already. He can base his choice on where he wants to live and where he can win titles, with the latter part of that holding a lot of sway.
> 
> If I were to bet I would bet he stays put in Oklahoma City. If they have Russell Westbrook under contract, Serge Ibaka under contract and some good role players around them this is a core that can compete for a title. They’ve been to one Finals and they are contenders this season. If they remain contenders, Oklahoma City can offer the most money guaranteed, and he likes living there, why is it again he’s going to bolt?

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Thunder at Nets - January 31, 2014 - Game Preview, Play by Play, Scores and Recap on NBA.com
> 
> 
>  "Man, I'm glad that's over with. I'd much rather take the win, that's my type of game. Just playing how the game is played; if they double, make the pas. Just play easy, I wasn't trying to force anything. That streak was good while it lasted but that was the least of my concerns." 
> -- Durant 
> 
> 
> Figured this would be his attitude.  Would have been fun to see how long he could keep doing it, but if he would rather the streak be over, then so be it.  Everyone knows he could have gotten 30 tonight.


One thing they mentioned on the in studio post game radio show, the fact that he scored less than 30 on his best shooting night, percentage wise.  But hell, I'd rather have him healthy for tonight's game than risk getting 30 and/or being injured in the process.  We have an issue winning at Washington so we need everyone as fresh as possible.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Earlier in the season I figured the Thunder would make some kind of move before the trade deadline with them having a little bit of cap flexibility they have with the trade exemptions they got for Maynor and Martin, today I don't see any reason for them to. I'd be afraid to disrupt the chemistry this team has now, plus I don't see where there would be minutes for anyone else.

----------


## Anonymous.

Yea it's funny how a month ago when Russ went down people were in a fury trying to look for a PG to fill in.

Now we are on a 10 game win streak, including some good teams, and all is quiet on trade front.

The greatness this team is going to get to once Russ is back is somewhat frightening to me as a fan. I cannot imagine being another team looking at us, especially in the West.

----------


## CaptDave

We are also privileged to be able to witness one of the greatest players ever to play hitting his stride. Sometimes I think OKC should collectively pinch ourselves to be sure this is real.

----------


## Teo9969

> Yea it's funny how a month ago when Russ went down people were in a fury trying to look for a PG to fill in.
> 
> Now we are on a 10 game win streak, including some good teams, and all is quiet on trade front.
> 
> The greatness this team is going to get to once Russ is back is somewhat frightening to me as a fan. I cannot imagine being another team looking at us, especially in the West.


Including _some_ good teams?! That was the hardest 10 - 12 game stretch we'll face all season! And we lit it up!

I think anybody who was clamoring for a trade just didn't pay enough attention to how good this team was with Westbrook in the lineup. We were 18-4, which is .818. The last team to finish with a record better than that was the 69-win '95/'96 BullsThat's almost 20 years ago(DAL and LAL had 67-win .817 seasons in the mid-00s and late-90s respectively.)

I thought the 10-day contract for Royal was the only thing OKC needed to do, and that ended up being a waste of money.

I've been really excited to see PJIII get time in all this, and he's making some strides on the defensive endhopefully enough to provide reasonable defense on Lebron should we make and face them in the finals.

If OKC can find a way to defend Miami when Lebron is operating out of the post, then the only thing that will keep OKC from winning it all this year is OKC/Injuries.

----------


## OSUMom

I think we do need to prepare ourselves for a bit of a rough patch once Westbrook is back in the line up.  Might take a few games to get everyone back into the rhythm of having him on the court, just like it did when we lost him (again).  But once it meshes and I know it will, look out.

----------


## ljbab728

The Thunder had their usual stinker in Washington.  Oh well.

----------


## OSUMom

What is it about the Wizards?  I just don't get it.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I wasn't expecting a victory either. The back to back game theory is an excuse. We just have issues against the Wizards plain and simple.

----------


## Laramie

The Thunder has played seven road games out of eleven since our last away game *@Houston* on January 16.  Quality wins have been achieved against *@Houston*, Golden State, Portland, *@San Antonio*, Atlanta and  *@Miami*.  Brooklyn had won five of six upon losing 120-95 to the Thunder. 

This has been a challenge for a team without a full roster minus one of its top point production players.  Westbrook's return will require adjustments, you'd want to think that they will limit his playing minutes.  

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> The Thunder has played seven road games out of eleven since our last away game *@Houston* on January 16.  Quality wins have been achieved against *@Houston*, Golden State, Portland, *@San Antonio*, Atlanta and  *@Miami*.  Brooklyn had won five of six upon losing 120-95 to the Thunder. 
> 
> This has been a challenge for a team without a full roster minus one of its top point production players.  Westbrook's return will require adjustments, you'd want to think that they will limit his playing minutes.  
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


Not withstanding your facts that are already well known, our Thunder still have an issue playing at Washington and winning, lol.

----------


## Jake

It's just one of those flukey things. The Thunder never seem to play the Wizards well. I'm not concerned though. I actually think it's kind of funny. Luckily we won't have to face them in the playoffs, haha.

----------


## Mel

Wizards are capable of casting spells.

----------


## Sonny_Crockett

if I had $10 Million to wast like Meriwhether, I'd still pick Miami to win the NBA Finals this year. Don't know what it is but Drama Queen James just kicks it into high gear during the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong and I would the Thunder to win it all this year but I gotta stick with the two time defending champion.

----------


## Anonymous.

Well that was a weird game.

Lost to a buzzer dunk.. lol

----------


## Mel

And now the "Magic" won. Teams with magical names effects us like they do Superman. Russ will come back and we are going to do better.

----------


## ljbab728

I'm surprised that Monkeesfan hasn't found someone way to get unbanned to gloat about the Magic's win.   :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

> if I had $10 Million to wast like Meriwhether, I'd still pick Miami to win the NBA Finals this year. Don't know what it is but Drama Queen James just kicks it into high gear during the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong and I would the Thunder to win it all this year but I gotta stick with the two time defending champion.


I don't think it's going to be easy for Drama Queen James to kick it in high gear; he's having to put too much on his own shoulders.  Indiana made a great move by picking up  Greyhound's move frequent traveler (Andrew Bynum) from Miami's reach.  A decent bargain at $1 million; if you can handle all the baggage that goes with him.


*Greyhound's Most Frequent Traveler?*


 *Destination Anywhere?  If the west, I don't care...*

The South's Grand Prize in College Football went down in 2014; now it's time Miami's big three dynasty to a douche. 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

> I wasn't expecting a victory either. The back to back game theory is an excuse. We just have issues against the Wizards plain and simple.


They beat us at four positions - Nene, Gortat, Beal and John Wall - are equal to or better than the guys across the lane - Perkins, Ibaka, Thabo and Jackson. It's early in the year and 
Washington is not resting their big guns to the degree we are so when the legs aren't tired (first half of the season) they play their starters longer. We beat them off the bench but
they don't use their bench so it amounts to them selling out early which might cost them down the line.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

WOW, Mo Cheeks is out in Detroit.

----------


## Laramie

> WOW, Mo Cheeks is out in Detroit.


*Did they ever really give Mo Cheeks a chance?*

"Ken Berger of CBSSports.com confirms a report from Yahoo Sports that Mo Cheeks has been fired as head coach of the Detroit Pistons..."


Mo Cheeks fired as Pistons coach - CBSSports.com

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Late game tonight. 9:00pm

Going to Portland to face (possibly) our biggest threat in the west.

----------


## dankrutka

> Late game tonight. 9:00pm
> 
> Going to Portland to face (possibly) our biggest threat in the west.


Should be a fun one. Because you brought it up, at this point in the season I see our biggest threats in the West to be:
1. Clippers (Blake's game has grown considerably this year - he just keeps improving and that should be a little scary for the rest of the conference)
2. Grizzlies (They'll be a low seed as they really struggled early, but they're playing at a high level with Gasol back again)
3. Blazers (They've got great shooters and two stars, but I feel good about the Thunder in a series with them)
4. Spurs (The Spurs look terrible now, but I'm sure they'll bounce back, but I think the Thunder have their number now)
5. Rockets (Lots of talent and good shooters, but their porous defense is comforting)
6. Warriors (Don't want to play them when they're hot)

To be honest, I feel pretty confident against all those teams, but the Clippers do scare me a bit. I don't think any other teams (e.g., Mavs, Suns, Wolves) pose a realistic threat to even make a series competitive with OKC.

----------


## trousers

This is painful to watch. Less than a minute left in the first half.  Durant 8 for 12. Rest of the starters 0 for 13.

----------


## blangtang

tight game tonight...

----------


## ljbab728

Yup, and it was a great win.

San Antonio and Portland now have the Clippers and the Rockets nipping at their heals in the standings.

----------


## Laramie

> Should be a fun one. Because you brought it up, at this point in the season I see our biggest threats in the West to be:
> 1. Clippers (Blake's game has grown considerably this year - he just keeps improving and that should be a little scary for the rest of the conference)
> 2. Grizzlies (They'll be a low seed as they really struggled early, but they're playing at a high level with Gasol back again)
> 3. Blazers (They've got great shooters and two stars, but I feel good about the Thunder in a series with them)
> 4. Spurs (The Spurs look terrible now, but I'm sure they'll bounce back, but I think the Thunder have their number now)
> 5. Rockets (Lots of talent and good shooters, but their porous defense is comforting)
> 6. Warriors (Don't want to play them when they're hot)
> 
> To be honest, I feel pretty confident against all those teams, but the Clippers do scare me a bit. I don't think any other teams (e.g., Mavs, Suns, Wolves) pose a realistic threat to even make a series competitive with OKC.


Love the enumerated items on your menu dankrutka.  The two teams we don't want to meet on this list are those Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors.

The temporary loss of Russell Westbrook has given the Thunder reserves more valuable playing minutes.  Reggie will have the flexibility of playing alongside the starters as well as strengthening the reserves who rose to the occasion against Portland last night.  Credit goes to Scott Brooks for the way he has utilized his rotation.  Season split with Portland winning the last two against he Trailblazers.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Jim Kyle

I found it amazing how the Thunder managed to beat not only the Blazers, but the officials, last night. Wonder how much Brian Davis is going to be fined by the NBA for publicly acknowledging that the officiating was horribly inept?

They hand out technical fouls for "not respecting the game" but is there any way for a reasonable person to respect a game with so many bad calls? Hopefully the new commissioner will take corrective action, such as fining the officials as much as the players/coaches for each T they hand out, and provide a mechanism for handing Ts to the refs for bad calls...

----------


## Bellaboo

I know that if the ball has not left the hands of the player thowing in the inbound pass, and a defender grabs on offensive player, then it's a 2 shot foul and possession. That happened more than once last night late and the refs didn't have the guts to make the call against the home team.

They also missed the goal interference when they grabbed the net, thus leading to Brooks tech.....it's been a long time since i've felt a hose job was in play, but last night was.

----------


## Teo9969

I've seen worse officiated games overall, but last night was not good officiating. 22 to 12 when Portland is playing full-court press? That's hard to believe.

----------


## ljbab728

> Yup, and it was a great win.
> 
> San Antonio and Portland now have the Clippers and the Rockets nipping at their heals in the standings.


As I mentioned here, after Portland's loss tonight to the Clippers they are basically in a tie with the Clippers and the Rockets for 3rd in the West.  And with the Pacer's loss, the Thunder are back to having the advantage over them at this point in the season.  There are still a lot of games to go, however, and much could change.

----------


## Laramie

*Trust Binds Brooks, Young Stars To OKC*
_A prospective from Scott Brooks & Kevin Durant..._

Trust Binds Brooks, Young Stars To OKC  Hang Time Blog with Sekou Smith | NBA.com

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

Boy, did we get sucker-punched in the first half at the Staples Center.

This is what happens coming off an emotional win in Portland; playing the second end of a back to back to an injury plagued Laker squad missing their top six scorers.

Thunder just doesn't seem to be focused during the first half.  No ball movement, team play is non-existent--this is a recipe for a disastrous lost.  This game was supposed to be like one of those low-budget films - no stars, with a *GO TO BED* rating.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Jake

Lakers game showing that gimme games don't exist.

----------


## Bill Robertson

Tie game with 6:32 left. Glad I stayed up.

----------


## Bill Robertson

I am sooooooo glad I stayed up. Should have been an easy game but a notch in the W column is all that really matters.

----------


## ljbab728

Well they finally got serious about it and hit the free throws very well to clinch the game.

----------


## Laramie

This was the most agonizing win to be witnessed in Thunder history...

We'll take it!

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

This upcoming marquee matchup Miami Heat (37-14) @ Oklahoma City Thunder  (43-12)  should be interesting.  The last meeting with the Heat in Miami resulted in a 17-point Thunder victory without Westbrook.

Scott Brooks surprised himself with taking Perkins out and going with a more smaller, faster line-up which paid off.  The Heat couldn't keep up with the pace of the Thunder.  Westbrook will be back to add more ammunition (speed) to the Thunder's front court.  

Lately, Durant has been playing some mind games with LeBron James.  The more he forces James to challenge him--the more disengaged the Heat becomes against the Thunder because it takes them away from their offense.

Reggie Jackson & the Thunder's reserves will be the key.  His versatility allows him to play with the starting lineup or the reserves.  Russell will keep Miami on their heels because of his and Durant ability to advance quickly into the front court.   




> Will Miami be able to concentrate on scoring or defending against the Thunder's potential fast break?


 * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

I'm still afraid that the Thunder will have some adjustment time to get back in sync with playing with Westbrook.  I hope that doesn't happen because I really, really want to beat the Heat again.

----------


## mugofbeer

> I know that if the ball has not left the hands of the player thowing in the inbound pass, and a defender grabs on offensive player, then it's a 2 shot foul and possession. That happened more than once last night late and the refs didn't have the guts to make the call against the home team.
> 
> They also missed the goal interference when they grabbed the net, thus leading to Brooks tech.....it's been a long time since i've felt a hose job was in play, but last night was.


I still vividly remember the OU - Oregon game a few  years ago and that hose job.  Maybe it's an Oregon thing?   :Smile:

----------


## mugofbeer

> This upcoming marquee matchup Miami Heat (37-14) @ Oklahoma City Thunder  (43-12)  should be interesting.  The last meeting with the Heat in Miami resulted in a 17-point Thunder victory without Westbrook.
> 
> Scott Brooks surprised himself with taking Perkins out and going with a more smaller, faster line-up which paid off.  The Heat couldn't keep up with the pace of the Thunder.  Westbrook will be back to add more ammunition (speed) to the Thunder's front court.  
> 
> Lately, Durant has been playing some mind games with LeBron James.  The more he forces James to challenge him--the more disengaged the Heat becomes against the Thunder because it takes them away from their offense.
> 
> Reggie Jackson & the Thunder's reserves will be the key.  His versatility allows him to play with the starting lineup or the reserves.  Russell will keep Miami on their heels because of his and Durant ability to advance quickly into the front court.   
> 
> 
> ...


Really looking forward to this game.  Too bad it isn't on a Friday or Saturday nite but I hope the fans blow the roof off of the place they are so loud!  I'll be yelling in Denver!

----------


## ljbab728

I'm not sure that KD needs another nickname.

Kevin Durant gives himself a nickname, announces Russell Westbrook's return in interview | News OK




> In a interview with ESPN's Bill Simmons during the All-Star break, Kevin Durant gave himself the nickname "The Servant," and said that Russell Westbrook will be back for Thursday's game against the Heat.
> 
> Durant's reasoning for calling himself "The Servant?" - He's serving everyone. Even the people working in the crowd.
> 
> "I like to serve everybody. My teammates. Ushers at the game. The fans," Durant says.
> 
> Durant then goes on to shoot down "The Slim Reaper" again. He also likes "KD" and compares it to the simplicity of "AI" - the initials of former All-Star point guard Allen Iverson.
> 
> "I know it's kinda weird to make your own nickname, but I like that one better," Durant said about "The Servant."


I think "KD" works best.

----------


## Laramie

Love the Slim Reaper promotion; however, you can understand that according to K.D., that's not congruent with his personality.  He wants a 'positive' symbol; not something morbid that's associated with gloom, doom & death.

As far as the servant, oh boy that's not where he really wants to go...

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

> Love the Slim Reaper promotion


I disagree.  I don't like that at all and I doubt that it will stick.

----------


## Laramie

OKC Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has been cleared to play against the Miami Heat in an NBA marquee matchup tonight inside the Chesapeake Energy Arena.  The game will be televised nationally on TNT @ 7:00 p.m. CST.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## jn1780

I guess the excitment of Westbrook's return and the team getting used to playing with him again didnt help the Thunder tonight. 

Thats the story Im going with anyway. Lol

----------


## Teo9969

Just looked unfocused. Everyone but Perry Jones seemed like they were shocked a game was tonight.

----------


## PWitty

> I fell asleep in the 3rd quarter. That pretty much sums up the game for me.  I'm not worried though. I certainly don't think this means anything for the team or Westbrook. Just playing against if not the best team in the NBA, darn close... is going to mean you're going to get stomped some times. I'm so pleased with our last match-up with them that this one is just a number on the chart for me. Nothing more.


I agree. Some of the talking heads were absolutely delusional after the game though. It was like they all completely forgot about the first matchup and were writing off the Thunder as a serious contender after last nights game.

----------


## dankrutka

I'm not overly worried. You never put too much stock in any one regular season game. 

However, that was the Thunder's worst home loss since their inaugural season in OKC. Yikes!

----------


## Laramie

*Serge Ibaka breaks LeBron James' nose.*



*Serge protector:  Did Ibaka crown King James?*

----------


## OSUMom

If both of these teams ever showed up to play on the same day it could be a heck of a game.  But the Thunder just wasn't there last night.  I don't know who showed up but it wasn't our team.  And I can't blame Westbrook.  For the limited minutes he played he did ok.  It was everyone else who was sleepwalking.

----------


## Laramie

The Thunder are going through a transition upon Russell Westbrook's return.   It won't take much time for OKC to get its swagger back.    The long break which included the All Star weekend had a devastating affect on OKC .

We beat ourselves tonight.

The key to the Thunder's 125-117 loss were free throws, rebounds & taking advantage of turnovers.

Los Angeles Clippers  Free Throws: *28 points* of 39 attempts
22 points off 14 Thunder turnovers.

Oklahoma City Thunder  Free throws: *19 points* of 24 attempts  
22 points off 17 Clipper turnovers

Free throws:  Clippers had 9 more points made at the charity stripe. 
Rebounds:  Clippers 44 Thunder 37 (seven more Clipper rebounds)
Turnovers:  We didn't capitalize on three more Clipper turnovers.

Box Score:  Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - February 23, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

If you look at the stats from the Clippers game and apply them to any other game. I would say without knowing, that we won that game.

However, the Clips just flatout, outscored us. Crawford and Barnes were straight fire.

Nice chip shot on Wednesday which hopefully will let Russell get some more fine-tuning in.

----------


## PWitty

Our transition D was pitiful against Miami and LAC. That is what cost us. I can't even count how many times in the Miami game LeBron and Wade were at half court waiting for the outlet pass off of a defensive rebound and then coasted in for a dunk. The same thing happened against LAC, except it was mostly alley oops in 2-on-1 or 3-on-2 fast breaks. That's not hard to fix, it's just effort. For whatever reason it has looked like the whole team has been going through the motions defensively the last two games. That'll change though.

----------


## Laramie

When Kendrick Perkins went out with that groin pull in the Miami game, many of you probably thought that we haven't lost much; just what the basketball gods ordered.

Sure, Perkins isn't a beast under the offensive glass with put backs--he has fallen arches and flat feet and can barely get off the ground; he went straight from high school to the NBA--playing on a college team could have helped him control his anger and over aggression. 

What we do know about Perkins, he's a beast on defense and more than just a bully.  He motivates the team to get tough when the game is in the trenches; that's what we didn't have against the Clippers down the stretch as L.A. just took over in the remaining minutes.

 L.A. Clippers played the best game of their season in which their bench stepped up.

Perkins is not the dramatic shot blocker as we have in Ibaka.
Perkins is not the finesse shooter as we have in K.D., or the acrobatic rebounder as we have in the rhythmic leaping Westbrook.
Perkins is not the scorer you think he should be as seen with DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings big man with Perkin's build.

*Perkins is Perkins,* a true percolator of the defense, bitching, complaining, whining; making excuses--the big growling bear that no one including his own team mates wants to go near.   *He's a bang & bruiser type of guy who adds toughness the Thunder so desperately needs.*

The Thunder has been out of rhythm the last two games.  Our team loves to dribble, fake and shoot with the K.D., Westbrook, Jackson and sometimes hesitate Sefolosha ready to contribute when called upon.   They have to get to the spacing (Brooks' stresses) and for God's sake improve on the simple things like passing the ball around and making every player get his feel of the game on the court; not just the high five feels before tip off.

This is our Oklahoma City Thunder; there's time to get back on track with Russell Westbrook.  The Thunder is like a transmission--it has to be fluid with ALL parts moving in unison to accomplish its goal.

Oklahoma City Thunder will get its act together; deadly killer defense and offense we've seen previously.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## warreng88

Cue the trade Westbrook we were better off with Reggie people...

----------


## Laramie

> Cue the trade Westbrook we were better off with Reggie people...


Let's give it time.  Westbrook is clearly not back in rhythm and Reggie Jackson will need to anchor the reserves and work with the starters when OKC goes small.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## warreng88

> Let's give it time.  Westbrook is clearly not back in rhythm and Reggie Jackson will need to anchor the reserves and work with the starters when OKC goes small.
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


I know. I am a patient fan, but it frustrates me when people fly off the handle and think we immediately need to trade Westbrook because we were really good without him and have lost two games with him back in the starting lineup after being out for three months. Those are the same people who think we need to amnesty Perk because he doesn't add enough to the offensive side of the ball. Oh and our record is 43-14, best in the league.

----------


## Richard at Remax

Perk out for up to six weeks following surgery

----------


## warreng88

We will see how good Adams really is and if we really need him now. Perk might be an offensive liability, but he is also a defensive bully and we need that down low.

----------


## Easy180

> We will see how good Adams really is and if we really need him now. He might be an offensive liability, but he is also a defensive bully and we need that down low.


Good time to try him out. Great experience before the playoffs begin.

----------


## warreng88

I read somewhere that LA is going after Melo after this season and KD after the 2015-2016 season. By that time, Kobe probably will have been retired and they will be looking for someone to take the reigns. I see RW going more than KD, but who knows.

----------


## Bellaboo

> I read somewhere that LA is going after Melo after this season and KD after the 2015-2016 season. By that time, Kobe probably will have been retired and they will be looking for someone to take the reigns. I see RW going more than KD, but who knows.


It's well known that KD doesn't really care for the big cities. He chose Texas to get away from DC at the time. I think if the Thunder can sustain a winning culture with a few Chips, KD will stay..ala Tim Duncan.

----------


## Teo9969

> I read somewhere that LA is going after Melo after this season and KD after the 2015-2016 season. By that time, Kobe probably will have been retired and they will be looking for someone to take the reigns. I see RW going more than KD, but who knows.


KD and Melo will never play for the same franchise.

Either one of them could leave under the right circumstances, but I can only imagine a handful of franchises landing either guy and then the situation will still have to make sense, and the Thunder's future will have to be far more bleak than it looks now.

----------


## dankrutka

> It's well known that KD doesn't really care for the big cities. He chose Texas to get away from DC at the time. I think if the Thunder can sustain a winning culture with a few Chips, KD will stay..ala Tim Duncan.


KD loves big cities, has a place in downtown Miami, and loves DC. Not sure where you got this. He talks up OKC a lot, which is smart because he's here, but there's nothing that indicates that he dislikes big cities.

Also, virtually every team in the NBA will be coming at KD when he is a free agent. The key to keeping him is probably both whether OKC has won a title by then and the upcoming prospects for more titles.

----------


## dagnyt

> Cue the trade Westbrook we were better off with Reggie people...


I agree. We need to get Westbrook out of the mix. He is not a team player. He is arrogant and wants to the the star and to he__ with the rest of the team. In the game against the Clippers we didn't see much scoring from players other than Westbrook and Durant. Durant plays for the good of the team. Westbrook plays for the good of Westbrook. There is some question as to whether that knee is going to hold up to  ...

----------


## dankrutka

> I agree. We need to get Westbrook out of the mix. He is not a team player. He is arrogant and wants to the the star and to he__ with the rest of the team. In the game against the Clippers we didn't see much scoring from players other than Westbrook and Durant. Durant plays for the good of the team. Westbrook plays for the good of Westbrook. There is some question as to whether that knee is going to hold up to  ...


First, you clearly did not get that the post you quoted was being facetious. Second, nope. Nope. NOPE.

Against the Clips, KD had 42, Serge had 20, Fisher had 15, and Thabo had 10 - all well above their season and career averages. Russ can't make the ball for Reggie (who went 3 of 12). Russ has consistently been in the top 10 in the NBA in assists. But, we wouldn't want facts to get in the way of the Westbrook-is-selfish Skip Bayless narrative, right? Russ is out-of-rhythm now, but he's a top 10 player in the league. All this should really go without saying at this point if you pay attention to games.

----------


## td25er

Russ needs time to shake the rust, but Brooks is horrible at getting the team ready.  5-5 the first 10 games Russ got hurt, then they were on fire.  0-3 w/o Perkins, who is a horrible player.

----------


## Laramie

The "two-men enter, one man leaves" theme is so alive and well at Thunder dome; Westbrook returns and Perkins leaves.  Perkins' injury will not only affect the defensive toughness of the Thunder, *it could have an adverse reaction on Scott Brooks' rotation. * Those of you who don't like Scott Brooks; Avery Johnson & P. J. Carlesimo are available...  :Big Grin:  

Wake-up folks, we're in the  big leagues now--time to shed that college coach firing mentality.

You have the best patient, positive & upcoming coach in the NBA.  He can only coach the team; it's encumbering team play that will determine how far the Thunder advances in the playoffs.  The players will have to follow his direction concerning passing, spacing, moving, breaking and locking down on the defensive end.  

Get well and good luck Kendrick Perkins!

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

As we continue life without Perkins; you'll see his value on the defensive end.  Irving shredded our defense like lettuce tonight.  Adams doesn't have a role model to show him direction--he had one good game (17 pts., @ Detroit Pistons) and everybody got all giddy...

K. D. is still scoring; however, he's got to get his mojo back down the stretch.  Thunder lacks that extra hustle for loose balls.  Passing and spacing on offense is lack-luster.  Defense trust factor has eroded as players are double-teaming out on the perimeter when there is no need; someone needs to anticipate and play the rebound. Collison appeared to be the only player blocking out and attempting to rebound. 

Last two home losses:  Free throws: Clippers  28-39, Thunder 19-24; Cavaliers 23-24, Thunder 13-17.  Our caliber of players should be getting the calls at home.  
All Cavalier starters were in double figures; only Durant (28), Westbrook (24) & Ibaka (18) were in double figures with Sefolosha & Lamb 8 each, Collison 5, Lamb, Jackson & Adams 4 each, Fisher 3.  The reserves have got to step up...

It's not going to get any easier with those banging, grit & grind Grizzlies coming to town.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - February 26, 2014 - ESPN



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Just a slump right now. Good news from last night, Russell looked to be more comfortable. Once his minutes go back to normal, I think he will be back in it, machine mode style.


I do wonder what the deal with Reggie and Jeremy is right now? They both seem to have gone Harden-Finals since the Allstar break.

----------


## Anonymous.

Another rare Friday night home game.

Hopefully we can avoid the 4L streak against Memphis. Going to lose the 1 seed if we keep this up. SAS only 1.5 game behind now.

----------


## Richard at Remax

Y! SPORTS

Caron Bulter to sign with Thunder

----------


## Easy180

> Another rare Friday night home game.
> 
> Hopefully we can avoid the 4L streak against Memphis. Going to lose the 1 seed if we keep this up. SAS only 1.5 game behind now.


Don't matchup well with Perk out. Hopefully we can win with small ball tonight.

----------


## FighttheGoodFight

> Y! SPORTS
> 
> Caron Bulter to sign with Thunder


Great signing. This gives the Thunder an option for defense and open 3s. Thabo has been in a slump so this could be a good answer.

----------


## Laramie

*Now that we've got the train back on track; it's time to roll...*





*Welcome aboard Caron Butler!*Position: Small Forward and Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right, Height: 6-7 ▪ Weight: 217 lbs.  Averaged 15.3 points per game over his 11-year NBA career.
Waived by current team:  Milwaukee Bucks averaging 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

*Memphis Grizzlies  107  Oklahoma City Thunder 113*
*Let's Go Thunder!*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

*Kevin Durant is a class act!*
_I was working for Fox at the OKC Thunder game last night. After the game, one of our camera operators slipped and fell on the stairs last night. KD is about to walk his mother out, but sees this happen. He said to his mom, Hold on a minute..._

Kevin Durant does nice thing, part five thousand | Daily Thunder.com

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

*Thunder 116 - Bobcats 99*
Are the Thunder back on track?  

Westbrook had an incredible 25 minutes connecting on 10-12 field goals, 2-2 free throws and  4-5 on three point shooting for 26 points.
Durant played 38 minutes for 28 points; five assists and six rebounds.  *Our Durant-Westbrook dual is back.*

Contributions from reserves:  Jackson 17 points, Lamb & Collison with 7 points each.  Perry Jones & Steven Adams filled in for starters (Sefolosha & Perkins) contributing 4 points each.

Wish Thabo Sefolosha a speedy recovery.   We probably won't see Perkins until next season. Will they amnesty Perkins? 

*Caron Butler* will add to the offense & defense in spreading the floor.  Butler was on an $8 million dollar buyout contract at Milwaukee.  This was a super pick-up by Sam Presti.  

Miami Heat have lost out on three key pick-ups: Andrew Bynum (Pacers), Danny Granger (Clippers) and Caron Butler .

We can't afford any more injuries.

Charlotte Bobcats vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - March 02, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

It's hard to tell until we go up against an elite team. Right now the hot ones are the Spurs, Rockets, Blazers, Clips, Pacers, Heat, Suns and Net. 
If we dominate these guys then we're back.

----------


## Bellaboo

> It's hard to tell until we go up against an elite team. Right now the hot ones are the Spurs, Rockets, *Blazers,* Clips, Pacers, Heat, Suns and Net. 
> If we dominate these guys then we're back.


Hard to believe, but the Blazers lost to the Lakers last night at home.

----------


## dankrutka

> It's hard to tell until we go up against an elite team. Right now the hot ones are the Spurs, Rockets, Blazers, Clips, Pacers, Heat, Suns and Net. 
> If we dominate these guys then we're back.


Nets? Lol.

----------


## Laramie

> Hard to believe, but the Blazers lost to the Lakers last night at home.


Which goes to show that any NBA team can suffer from mental fatigue when returing to the friendly confines of home.  The Moda Center in Portland, like the Peake is a fan enthusiastic building that gives a little edge to the home team.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Mel

The Thunder is doing a "Mick" on the 76'ers.

----------


## Laramie

A 'team' effort was on display against a young Philadelphia 76ers squad.  

We need to be concerned about the less than .500 winning percentage teams because they come to play with that 'what have we got to lose attitude,' which makes them dangerous.

Wanted to see more from Caron Butler offensively; however he had one practice with the Thunder before the 76ers' game.  Caron registered 26 playing minutes. He still has to learn all of the Thunder sets, picks and plays.   Definitely appeared to be in top notch physical condition.

We had five double-digit scorers on offense against the 76ers:

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - March 04, 2014 - ESPN


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Just the facts

So when Westbrook came back at the start of the season OKC was 1-1.  We then went 22-4 over the next 26 games until he went out.  In the next 10 games we went 5-5 and then we went 15-2 after that until the All-Star break.  Then he came back and we lost 3 straight, but we have now won 3 straight.  Based on that I think over the final 21 games we go 19-2 and finish the regular season 65-17 with 8 of those loses coming in the transition of Westbrook in and out of the lineup so this could have been a legitimate 70 win team.  Only one team in history has won 70 games or more (the 1995-96 Bulls at 72-10)

----------


## warreng88

We have a very favorable schedule to finish out the season. Phoenix is playing pretty well right now and Houston and the Clippers are always a chore. Other than that, we have an easier schedule than the month of December which is where I thought we would lose the most. I am not as optimistic as JTF, but could definitely see 16 out of 21 with loses coming to Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Clippers and Indiana. That would put us at 62 wins. I would be ok with that...

----------


## OSUMom

You know that as a team you're in trouble when Hasheem Thabeet gets hot against you.  Loved the rest of the team celebrating that last jump shot of his.

----------


## Richard at Remax

I don't know about you guys but this REALLLLLLY rubs me the wrong way

Help us keep going to OKC Thunder games! by Nauzi Thunder Princess Jagosh - GoFundMe

"Both Garrett Haviland (Thundor) and Nauzi Jagosh (Thunder Princess) have been long time season ticket members of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Each year it has become increasingly more difficult to afford tickets. Now that it is time again to renew season tickets both Thundor and Thunder Princess find themselves in a budget crunch with the potential loss of their favorite past time looming. 

Now you maybe wondering why now? If you paid for it before why cant you pay now? Life is full of ups and downs full of unexpected trials, tribulations, and expenses. Garrett has made a career change to save his sanity which has had a negative impact on his savings. Nauzi has taken a step further into adulthood rather than continue to work multiple jobs she has tried to focus on building a career. 

All money raised will be used toward paying off their upcoming season tickets, and any subsequent playoff tickets. Both Thundor and Thunder Princess only own one seat each no seat upgrades will be made the donations will only pay for the two single tickets for Thundor and Thunder Princess. should we raise more than our target amount a donation will be made to the Thunder Cares Foundation. any and all help would be appreciated no amount too small and no amount too great. Thank you for your consideration and assistance in keeping a dream alive."

----------


## Anonymous.

> I don't know about you guys but this REALLLLLLY rubs me the wrong way
> 
> Help us keep going to OKC Thunder games! by Nauzi Thunder Princess Jagosh - GoFundMe
> 
> "Both Garrett Haviland (Thundor) and Nauzi Jagosh (Thunder Princess) have been long time season ticket members of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Each year it has become increasingly more difficult to afford tickets. Now that it is time again to renew season tickets both Thundor and Thunder Princess find themselves in a budget crunch with the potential loss of their favorite past time looming. 
> 
> Now you maybe wondering why now? If you paid for it before why can’t you pay now? Life is full of ups and downs full of unexpected trials, tribulations, and expenses. Garrett has made a career change to save his sanity which has had a negative impact on his savings. Nauzi has taken a step further into adulthood rather than continue to work multiple jobs she has tried to focus on building a career. 
> 
> All money raised will be used toward paying off their upcoming season tickets, and any subsequent playoff tickets. Both Thundor and Thunder Princess only own one seat each no seat upgrades will be made the donations will only pay for the two single tickets for Thundor and Thunder Princess. should we raise more than our target amount a donation will be made to the Thunder Cares Foundation. any and all help would be appreciated no amount too small and no amount too great. Thank you for your consideration and assistance in keeping a dream alive."




I cannot believe that is real. How self-absorbed are you that you feel like you deserve to have your tickets paid for? Because you wear facepaint and a crown?

I am not sure if I am more dissappointed in them or the people who have donated $400+ already.

This is like a homeless person begging on the corner and getting into a new car to drive home.

----------


## Bellaboo

I don't go to the games to see Thundor or Thunder Princess. It's taxing for me to afford my seats also, especially when they make a deep playoff run. I'll be damned if I ask for help paying for my entertainment.....the day I can't scrimp by and pay my own bills is the day I quit buying season tickets....I'd then just selectivly choose a few games here and there.

----------


## Laramie

Let's face reality.  There are always going to be people around _'cultivating the kindness of strangers'_ (putting it mildly).

I asked my mother one day about her church and the money she was donating to that institution.  Did she ever wonder about what they were doing with the money?  She replied, 'that's on them.'  'The money is entrusted for them to do the Lord's work; he'll deal with those who  mismanage money intended for deeds.'

Granted, the Chesapeake Energy Arena is no cathedral for catholicism.  It is one of the NBA's most passionate arenas of the new era of professional basketball.  

Doesn't hurt to throw a man who is down on his luck a bone every now and then; however society has to come to grips with when enough is enough--especially those in survival mode, who make a diet preoccupied with 'gimmie.'    Man has multiple addictions; can't blame anyone for being addicted with the Thunder.


*Hell, get a damn job!* 

Thunder should moon the suns tonight:  115-98.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Got 2nd half stomped by the Suns (Green) last night.

Young and upcoming team tasted blood and went for it. It was a great game.

Suns could possibly be our first round opponents. However, they don't stand a chance in a series against us.


Lakers Sunday afternoon.

----------


## Laramie

Got to give it up to Phoenix in that they continued to keep their confidence when it looked as though they were going to be  blown out.

Last night's game was a track meet.  The whistles favored the home team.  Phoenix advantage: Suns 29-39 and Thunder 19-19 at the charity stripe (+10 points): 6 more point advantage to Suns' three-pointers.   Amazing that the Thunder were perfect in free throws.

Caron Butler contributed 14 points; he will be the difference maker going into the playoffs.  We definitely could have used the services of Thabo Sefolosha & Kendrick Perkins.   

_Agree with Anonymous that they wouldn't stand a chance against us in a series._ 

We need Jackson to get back to his game.  He averages 13 points, only scored 4 last night.  Could have also used some offense from Perry Jones who didn't score.

Can't put a lot of stock in those +/- statistics because Dragic SG (Phoenix) was a -14 with 22 points. 

Time to drain the Lake while there is a drought in Los Angeles.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns - Box Score - March 06, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

I'm leery about the Suns. They beat us without Eric Bledsoe, their second best player. 
However, if we play them in the playoffs, Westbrook is likely 6-8 minutes more per game.

----------


## Just the facts

> So when Westbrook came back at the start of the season OKC was 1-1.  We then went 22-4 over the next 26 games until he went out.  In the next 10 games we went 5-5 and then we went 15-2 after that until the All-Star break.  Then he came back and we lost 3 straight, but we have now won 3 straight.  Based on that I think over the final 21 games we go 19-2 and finish the regular season 65-17 with 8 of those loses coming in the transition of Westbrook in and out of the lineup so this could have been a legitimate 70 win team.  Only one team in history has won 70 games or more (the 1995-96 Bulls at 72-10)


Umm... Never mind.  I retract this previous post.

----------


## Jim Kyle

Scotty *has* to get them playing defense, or wait for his successor to do so. I'd prefer the first of those alternatives, but doing the same thing over and over while expecting different outcomes is one definition of insanity...

----------


## Mel

I'm glad the Grandkids were not around to hear Grandma and Grandpa the last few games.

----------


## Laramie

*Get well, we need you back ASAP!*



*Thabo Sefolosha* 
Our lock down defense has taken a nose drive since Thabo Sefolosha's injury.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Klop

> Scotty *has* to get them playing defense, or wait for his successor to do so. I'd prefer the first of those alternatives, but doing the same thing over and over while expecting different outcomes is one definition of insanity...


I was thinking the same thing this afternoon. Surely Brooks knows how to coach some defense. Or, do they just shoot around in practice? Come on now.

----------


## Spartan

It's a long season guys. Calm down.

----------


## Laramie

It's going to take time for Caron Butler to become acclimated to our offensive & defensive schemes.  Scott Brooks has to start the process again with Sefolosha & Perkins (two starters) absent from the lineup.  When you move two reserves to fill in for the starters you affect the starters & the reserves.  A true wrinkle showing up with team play.

Durant & Westbrook are back to playing a two man game.  They have  to get back to ball movement; trusting the other players--allow them room for mistakes.  Westbrook's return home (Los Angeles) had a lot to do with his dismal play.  


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

Darnell Mayberry sure gave them all a good knuckle rap in the paper today.

----------


## Laramie

Thunder hasn't been playing with the defensive energy since the injuries to Perkins & Sefolosha.

Westbrook returns and  we lose to key defensive starters.  Thunder will adjust!


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

Oklahoma City Thunder 106 Houston Rockets  98


Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - March 11, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Jim Kyle

A good effort -- but take note that it was "the old men" who held us together in the final minutes, when Harden and company were surging back. Had it not been for Fisher and Butler in that stretch, I think that tonight would have been a replay of the previous two games: get off to a good lead and then give it up in the final 24 minutes.

I agree with Mayberry's analysis yesterday; the problem is selfish play, not trusting the rest of the team. Hopefully the old men can harness this tendency and turn us back into the effective weapon we were before the All-Star break!

----------


## Mel

Yes, we old farts still have a bit to contribute.

----------


## Anonymous.

Fisher made some really smart plays last night. And the plays with Russell dribbling into the paint with speed like he is about to his pull-up J, then rocketing a pass out to a waiting Fisher or Butler - those are things of beauty.

----------


## Dustin

Chandler Parson taking a dig at OKC

Instagram

----------


## Easy180

> Chandler Parson taking a dig at OKC
> 
> Instagram


Wish I had a clever comeback but he kinda has a point. Red dirt and dead grass doesn't make it on very many paintings.

----------


## Dustin

I've never been to Houston.  How is the scenery?  Or is there any scenery?  Is it just a concrete jungle?

----------


## Bellaboo

Kevin Durant and Kind company -

Kevin Durant and Kind bar - new product, packaging and partnership

----------


## Bellaboo

> I've never been to Houston.  How is the scenery?  Or is there any scenery?  Is it just a concrete jungle?


Houston is flatter than OKC....

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Kevin Durant and Kind company -
> 
> Kevin Durant and Kind bar - new product, packaging and partnership


I love Kind Bars. My daughter knows the owner, Dan Lubetsky, a Mexican immigrant with a factory in Brooklyn and office in Manhattan. Best nutrition buy for the money.

----------


## Mel

> Houston is flatter than OKC....


and smellier

----------


## Easy180

Just read something sad...Through 62 games the Bucks have not had a two game winning streak.

----------


## OSUMom

Well, tonight was pretty ugly.

----------


## Mel

Still not over the hot or cold cycle. I watched cosmos rather than the end of the game.

----------


## Anonymous.

Good bounceback.

Another back to back tomorrow and Friday.

----------


## Boomer3791

OK, the Thunder need this! Watch This Amazing Projection System Transform The Cavaliers&#39; Court

----------


## ljbab728

> Good bounceback.
> 
> Another back to back tomorrow and Friday.


I'm guessing you mean on Thursday and Friday since tomorrow is Wednesday on my calendar.   :Smile:

----------


## warreng88

Thursday we play the Cavs who are 26-42 and Friday we are play the Raptors who are 37-29. Does Russ sit for Cleveland and play against Toronto?

----------


## Anonymous.

> I'm guessing you mean on Thursday and Friday since tomorrow is Wednesday on my calendar.


Woops.  :Big Grin:

----------


## dankrutka

> Thursday we play the Cavs who are 26-42 and Friday we are play the Raptors who are 37-29. Does Russ sit for Cleveland and play against Toronto?


Toronto, for sure. Much harder game. Cavs just lost Kyrie to injury.

----------


## warreng88

> Toronto, for sure. Much harder game. Cavs just lost Kyrie to injury.


Hadn't seen that. Yeah, that would have been a no-brianer if I knew that.

----------


## Teo9969

Toronto, because they're within striking distance of Dallas.

If I were a betting man, I'd guess that Presti is more interested in Dallas's final 15 or so games than he is OKC's

----------


## Laramie

The Thunder will continue to play it one game at a time.  Never known Scott Brooks to look too far ahead; he concentrates on the upcoming game at hand.  This Cleveland team is dangerous even without Kyrie Irving.



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> Toronto, because they're within striking distance of Dallas.
> 
> If I were a betting man, I'd guess that Presti is more interested in Dallas's final 15 or so games than he is OKC's


The question is, do we want that pick now or later? I'm pretty sure it has less protections in the future.

----------


## Mel

Why is Russell not playing tonight? My wife asked me and I got that deer in a headlight look.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Why is Russell not playing tonight? My wife asked me and I got that deer in a headlight look.


Rest.

----------


## Mel

> Rest.


Thanx.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Thanx.


To elaborate since there's a multitude of things that could be behind "rest"; Westbrook rests on one of the nights of a back-to-back. He'll play tomorrow night. It's all precautionary stuff to try and help his knee come along and still be able to play regularly.

----------


## Anonymous.

Yup. Basically saving him for the playoffs.. lol

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Less risk of injury

----------


## Bill Robertson

And, Brooks said they would be limiting Westrook's minutes when he returned so this is just staying with the plan.

----------


## Mel

Well, Toronto just bent Russell's knee sideways. :Mad:

----------


## BB37

Russ just can't seem to catch a break.

----------


## Anonymous.

Wow... Roller coaster night.

Russell goes down with same knee BS.

KD goes hulk mode and brings OKC over TOR in double OT.

----------


## Mel

That was a squeaker. Double OT. Sill worried about RW.

----------


## Dustin

What happened?

I was too busy crying in a corner because I thought we lost.

We were down by 7 with a minute to go.

----------


## Mel

Things just Thundered Up. It's a cool thing to watch.

----------


## OKCDrummer77

> What happened?
> 
> I was too busy crying in a corner because I thought we lost.
> 
> We were down by 7 with a minute to go.


KD happened.  That's what.

----------


## OSUMom

Darnell Mayberry tweeted this:


Russell Westbrook was in great spirits after the game. Left the arena walking just fine. No brace. No crutches. Doesn't expect to miss time.

----------


## Wishbone

They way his knee buckled it looked really bad. He seems to take a lot of shots to that knee.

----------


## SoonerDave

> They way his knee buckled it looked really bad. He seems to take a lot of shots to that knee.


From the replay I saw, it looked like it would have affected the inside ligament, similar to what happens to a lot of offensive linemen in football when they get "rolled up" from the side. The knee just bends in a direction it wasn't designed to go. They'll do an MRI on that thing, give it a degree of severity, and if its not bad, they can substantially heal within two or three weeks and be supplanted by a knee brace. Only reason I know this minor tidbit is my son had nearly this *exact* thing happen to him playing football. Trainer called me at home after practice one night, told me what happened, he didn't think it was serious, and he was cleared to participate in his team's summer camp about two weeks later. Got a crash course in those knees-bent-the-wrong-direction injuries  :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

> They way his knee buckled it looked really bad. He seems to take a lot of shots to that knee.


Makes you wonder if this was an accident; or as Granny use to say, 'accidentally on purpose."  Anyway, the team won this one for Westbrook.

Durant should win the 2013-14 MVP this year over LeBron James.  This *MVP* for *Kevin Durant* is signed, sealed and all but delivered...


Durant doesn't have two franchise players playing alongside of him to carry his Oklahoma City Thunder franchise.

Kevin Durant, NBA - MVP

 

Postage please!


My two cents...

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## BB37

CBS Sports reporting today's MRI on Westbrook's right knee shows "no new issues."  Maybe he dodged a bullet.

Russell Westbrook injury: MRI shows &#39;no new issues&#39; with Thunder star&#39;s knee - SBNation.com

----------


## Anonymous.

Lost to Dallas for second time in a row last night. It was another great game with OT.

I am not sure what Ibaka was doing on the defensive rebound after Dirk's missed 3 in regulation, that rebound would have sealed the game. Instead, Marion kicked out to the new Thunder killer, Calderon.

If OKC could defend the 3point shot even half as better as they are now, we would never lose a game... lol

----------


## catcherinthewry

Dallas is playing for the last playoff spot in the West and it showed.  It was obvious that they wanted that game more than the Thunder.  I know it's tough to bring your "A" game 82 to times a year, but I hate watching the Thunder lose to Dallas. Luckily it doesn't happen very often.

----------


## Laramie

You win some, you lose some...

Thunder has had an outstanding record in OT games this season.   The trouble with OT games is that anything can happen in that short five minute span.

Sun, Nov 10  Home vs. Washington Wizards 
Win
106-105 OT

Fri, Nov 29 Home vs. Golden State Warriors 
Win
113-112 OT

Fri, Mar 21@ Toronto Raptors
Win
119-118 OT

Tue, Mar 25@ Dallas Mavericks
Loss
128-119 OT

We are 2-0 in overtime at home 100%
We are 1-1 in overtime on the road 50%
Overall (3/4) in overtime games 75%




* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## warreng88

Question about the future: So, with the success of KD probably winning the scoring title and probably winning MVP, do you think Westbrook will want to go off and do his own thing a la Harden? The Thunder has shown they can do very well without Russ due to his injury but I would much rather him stay and win several championships together. I can't help but think that Russ's playing second fiddle to KD is coming full circle because the Thunder have been playing so well in his absence. I think the Thunder have to win a championship in the next two years for KD, RW and Serge to all stay together. Again, I love RW but I could see him wanting to be the only face of a franchise in several years when he can get more money and possibly get to play back in LA where he grew up and went to college.

----------


## s00nr1

Defense and turnovers have always been and will continue to be the deciding factor for OKC. The only way they will win a title is if they can figure out their deficiencies of late in both areas. 

It astounds me that year after year under Scott Brooks the Thunder continue to be at the bottom of the league in terms of ball security. Turnovers are careless mistakes that should have been addressed by now.

----------


## dankrutka

> Question about the future: So, with the success of KD probably winning the scoring title and probably winning MVP, do you think Westbrook will want to go off and do his own thing a la Harden? The Thunder has shown they can do very well without Russ due to his injury but I would much rather him stay and win several championships together. I can't help but think that Russ's playing second fiddle to KD is coming full circle because the Thunder have been playing so well in his absence. I think the Thunder have to win a championship in the next two years for KD, RW and Serge to all stay together. Again, I love RW but I could see him wanting to be the only face of a franchise in several years when he can get more money and possibly get to play back in LA where he grew up and went to college.


No. KD has been the go-to guy since Russ has been here. What has changed? Also, the Thunder had a worse record during the time Russ was out compared to prior to his injury. This team as constructed is not winning a title without Russ playing at a high level. I agree that winning a title is the best way to keep the core here, but there has been no indication that Russ is looking to leave (er, be traded) like Harden.

----------


## dankrutka

> Defense and turnovers have always been and will continue to be the deciding factor for OKC. The only way they will win a title is if they can figure out their deficiencies of late in both areas. 
> 
> It astounds me that year after year under Scott Brooks the Thunder continue to be at the bottom of the league in terms of ball security. Turnovers are careless mistakes that should have been addressed by now.


The Thunder are an aggressive offensive team. This has resulted in an offense that is consistently among the best in the NBA. A side product is turnovers, but if the offense is still producing at an extremely high rate is it still a huge problem? On the other hand, the recent defensive dropoff is probably the biggest reason the Thunder have struggled a little (by their standards) post-All Star break.

----------


## s00nr1

> The Thunder are an aggressive offensive team. This has resulted in an offense that is consistently among the best in the NBA. A side product is turnovers, but if the offense is still producing at an extremely high rate is it still a huge problem? On the other hand, the recent defensive dropoff is probably the biggest reason the Thunder have struggled a little (by their standards) post-All Star break.


TO's are not as big a problem when the defense is performing to previous standards. However, if winning a title is the goal, both will need to be drastically improved.

----------


## dankrutka

> TO's are not as big a problem when the defense is performing to previous standards. However, if winning a title is the goal, both will need to be drastically improved.


The Thunder average 15.3 Turnovers per game this season. They averaged 16.3 in 2011-2012 when they went to the finals. The Heat have averaged 15.2 (2011-2012) the year they beat OKC in the finals. The 2008-2009 champion Celtics turned it over 15.6 per game when they won the title. There are certainly teams that turned it over less, but you can certainly compete for, and win a title, turning it over at the Thunder's current pace. It's good to have less turnovers, but overall offensive (and defensive) efficiency is more important... and the Thunder do well in that category.

----------


## warreng88

> No. KD has been the go-to guy since Russ has been here. What has changed? Also, the Thunder had a worse record during the time Russ was out compared to prior to his injury. This team as constructed is not winning a title without Russ playing at a high level. I agree that winning a title is the best way to keep the core here, but there has been no indication that Russ is looking to leave (er, be traded) like Harden.


I think KD getting more press than usual due to his ridiculous high play is what has changed. The Thunder had a record of 28-10 (73.68%) with Russ and a 24-9 (72.72%) without him this season. So their winning percentage is very close and a one game could swing it even. Although some of those loses with Russ could be contributed to him getting back into the rotation after being out for several games. Again, I am not advocating to trade him, please don't think that at all, I could just see him wanting to be the man somewhere else now that the Thunder are usually the first story on SC regardless of what happened so the press is much higher on him than it used to be.

----------


## dankrutka

Yes, KD is getting more press, but he's always gotten a lot. I haven't seen any indication that Russ is jealous and craves more attention. Just seems like a pointless thing to speculate about considering there's no evidence to support the theory. We could guess the same thing for other players also... Maybe Serge wants to be a bigger part if the offense somewhere else?

----------


## warreng88

> Yes, KD is getting more press, but he's always gotten a lot. I haven't seen any indication that Russ is jealous and craves more attention. *Just seems like a pointless thing to speculate about considering there's no evidence to support the theory.* We could guess the same thing for other players also... Maybe Serge wants to be a bigger part if the offense somewhere else?


You're probably right. My brother and I were talking about it Tuesday night and I just thought I would bring it up to see what other people think. I don't see KD going anywhere for a while because he is so low-key but with Russ's more recent emergence as a fashion guy and going to parties all over the US, I can't help but think that is kind of what Harden did when he played here too. Now, they are completely different roles (starting PG versus sixth man) but it is kind of like deja vu for me.

----------


## catcherinthewry

I would worry more about Reggie leaving for a bigger role than Russell.

----------


## Laramie

Kevin Durant is a class act player and he wants Russell Westbrook & Serge Ibaka to be apart of OKC's big three.  

James Harden's agent got a little greedy on his behalf and overplayed his hand.  Sam Presti indicated that he wanted to get Harden's contract finalized and wasn't going to play games about his worth. 

Harden is in Houston with Dwight Howard who thinks he's too pretty to get his suit dirty.  Houston will never win a championship with these 'Frankenstein pieces' thrown together unless Kevin McHale figures out how to satisfy all of these super egos (Harden, Howard, Lin, Asik, Beverley) pulling in their own direction.


Sam Presti has done an outstanding job with a core of players who are willing to work together and know their role in the scheme of things.  The more the Thunder's core play together (Durant-Westbrook-Ibaka) along with the long-term addition of one more piece like a Caron Butler and building through the draft (Steven Adams, Perry Jones, Reggie Jackson) the Thunder will continue to be a championship caliber contender.   The Thunder could have used a player like Mike Miller who chose to return to Memphis; meanwhile, Butler will do. 

Three players on the Miami Heat (James, Bosh, Wade) probably account for approximately 75-80% of the team's salary:

Miami Heat 2014 Team Roster - ESPN

It's the continuity and development of these players getting to know one another's idiosyncrasies that molds a championship team.   A few breaks, the Thunder could achieve that championship status.  *Once you sit on top of the summit, you become everyone's target* (e.g., Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks); then it becomes expensive to keep these pieces together.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> James Harden's agent got a little greedy on his behalf and overplayed his hand.  Sam Presti indicated that he wanted to get Harden's contract finalized and wasn't going to play games about his worth.


How did Harden's agent overplay his hand? I'd say he just played his hand. His client was offered a max, $80 million contract from the Rockets, which the Thunder were unwilling to offer so they traded Harden. I think it's silly to criticize Harden as selfish. Not many NBA players, or common workers, leave money on the table... much less $25 million. Also, Harden is now a legitimate superstar and it made a lot of sense for his career to leave. He's now the top guy on a top 5-6 team in the NBA that is a title contender. When you take your OKC glasses off, there's really nothing Harden did wrong except kind of mislead people a little about taking less. On the other hand, KD and Russ are making the max (Russ turned down the Rose bonus, but it's still max) and are the legitimate 1 and 2 guys on a title contender.

It's interesting how things work out. To this day I still think the best move would have been to sign Harden first & then trade Ibaka if necessary. I just think Collison and a draft pick could have made up for at least some of Ibaka's impact. Long term, the trade comes down to how well Jeremy Lamb (who has regressed as the season has gone on), Steven Adams, the Macs draft pick, Ibaka, and Reggie Jackson (who was not in the trade, but stepped into Harden's role) continue to progress. 

If the Thunder win a title then the Harden trade debate will go away. If not, the trade will always be questioned.

----------


## Laramie

> How did Harden's agent overplay his hand? I'd say he just played his hand. *His client was offered a max, $80 million contract from the Rockets*, which the Thunder were unwilling to offer so they traded Harden. I think it's silly to criticize Harden as selfish. Not many NBA players, or common workers, leave money on the table... much less $25 million. Also, Harden is now a legitimate superstar and it made a lot of sense for his career to leave. He's now the top guy on a top 5-6 team in the NBA that is a title contender. When you take your OKC glasses off, there's really nothing Harden did wrong except kind of mislead people a little about taking less. On the other hand, KD and Russ are making the max (Russ turned down the Rose bonus, but it's still max) and are the legitimate 1 and 2 guys on a title contender.
> 
> It's interesting how things work out. To this day I still think the best move would have been to sign Harden first & then trade Ibaka if necessary.* I just think Collison and a draft pick could have made up for at least some of Ibaka's impact.* Long term, the trade comes down to how well Jeremy Lamb (who has regressed as the season has gone on), Steven Adams, the Macs draft pick, Ibaka, and Reggie Jackson (who was not in the trade, but stepped into Harden's role) continue to progress. 
> 
> If the Thunder win a title then the Harden trade debate will go away. If not, the trade will always be questioned.


I didn't criticize Harden; my opinion was solely directed at his agent.

So true, we will never know Harden's value if he had stayed with the Thunder.  His agent made that decision.  

I do know this; when we got to the finals against Miami, Harden looked as though he was lost.  He didn't show up!

*Agree, Harden's agent was entitled to get him more and he did--good riddance and good luck to James Harden.*  He's a valuable piece to Houston; however, Howard is the 'main man' in Houston--something he couldn't be in Los Angeles because Kobe Bryant runs the Lakers.

Harden $13,701,250 annually is what he is getting at Houston according to ESPN:

Houston Rockets 2014 Team Roster - ESPN

Ibaka currently receives $12,350,000 annually which is $1.5 million less than Harden.  Harden is making $6.8 million less than Dwight Howard.

Ibaka is still a work-in-progress for the Thunder--he still has room to grow.  He will continue to be a valuable piece in the Thunder's quest for a championship. 

Oklahoma City Thunder 2014 Team Roster - ESPN

*We're all entitled to our opinions;* in my opinion--Harden didn't show up against Miami in the finals...  Wish him well in Houston.

As far as Nick Collision, like Durant he is a permanent fixture with the Oklahoma City Thunder--he does all the yeoman (dirty) work; his value doesn't always show up in the statistical areas of the stat sheets.  

*Why would you even think about trading Nick Collison?*  Nick Collison earns ever penny of the $2.6 million he receives from the Thunder.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

Two things: 

First, to criticize Harden's Finals performance without mentioning there's a good chance we wouldn't have been there without him (think game 5 vs. Spurs) is unfair. You can't judge any player on a small sample size of one series. Harden had a bad Finals, but he's still a good player and that almost always wins out long term. Remember, LeBron had an awful Finals in 2010. Is he a bad player?

Second, I did not suggest trading Collison, who is on a great contract. I said he could make up for some of Ibaka's production if we had chose not to re-sign Ibaka. So, I was actually saying Collison could have taken on a larger role if needed.

----------


## Laramie

> Two things: 
> 
> *First, to criticize Harden's Finals performance without mentioning there's a good chance we wouldn't have been there without him (think game 5 vs. Spurs) is unfair.* You can't judge any player on a small sample size of one series. Harden had a bad Finals, but he's still a good player and that almost always wins out long term. Remember, LeBron had an awful Finals in 2010. Is he a bad player?
> 
> Second, I did not suggest trading Collison, who is on a great contract. I said he could make up for some of Ibaka's production if we had chose not to re-sign Ibaka. So, I was actually saying Collison could have taken on a larger role if needed.


*Unfair?*  Just calling it for what his performance was worth. So, you think my criticism of Harden wasn't deserved? Fair or fact?  Harden didn't show up when we needed him.

*There's a good chance we wouldn't have made it to the finals if any of our players didn't show up...*

All of this sixth man scenario stuff doesn't mean anything.  James Harden was just as prolific as a sixth man coming off the bench as any starter for the Thunder.  He logged the minutes.  Fact is when we needed him the most;* he didn't show up.*

*Houston, you just might have a problem:*  

_So who gets the blame? Is it Howard for not helping the Rockets make a huge leap on that end? Is it Harden for being one of the worst perimeter defenders in basketball? Is it the pieces around them, guys like Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons, who aren't holding up their end of the bargain? Is it head coach Kevin McHale's fault?_--Can Houston Rockets Win a Title with Current Core? | Bleacher Report

Houston Rockets has great individual players; however this 'Frankenstein core' was not put together with complementary pieces like the Thunder.  Harden would have been a great complement to the current Thunder core.

As far as Harden receiving max salary?  Where do you get your figures?  $13.7 was above Presti's offer.  Dwight 'Pretty boy' Howard appears to be getting max on the Rockets' roster at $20.5.  You would have thought that Harden got a big salary deal with Houston--these ESPN figures don't show that.

Small market franchises will continue to be at a disadvantage matching salary for salary.  Durant does make his share in sponsorships.  His next salary will require more from the Thunder as he will continue to get the maximum which should put him above what he is making now.

Houston Rockets 2014 Team Roster - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

We'll have to agree to disagree. Again, Harden showed up in game 5 against the Spurs or the Thunder would have been sitting at home. Again, judging Harden on one series is silly. Most Hall of Famers have had bad series and games when their teams needed them. If you don't remember, he was increasingly taking on a larger role at the end of games (see game 4 of Mavs series). Anyway, if you want to judge a player on 5 games that's fine, but Scott Brooks had a worse series than Harden and so did Perk and pretty much the rest of our role players, but you seem to have your scapegoat.

Also, KD does amazing with sponsorships. He's the 17th highest paid athlete in the WORLD (as of June 2013... Probably higher now). Also, the Thunder spend MORE than the Rockets currently. However, the Thunder offered Harden $55 million over 4 years (4.5 below max) and the Rockets offered him app. $80 million over 5 years (max)...

----------


## Anonymous.

Harden may have more money now. But he won't have any legit playoff runs. There is a difference between wanting to be a great player, and wanting to win. The current OKC players have made it clear they want to win.



Looking ahead at playoffs that are just weeks away. Does anyone see what team is in our way? OKC has to feel good about all series matchups this time. I think this (season) is our best shot, thus far.

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Harden may have more money now. But he won't have any legit playoff runs.


That sounds like sour grapes, there is no way to predict that one way or the other.

As for the Thunder's playoff run, they may be favored in every Western conference matchup but they will be playing a quality opponent in every round and it will be tough to make to the Finals.  I, personally think they will if healthy, but it won't be easy.

----------


## Anonymous.

No sour grapes here. Rockets are a decent team, with good players. They won't go anywhere. Dwight Howard is like dropping a fork into a blender.

----------


## catcherinthewry

Harden won't play with Howard forever.  He's too good not to make a run or two  on the right team.

----------


## Laramie

Sacramento tonight?

We've got to get back on the winning track.  Not one of those games (against Kings) you take for granted; the Thunder will have to go out and perform before the home folks.  

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Easy180

Centers don't matter much in today's league anyway. Almost never see a center taking the last shot to win a game these days.

----------


## OSUMom

Speaking of the Houston Rockets.... can anyone say KARMA?

Beverley loss would bite the Rockets  Hang Time Blog with Sekou Smith | NBA.com

----------


## Laramie

> Speaking of the Houston Rockets.... can anyone say KARMA?
> 
> Beverley loss would bite the Rockets  Hang Time Blog with Sekou Smith | NBA.com



Are there any combs in Houston?



Patrick Beverely is in good spirits and optimistic.
When I first heard about the possible torn meniscus in his right knee (same as Westbrook), my thoughts were well, well, well...  Not one to wish evil on anyone.

*"What goes around, comes around."*  

Let's see how aggressive Patrick Beverley will be the next time he matches up against Westbrook.  You can bet that he won't be purposely attempting to knock knees.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Wed, Nov 27:  Home vs. San Antonio Win   94-88
Sat, Dec 21:    @  San Antonio Win  113-100
Wed, Jan 22:   @ San Antonio Win 111-105

Thu, Apr 3:     Home vs. San Antonio (?)

Time to sweep the season series against the Spurs? 




* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## theparkman81

Went to the game today, it was a great game against the jazz, crowd was good, the team played awesome.

----------


## OSUMom

Any word on if Reggie Jackson will be back for SA?

----------


## dankrutka

> No sour grapes here. Rockets are a decent team, with good players. They won't go anywhere. Dwight Howard is like dropping a fork into a blender.


The Rockets are pretty good already and have a great owner. They'll be a contender for at least the next few years.

I'm most worried about the Clippers. Blake's taken his game to the next level. The west is going to be really tough...

----------


## Anonymous.

Durant isn't going to let anyone beat OKC this post season. He is a well-oiled machine here in the last few weeks.

Our (probably) last tough home game is Thursday against Spurs. Pretty much a must-win if we want to take #1 seed.

Spurs have a tough ending schedule.

----------


## warreng88

I am nervous/excited about the game this Thursday. I think KD will get his 25, Westbrook will get his if his shots are falling (he got six points in the first game against the Spurs) and Serge will get a double-double. Manu and Tony Parker are always the dark horses who could come out on fire or just suck it up until the end. Could be a good preview for the WCF.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Thunder would have to finish out these last 9 games undefeated for my original prediction to come true. As it is, I think they'll win more than my revised prediction of 57 victories.

----------


## Anonymous.

> I am nervous/excited about the game this Thursday. I think KD will get his 25, Westbrook will get his if his shots are falling (he got six points in the first game against the Spurs) and Serge will get a double-double. Manu and Tony Parker are always the dark horses who could come out on fire or just suck it up until the end. Could be a good preview for the WCF.


They will also be on their 2nd game of a back2back against the Warriors.

----------


## catcherinthewry

> I am nervous/excited about the game this Thursday. I think KD will get his 25, Westbrook will get his if his shots are falling (he got six points in the first game against the Spurs) and Serge will get a double-double. Manu and Tony Parker are always the dark horses who could come out on fire or just suck it up until the end. Could be a good preview for the WCF.


It would be nice to have Reggie back for the Spurs.  He has had two of his best games against them this year.

----------


## Anonymous.

Tony Parker playing out of his mind right now. Hopefully the Spurs have peaked too early. They stomped the Pacers last night.

Going to need help from Golden State if we want #1 seed.

----------


## warreng88

> They will also be on their 2nd game of a back2back against the Warriors.


Didn't know that. Good catch. Home game, I assume?

----------


## Laramie

Oklahoma City Thunder's nine remaining scheduled April games:

*Records as of April 1, 2014: * 2013-2014 NBA Regular Season Conference Standings - National Basketball Association - ESPN
Includes three sets of <back-to-back> games:  April <3,4> -- <8,9> -- <13,14>

*San  Antonio  Spurs . . . .  (58-16) Home (4)  Away (4) 74 games played.* *Oklahoma City Thunder. . . . . (54-19) Home (3)  Away  (6)  73 games played*.

*<Thursday, April 3 vs. San Antonio (58-16)  7:00 PM, Chesapeake Energy Arena* 
_>Friday, April 4 @ Houston (49-23) 8:30 PM_   Thunder advantage 2-1

_Sunday, April 6 @ Phoenix 9:00 PM_  Thunder-Suns 1-1

_<Tuesday, April 8 @ Sacramento (26-48) 9:00 PM  Thunder advantage 2-0
>Wednesday, April 9 @ L. A. Clippers (53-22) 9:30 PM_ Clippers advantage 2-1

*Friday, April 11 vs. New Orleans 7:00 PM,  Chesapeake Energy Arena*  Thunder 1-0 advantage; Two games remain*.

_<Sunday, April 13 @ Indiana 12:00 Noon  Thunder advantage 1-0; One game remaining. 
>Monday, April 14 @ New Orleans 7:00 PM*_ 

*Wednesday, April 16 vs. Detroit 7:00 PM, Chesapeake Energy Arena* Thunder advantage 1-0; One game remaining.

Against potential Western Conference seeds:

Dallas: Mavericks win series 2-1
Golden State: Thunder win series 2-1
Memphis:  Thunder win series 3-1
Phoenix: Thunder-Suns 1-1 with one game remaining in Phoenix
Portland: Thunder-Trailblazers tied series 2-2
San Antonio:  Thunder advantage  3-0; one game remaining in Oklahoma City.
San Antonio Spurs could win the conference playoff format with the better regular season record.
Oklahoma City Thunder could win the conference format with a tied regular season record.

*NBA Playoff Tiebreakers: How Do They Work?*

*Two-Team Tiebreaker for the NBA Playoffs:*
*1. Division winner (this criteria is applied regardless of the division assignment of each NBA team)*
*2. Better record in head-to-head games*
*3. Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)*
*4. Higher winning percentage in conference games*
IMO:  Westbrook's limited playing time probably won't change.   Thunder have a 3 - 0 (head-to-head) advantage over the Spurs as of April 1 with one game remaining in Oklahoma City.  Our next home game against the Spurs is crucial because a win will determine whether or not Westbrook's playing time is increased and the Thunder close in on the Spurs' lead. 



Source:  NBA Playoff Tiebreakers | Interbasket.net

*Please feel free to comment on the way you understand this playoff format.*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

OKC and SA are both their respective division winners. Thunder are 3-0 against Spurs so regardless of Thursday's outcome, we've got that one covered. Each team is in a different divsion so that's out. Number 4, I have no clue as to conference percentages.

----------


## dankrutka

> Number 4, I have no clue as to conference percentages.


Spurs are 34-10. Thunder are 32-13. But, as was pointed out, the Thunder would win tiebreaker number 2 regardless. 

There's a decent chance the Spurs don't play a bunch of their stars on Thursday as they've sat guys on back-to-backs. They might just concede that game... except that their bench is capable of beating anyone in the league as they've shown in the past. 

Basically, the Thunder need to hope the Warriors win and then the Thunder beat the Spurs to even get a shot at getting back to even and winning the tie breaker.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Well, we can forget the Warriors winning theory ;-)

Sent from my BNTV600 using Tapatalk

----------


## Anonymous.

The big question tonight is will the Spurs go all-out or rest tonight?

Pop seems pretty confident in the #1 seed that he may just rest them and not show OKC what he has.


OKC cannot drop a game and take care of business, and maybe the Spurs will cool off with Dallas and Houston on their remaining schedule.

----------


## Mel

This is a hard game to watch after some cardio tinkering yesterday. I am trying so hard not to yell or jump. Not succeeding. No pain no gain.  :Big Grin:

----------


## ljbab728

> This is a hard game to watch after some cardio tinkering yesterday. I am trying so hard not to yell or jump. Not succeeding. No pain no gain.


So is your heart still OK?

----------


## Mel

Not as much blockage as feared. Still feels like I've been stabbed in the crotch. They did some kind of camera and dye and something else thingy. I've really got to get back in shape. Thank you for your concern. I just didn't realize how much yelling and pumping your fist in the air affects other areas of your body. Thunder Rolled tonight! Worth a little discomfort. :Big Grin:

----------


## ljbab728

> Not as much blockage as feared. Still feels like I've been stabbed in the crotch. They did some kind of camera and dye and something else thingy. I've really got to get back in shape. Thank you for your concern. I just didn't realize how much yelling and pumping your fist in the air affects other areas of your body. Thunder Rolled tonight! Worth a little discomfort.


I had a heart attack a number of years ago so I'm always concerned about anyone's heart issues.

----------


## Bellaboo

> I had a heart attack a number of years ago so I'm always concerned about anyone's heart issues.


I had a double bypass 10 years 3 months and 3 days ago..... Jan 1 2004.

Mel, that's an angiogram you had, and they are a little uncomfortable.... good luck.

----------


## Jim Kyle

> Not as much blockage as feared. Still feels like I've been stabbed in the crotch. They did some kind of camera and dye and something else thingy. I've really got to get back in shape. Thank you for your concern. I just didn't realize how much yelling and pumping your fist in the air affects other areas of your body. Thunder Rolled tonight! Worth a little discomfort.


BT, DT -- twice! Very good to hear that your blockage wasn't as great as was feared. I'm now looking at getting my third defibrillator implanted; when the battery dies the gadget has to be replaced and each one lasts for about five years. Current battery is right at its limit line so I go back for a check of it every 30 days until it drops below...

My second angiogram went much easier than the first, when a rather large nurse had to keep pressure on the incision for a full 10 minutes to make sure it didn't spring a leak. Second time they inserted some sort of plug that sealed the blood vessel and no great discomfort resulted. I can still feel that heat inside my skull from the dye, though, even after 14 years!

----------


## Anonymous.

Time to sweep the other TX team tonight. Rockets are on a 3 game losing streak, will try and end that tonight in Houston.

Another national TV game.

ESPN @ 8:30pm

----------


## Laramie

> Time to sweep the other TX team tonight. Rockets are on a 3 game losing streak, will try and end that tonight in Houston.
> 
> Another national TV game.
> 
> ESPN @ 8:30pm


Great win against the Spurs.  Kudos to Patty Mills, he really torched us; Reggie Jackson was outstanding.  Coach Popovich continues to play his games (rested Manu Ginobili); didn't want to risk the possibility of  getting the 19-game streak snapped by the Thunder with a full roster.  Really miss Thabo's defensive efforts, he's a spark plug for our team--we need him back ASAP! 

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - April 03, 2014 - ESPN

Durant & Westbrook duo were awesome (55 points) outscored the Spurs' starters (52 points.).

You could see the Thunder draining the life from the Spurs as the game progressed.  Steven Adams & Andre Roberson are really maturing--great performance.    

Anyone notice the Thunder's slow start after two-three days rest?  OKC does great on the second game of a back-to-back; we need to carry this performance into Houstonia.  

We are  1-2 vs. Dallas, 4-0 vs. San Antonio and 3-0 against Houston.   A win tonight against the Rockets will complete a Texas two-step'? :Smile: 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

Great and exciting game!   We could have used Perkins again tonight.  Would be great to at least get back to 80% of the starting line-up.  Great balance in team scoring...

  Houston got the home team benefit of the fouls called.   Rockets shot 32-37 free throws; Thunder were 18 of 20.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets - Box Score - April 04, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

And Durant FINALLY got his 25 right at the end (then 3 more for good measure).

----------


## Anonymous.

Good game last night. Joey Crawford calling those ticky tack 3 point shot fouls at the end of the 4th really killed the feel. Oh well. I like the way we are playing right now. BRING ON PLAYOFFS!

----------


## s00nr1

Since the All Star Break, the Thunder have lost 5 games in which they have scored 110 points or more. Some seriously bad defense taking place right now and they are trending the wrong way heading into the playoffs.

----------


## Anonymous.

Well we are definitely going to be the 2 seed. Unless we keep dropping games, we could actually be the 3 seed. Clips are 1 game behind and could take the #2 seed from us on Wednesday and win the series against us.

Obviously the #1 spot is not happening now. So if we pick it up and stay #2, as of right now we could be matching up against Dallas or Phoenix. If the Clips take the #2, we are looking at Golden State or Portland.

----------


## Laramie

The return of players who have been out with injury does cause some disruption as the team adjusts back into the flow.  As time allows these players return to the line-up, the Thunder will get their rhythm and swagger back.

San Antonio is the least of the Thunder's concerns especially since we've uncorked them four times.   The Spurs are seeing stars from the Thunder and have "Oklahoma City on their minds."

Teams who would cause us matchup problems (without Thabo and/or Kendrick) in the playoffs will be Memphis, Dallas (1-2) & Phoenix (1-2).  Memphis is at full strength, Dallas beat us once here and Phoenix took us out twice in their place.  

Missing one critical piece has thrown our defense off balance.   We need to rehabilitate Thabo back into the lineup because he does give the team a defensive charge.

As a 2nd seed our point differential numbers are balanced vs. San Antonio @ home mirror those on the road. As Coach Brooks says, 'that it one game at a time.'

San Antonio  94-88 (+6)
@San Antonio 113-100 (+13)
@San Antonio 111-105 (+6)
San Antonio 106-94 (+12) 

We have outscored them by +18 at home and  +19 on the road.  We're equally as potent on the road as we are at home. 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCJapan

The Thunder have lost to both Clippers and Suns now.  Putting them at 21 losses on the season.  They still have to play the Clippers and the Pacers on the road.  The Clippers and Rockets have easier schedules than OKC.  The Thunder potentially could fall to fourth seed.  West Coast teams seen to shoot the lights out when they play the Thunder.

----------


## s00nr1

Thanks for the analysis Laramie but I'm afraid at this rate we won't make it long enough to play the Spurs.

----------


## Laramie

> Thanks for the analysis Laramie but I'm afraid at this rate we won't make it long enough to play the Spurs.


*Be not afraid...*

We don't need to burn ourselves out trying to secure the top seed.  Keep our eyes on the prize.

Sure the competition is getting tough because teams like Phoenix, Houston & Memphis are fighting for their playoff lives; they have more pressure to win games (home & away) if they want to make the playoffs.  We got the breaks needed to win in Phoenix at the free throw line.  Phoenix played like there was no tomorrow.

The biggest question we need to address is Durant.  Does he need a rest; *is he getting burned out?*  He does more than his share of scoring despite being double & triple teamed.  Durant's defensive energy sometimes breaks down.  Now, we don't want him injured this late attempting to get us the highest seed.  We can maintain that 2nd seed and concentrate our efforts on whoever we meet in the playoffs--follow Scott Brooks' philosophy and take it one game at a time.

Westbrook is at 85-90% and when the playoff begin, he won't be sitting out any game.

Phoenix is not going to be able to sustain an appetite of three-pointers on us if we're at full strength.  

*Thabo Sefolosha's defensive puissance can't be understated.*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

Great analysis, Laramie. Managing the playoffs all comes down to jockeying for position. 
I think the Thunder wants a first round match between the Spurs and the Suns, maybe tried to help that along. 
The reasoning is this: The Suns are one of the four hottest teams in the league besides being the fastest. 
If the Spurs have to run their old legs all night long with the Suns, they might wear out, even if they advance. 

Our biggest threat is the Clippers and if we can get HCA against them, we'll have a good advantage.
If not, we'll still have to play them in the second round. 

When the playoffs come around, I'm ready to place more emphasis on defense. Hopefully Sefolosha can 
contribute but if he can't go full bore, I want to see more Andre and more Perry Jones. A lineup of 
Adams, Ibaka, Perry Jones, KD & Westbrook could be a very tall and effective defensive crew.

----------


## Anonymous.

I really hope Perry Jones can get some more playing time... Dude is so athletic it is baffling how he never plays some games.

Chip shot was good last night. KD's streak of 25+ is over. It ended in the best way, he sat the 4th. I think having this goofy little streak out of the way will help everyone refocus on Thunder BBall and get playoff ready.

Tongiht is a big game. If we beat the Clips, we are _essentially_ #2 seed. If we lose, it becomes more possible to drop to #3.

----------


## OSUMom

I'm hoping the streak being over helps KD and everyone.  Look at the game against the Suns.  he struggled to get the ball in the basket until he hit 25.  After that the rest of the 38 points seemed to go easier. I'm glad he at least got past Jordan, would have hated to see him get so close and not make it, but also glad it is over.

----------


## Pete

Playoff banners about to go up downtown:

----------


## Mel

Awesome. Getting playoff fever. When I got my procedure done all the medical peeps in the room were wearing Thunder surgical caps. Made me feel safer somehow.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

The Thunder looked like the Thunder team we're used to. A spirited defensive performance overall in spite of the run they surrendered to LAC to end the first half and throughout much of the 4th quarter. Essentially a lock for the #2 seed now.

----------


## ljbab728

> The Thunder looked like the Thunder team we're used to.


Maybe because they're all back healthy now?   :Smile:

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Maybe because they're all back healthy now?


Or because they had something to play for tonight.

----------


## Anonymous.

Spurs lost to timberwolves a couple days ago. And they have a back to back with the 'fighting for their lives' Mavs tonight, and Suns tomorrow night. Both should be excellent games. 

It is an outside shot since we lost to Houston and Phoenix, but OKC still has a chance at #1 seed. 



Last night the team looked great. Thabo back on the floor is huge, he is so much a better defender than Butler.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Maybe because they're all back healthy now?


You could say that.

----------


## Laramie

:Welcome: Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkin's defensive prowess can't be overstated.  




Most impressive was how the second team performed.   Perkins was a beast with six points.  Steven Adams was equally stellar with three fouls  and  seven points. Kevin Durant (27) has exhibited the leadership necessary to take the team to the next level.  Russell Westbrook (30) was a thorn in the Clippers' side all night; coupled with Reggie Jackson (9)--the home team was seeing doubles.  * Thunder are getting their swagger back.*

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Box Score - April 09, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Maybe because they're all back healthy now?


Heard on the radio this morning that Thunder starters have missed a combined 78 games this season versus just 6 games last season. I'd say this team has vastly improved and they have plenty of room for improvement over the next couple of seasons.

----------


## Laramie

Thunder appears to be getting their swagger back with a 'full bloom' starting lineup.

Does anyone have concerns that we should start resting Durant--if you can tie him down; prior to the playoffs?  He seems to be suffering a little mental & physical fatigue.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - April 11, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

Given that the Thunder can neither improve nor worsen their seeding through the final, what, four or five games, I could see limiting the starters minutes significantly for the balance of the regular season - especially given those just coming off injury.

----------


## Laramie

The Indiana Pacers are an impotent NBA basketball team.

 performing like AMC Pacer


Oklahoma City Thunder    96
Indiana Pacers                        88

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

Rebounds:  Indiana 46, 52.8%  Oklahoma City 32, 42.9%

Give it up to the Indiana Pacers; they connected on over 50% of their field goals.  Maybe the Pacers are getting back on track; this was a must win for the Pacers.

We have two games left: @New Orleans & home against Detroit.  We still have a chance to win 60 games.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers - Box Score - April 13, 2014 - ESPN


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

So have we locked the 2nd seed in the west or is there still a chance the Clips could take it from us?

----------


## dankrutka

> So have we locked the 2nd seed in the west or is there still a chance the Clips could take it from us?


All we need is one Thunder win or one Clippers loss to lock up the 2 seed.

----------


## warreng88

So, it looks like we will get Dallas in the first round and then the winner of the Clips/Warriors series. The road to the finals will not be an easy one. Dallas has beaten us the last two times but we didn't have Perk or Thabo at that time. Think that will be the difference maker?

----------


## Throckmorton

> Dallas has beaten us the last two times but we didn't have Perk or Thabo at that time. Think that will be the difference maker?


Russ sat for one of those games as well.

----------


## Urbanized

Those games were aberrations. Over the past couple of seasons OKC has owned the Mavs, and I really don't see that changing. Clippers though...

----------


## Bellaboo

> Those games were aberrations. Over the past couple of seasons OKC has owned the Mavs, and I really don't see that changing. Clippers though...


We swept the Clippers last year, and made a statement in LA last week.

----------


## warreng88

> We swept the Clippers last year, and made a statement in LA last week.


Yeah, but in a seven game series where we are all they are playing? I am with Urbanized on this.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Yeah, but in a seven game series where we are all they are playing? I am with Urbanized on this.


I'm talking about the second part, the Clippers...

----------


## warreng88

> I'm talking about the second part, the Clippers...


I am too. I was referencing Urbanized post:




> Those games were aberrations. Over the past couple of seasons OKC has owned the Mavs, and I really don't see that changing. *Clippers though...*


I know we split the season with them and I think it would go a full seven games if we were to meet them in the second round.

----------


## Laramie

Good chance the Thunder will be playing the Dallas Mavericks...

So, get your pillows to Dallas!

Wed, Nov 6 vs. Dallas; Thunder Win  107-93.  Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - November 06, 2013 - ESPN

Sun, Mar 16 vs. Dallas; Thunder Loss  109-86 (without Westbrook) Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - March 16, 2014 - ESPN

Tue, Mar 25 @ Dallas; Thunder Loss 128-119 OT  Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks - Box Score - March 25, 2014 - ESPN

Let's see what the Mavericks can do against the Thunder in a best of seven series.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

Why Dallas? We'll play the winner of the Memphis-Dallas game being played tomorrow night.... in Memphis. The Grizzlies will certainly be favored to win at home. 

I hope Dallas wins though. I'd rather play them.

----------


## Anonymous.

Pretty cool that they are both tied at 7th and 8th, and their last game is against each other. NBA is awesome.

OKC just needs to take care of business tomorrow and we are good. However, I doubt the Clips beat both DEN and POR tonight and tomorrow.

----------


## OKCretro

Has game 1 time and date been leaked yet? usually game 1 gets leaked before the whole series is announced?

----------


## warreng88

> Has game 1 time and date been leaked yet? usually game 1 gets leaked before the whole series is announced?


One of my coworkers has season tickets and she said she got sent an e-mail that is was going to be on Saturday with the time yet to be announced. The Bleacher report is saying there are four games on Saturday: 3, 5:30, 8 and 10:30. My guess would be the Clippers/Warriors game would be at 10:30 and anyone of the Eastern conference games in the 3:00pm slot. That would leave the 5:30 and 8:00 slots available. I know I would prefer the 8:00 game, but on a Saturday, that could very easily go to the Bulls/Nets which is the largest market match up in the first round of the playoffs.

----------


## Laramie

> Why Dallas? We'll play the winner of the Memphis-Dallas game being played tomorrow night.... in Memphis. The Grizzlies will certainly be favored to win at home. 
> 
> I hope Dallas wins though. I'd rather play them.


Marc Stein's NBA Power Rankings - ESPN Video - ESPN


Thanks for the correction:  I jumped the gun, dankrutka

It's going to be tough for Dallas to beat Memphis four straight with the last two being in Memphis.

Dallas (49-32)     vs.    Memphis (49-32)    (Dallas leads series 3-0)

Nov. 2 @ Dallas  119-111  Dallas +8
Dec. 18 @ Dallas 105-91  Dallas +14
Feb. 5 @ Memphis 110-96  Dallas +14

Dallas  & Memphis probably want to avoid San Antonio; Spurs have won all four against Dallas & Memphis

Spurs  vs. Dallas  116-107 . . . . . 112-90 . . . . .  112-106 . . . . . & . . . . . 109-98
Spurs  vs. Memphis  101-94 . . . . 102-86 . . . . . 110-108 OT . . . & . . . . .  119-92

Links: Dallas Mavericks 2014 Schedule - Mavericks Home and Away - ESPN
San Antonio Spurs 2014 Schedule - Spurs Home and Away - ESPN
* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Urbanized

If it's Dallas I will only go to a game there if I am really needed (ie, lost home-court advantage, down in series, etc). My best friend and I have been there five times now for Mavs-Thunder games, including playoffs, including the Mavs' championship season, and including when the Thunder stunk, and we are undefeated. We have now decided that we won't jinx them by going to an unimportant game.

----------


## dankrutka

Yeah, I'm hoping it's Dallas as I'll probably be able to make a game in both cities. And I think we'll beat the Mavs in 5 or 6.

----------


## OKCretro

I hope it's Dallas just so I can sell my extra tickets for more money

----------


## Dustin

"Definitely. No quesiton"- James Harden on if money wasn't a factor would he still be in OKC

Harden: Money was the deciding factor in leaving OKC | Daily Thunder.com

----------


## Mel

That was a squeaker.

----------


## Pete

Wow, was that first lead of the game??

Good thing to not be going into the playoffs on a 3-game losing streak.

Nice fight back!  Now, let's get ready for the playoffs!!

----------


## ljbab728

> Wow, was that first lead of the game??
> 
> Good thing to not be going into the playoffs on a 3-game losing streak.
> 
> Nice fight back!  Now, let's get ready for the playoffs!!


They were putting up banners and getting the area around the arena ready today.

----------


## Anonymous.

Here we go. Glad we got Grizz over Mavs. Mavs may actually challenge Spurs a bit.


Game 1:

MEM at OKC | Sat., Apr. 19, 9:30 PM ET | ESPN



Game 2:

MEM at OKC | Mon., Apr. 21, 8:00 PM ET | TNT



Game 3:

OKC at MEM | Thu., Apr. 24, 8:00 PM ET | TNT



Game 4:

OKC at MEM | Sat., Apr. 26, 9:30 PM ET | ESPN



Game 5:

MEM at OKC | Tue., Apr. 29 | If Needed



Game 6:

OKC at MEM | Thu., May 1 | If Needed



Game 7:

MEM at OKC | Sat., May 3 | TNT | If Needed

----------


## dankrutka

> Mavs may actually challenge Spurs a bit.


I'd like to see it, but the Spurs absolutely own the Mavs. They've taken 9 straight over a few seasons. I think the Spurs win in 5, but I hope the Mavs give them a series.

----------


## Teo9969

OKC gets the Dallas pick in the draft at the best slot possible #21. So the Thunder now have some combination of the 21/29/30 pick in the first round (the 30 in place of either pick should either team win the championship). Realistically, Dallas has no shot to win it all so it will be 21 + 29/30. OKC does NOT have a 2nd round pick in this year's draft.

Remember, Reggie was the #24 pick in what has turned out to be a pretty unspectacular draft (looking through that list, there may be 4 players at most that I think are unquestionably better than Reggie).

Next year's current Depth Chart looks like this:

5 - 12 - 34
9 - 4
35 - 3
21/11
0 - 15

With 10 roster spots taken already + Thabeet's $1.2M contract that's non-guaranteed, OKC for sure needs 2 more players to meet the 13 minimum. They are currently at $69.89M. Sefolosha may take one of those positions, I think it depends on how he does in the playoffs and what he wants financially. I can't see OKC giving him more than $5M and that's only if he plays fantastic in the playoffs. I think Derek Fisher is done after this year, but not sure about Butler (if OKC would even want him). 

Beyond re-signing current players not under contract, OKC has quite a variety of options to add depth to the squad. No question the playoffs will be important in deciding the exact outcome.

Players with the most on the line in this order:

Reggie Jackson
Thabo Sefolosha
Jeremy Lamb
PJ III

Nobody else has a realistic chance of being on another team next season.

How good Presti has been as a General Manager is still up for debate, but for sure he keeps it interesting more than just about any other GM. The amount of flexibility that OKC has right now is incredible for a team that is chasing titles. Most teams chasing titles have given up a decent amount of draft picks, don't have many bird rights, and have older players on contracts that people are rightly skeptical of.

The next 6 months are going to be 10x more interesting than the previous 6.

----------


## warreng88

I would love to see them bundle them together with maybe PJ3 to trade up to the top 15 maybe the top 10. Not sure who we would want but I always trust Presti.

----------


## Urbanized

Apparently after Detroit clanked the game-winner last night and confetti was coming from the rafters they quickly swung a camera for a crowd shot and got a close-up of me high-fiving everyone in my section like a goof. Good times.

----------


## Laramie

> I'd like to see it, but the Spurs absolutely own the Mavs. They've taken 9 straight over a few seasons. I think the Spurs win in 5, but I hope the Mavs give them a series.


Maybe the Mavericks can extend this series with the Spurs to five or six games.  Coach Popovich would love to knock the Mavs out in four; this would allow him to rest his team for the next series.  These old Spurs are surviving on a cocktail of Geritol, Centrum Silver & Viagra.   

Let's hope that the Thunder emerges as the WC Champion to take on any beast in the East (Brooklyn, Indiana or Miami).

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Urbanized

Just got a text from NewsOK that George Kaiser has purchased a minority interest in the Thunder. Interesting development.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> Just got a text from NewsOK that George Kaiser has purchased a minority interest in the Thunder. Interesting development.


He bought tom wards interest in the team

----------


## Pete

George Kaiser buys Thunder stake | News OK

----------


## Laramie

Day one of the 2014 NBA playoffs have been tough for the home teams:

*Eastern Conference*
Brooklyn Nets 94 @ Toronto Raptors 87
Atlanta Hawks 101 @  Indiana Pacers  93

*Western Conference*
Golden State Warriors 109 @  LA Clippers 105
Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

The Thunder don't seem to be following that trend so far.   :Smile:

----------


## Mel

^^understatement^^

----------


## warreng88

Spoke too soon.

----------


## Mel

Fat Lady has not sung yet.

----------


## ljbab728

> Spoke too soon.


Nope, I don't think so.

----------


## Mel

Only home team to win. May this be the beginning of a wonderful playoff season. :Band:

----------


## Dustin

Amazing game!  

Except for the 3rd QT... But we'll just sweep that under the rug...

----------


## Jake

Can't expect to blow out Memphis every game. They'd be equivalent to a 2nd or 3rd Seed in the Eastern Conference.

----------


## ljbab728

Of course blowouts matter not in the least.  All that matters is a win.

----------


## Laramie

NBA Top Plays - ESPN Video - ESPN
Thunder showed signs of a seasoned team. Gasol & Randolph are beasts capable of wearing any team down.  Despite the grit & grind game Memphis played; OKC didn't lose their cool.   Kudos to Coach Scott Brooks for making the fourth quarter adjustments necessary to short circuit the Grizzlies.  Defense limited Memphis to 2 of 16 (18.2%) from the 3-point arch.

Veteran leadership from Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook,  Derek Fisher & Caron Butler gave the Thunder the edge.

Ibaka's defensive block swatted out to Kevin Durant was the dagger!


Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - April 19, 2014 - ESPN




* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

Thunder finishes the season 11th among 30 NBA teams in home attendance:

2013-2014 NBA Attendance - National Basketball Association - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

There were some great games again today with two home teams losing.  The Portland - Houston game was especially entertaining.

----------


## Anonymous.

Mavs actually challenging the Spurs. Portland showing Houston what it's like having finishers.

The West is so competitive and entertaining to watch, it is a true shame the conferences are so unbalanced.

----------


## PWitty

> Thunder finishes the season 11th among 30 NBA teams in home attendance:
> 
> 2013-2014 NBA Attendance - National Basketball Association - ESPN
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


I'd just note that number is based on raw attendance. Percentage-wise OKC is one of 8 teams, I believe, who averaged 100% or better home attendance. There's not really any way to improve on 100%! OKC also had the second best road attendance, behind only the Miami Heat. Although that isn't too surprising since everyone wants to see KD and Russ play.  :Cool:

----------


## Pete

Nice shot from the broadcast tonight:

----------


## Mel

"There's not really any way to improve on 100%!" not unless they raise the age of lap children to 18.

----------


## Dustin

Amazing game!  Couldn't of asked for a better one!

Wow...

----------


## Anonymous.

Yea that was awesome to be there. Fans running back in after already walking towards the exit was pretty entertaining.

On to Memphis.

----------


## Jeepnokc

> Amazing game!  Couldn't of asked for a better one!
> 
> Wow...


Maybe a little better...another win for our guys. :Wink: :  Not for lack of spirit and heart filled playing on the part of our guys though. Thunder definitely gave us a heck of a show and fight.

----------


## Dustin



----------


## Dustin



----------


## Dustin



----------


## OKCretro

anyone see when game 5 tickets go on sale?

----------


## Laramie

Great game last night with disappointing results.  Give it up to Memphis, they forced us to play their grit & grind game.  We'll definitely have to win one of the next two in Memphis if we want to advance.  This is very similar to the year we took the Grizzlies out in a seven game series.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Pete

They were hitting layups and we were bombing from way outside.

The only time we got in the paint at all was on the break...

The completely out-muscled us.

----------


## SOONER8693

> They were hitting layups and we were bombing from way outside.
> 
> The only time we got in the paint at all was on the break...
> 
> The completely out-muscled us.


I hope I'm wrong, but, I think the Griz have the formula to beat the Thunder on a consistent basis. Winning in Memphis will be tough. If Thunder doesn't win 1 of these next 2 there, end of season.

----------


## Jake

Beno Udrih outscored pretty much our entire bench. Yuck. That can't happen.

----------


## OKCretro

Reggie Jackson needs to look at himself in the mirror for a long time.   He scored 2 points while his counterpart back up PG beno udrih scored 14.  If reggie is timid again he should have a very short leash.  Maybe not even a minute in the 2nd half

----------


## warreng88

Any idea why Adams only played three minutes? Was he hurt or just ineffective in those limited minutes?

----------


## Laramie

Not sure what was up with Adams playing only three minutes...

Although Perkins tied the game; he wasn't very impressive scoring.  Several players on the Thunder roster need to step up.  If Russell can't find K.D. open, he has few alternatives.  Sefolosha will be a key on offense as well as defense.

Scott Brooks & the team are going to have to figure out something fast.  You get down 3-1 in a series odds are near to impossible that you recover.  Memphis has always caused match-up problems with the Thunder. Beno Udrih was 6-8 in field goals and 2-2 at the charity stripe.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - April 21, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> Reggie Jackson needs to look at himself in the mirror for a long time.   He scored 2 points while his counterpart back up PG beno udrih scored 14.  If reggie is timid again he should have a very short leash.  Maybe not even a minute in the 2nd half


If we pull Reggie then you can kiss this season good bye. He needs to step up and Russ and KD need to make sure he's involved in the offense. You don't bench him pretty much under any circumstance. He's our best bench player and you win with your best players and lose with them... but you don't give up on them.

----------


## dankrutka

> Any idea why Adams only played three minutes? Was he hurt or just ineffective in those limited minutes?


Scott Brooks doesn't trust young players. He always gives veterans minutes. Regardless of production or success.

----------


## ljbab728

The Western Conference is certainly showing how competitive it is after two games.  After two in OKC, the Thunder and Grizzlies are one each.  After two in San Antonio, the Spurs and Mavericks are one each.  After two in Los Angeles, the Warriors and the Clippers are one each. After two in Houston, the Blazer lead the Rockets two to none.  The favorites may be there at the end but I wouldn't bet the bank on it.

----------


## PWitty

When guys who are as offensively limited as Thabo and Perk are playing as many minutes as they have been, it's going to be tough for KD and Russ to do what they want to do on the floor. The defense doesn't respect those guys at all. Their game plan worked out perfectly on defense and they turned KD and Russ into volume jump shooters.

Tony Allen has been an absolute nightmare for KD with how he is shadowing him on the court. Did anyone else see KD wave Russ off when he was trying to pass it to him (KD) because he couldn't get any separation from Tony Allen? It ended up resulting in Russ taking a contested pull-up 3 when we were still down 2 at the end of regulation. Regulation ended up turning out alright for us, but we don't have the most creative offensive sets when we can't get the ball to KD in crunch time.

----------


## Urbanized

Those are excellent points. People like Barkley still try to make Russ out as some sort of ball hog, but it's the same old story as it has been since day one. When the starting lineup is in, if KD is struggling or can't get open (like just about any time he is being covered by Tony Allen, for instance) Russ has two choices; pass to someone who sucks at offense or try to carry the load himself. Thankfully the emergence of Serge as a mild offensive threat has eased this a bit, but casual observers and a few people who are just wrong-headed (like Barkley) misinterpret what is happening.

This really boils down to substitution and bench play. There are scorers on that bench. They just need to step up.

----------


## Anonymous.

Excited for tonight! OKC should have revenge on the mind, and Memphis should be amped for stealing HCA.

This first round overall is incredibly competitive. MIA is the only team to win both home games. Looks like Miami will cake walk once again through the weak-a$$ East.


On a side note, where are all the Harden trade haters? Those max dollars really showing up down there!

----------


## dankrutka

Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, and Caron Butler are our most capable offensive players beyond KD and Russ. They have to be involved and stay involved late for our offense to hum. 

The most frustrating thing for me is Brooks allowing Russ to take 7 or 8 threes in a game. He's not a good 3 point shooter and it's lazy offense. Brooks should already have this established this is not okay by this point in the season and in this point in Russ' career. The fact that it's not really established makes me question Brooks abilities as a coach. There's just no way a good coach would let his team have such poor shot selection. 

Big game tonight.

----------


## Anonymous.

I generally agree about Russ. Some of those 3 point shots with 15-20 seconds left on the shot clock can be devastating. I feel as if Russ gets so emotionally involved in the game and the momentum, that he tries to take over. And if he misses those shots, tries to make up for it on the D end. Which usually ends up in him taking a gamble at a blocked shot or double team steal, and the open guy scores.

Then you have those times Russ will hit those 3s at an absurd rate and he looks like a genius. 

I don't think the issue is Russell, I think it is the fire on the defensive end. OKC stepped up at the end of regulation in last game, but where was that passion beforehand?!

Winners find ways to win. OKC tonight.

----------


## dankrutka

> Then you have those times Russ will hit those 3s at an absurd rate and he looks like a genius. 
> 
> I don't think the issue is Russell, I think it is the fire on the defensive end.


First, the times Russ hits threes at "an absurd rate" are pretty far and few between. And, Russ might be the biggest defensive problem. As you said, far too much gambling that's allowing easy buckets.

----------


## OSUMom

> I generally agree about Russ. Some of those 3 point shots with 15-20 seconds left on the shot clock can be devastating. I feel as if Russ gets so emotionally involved in the game and the momentum, that he tries to take over. And if he misses those shots, tries to make up for it on the D end. Which usually ends up in him taking a gamble at a blocked shot or double team steal, and the open guy scores.
> 
> Then you have those times Russ will hit those 3s at an absurd rate and he looks like a genius. 
> 
> I don't think the issue is Russell, I think it is the fire on the defensive end. OKC stepped up at the end of regulation in last game, but where was that passion beforehand?!
> 
> Winners find ways to win. OKC tonight.


It's not just necessarily threes.  It is the run up with the ball, stop and pop off a jump shot.  He gets in a rhythm making them and he's a hero.  And he does make those a lot.  But when they aren't falling, he just blew a possession all by himself.  Over and Over.

----------


## Mel

Two in the paint is better than a missed three in air.

----------


## Pete

Watching this ugly game makes you really appreciate the crowd in OKC.

Tonight, Memphis has been ahead pretty much throughout in a critical playoff game, yet their arena isn't nearly as loud and energetic as the 'Peake.

----------


## SOONER8693

Right now, this Thunder bunch looks like a team with a lot of quit in them.

----------


## OSUMom

Durant missing some open shots.  I know there has been some good defense on him (especially with the no-calls) but not all of it.  He's in a shooting slump.  Which sounds silly when he scored over 30 last game and over 20 this game.  But for him to miss half his free throws?  There is the game right there.  He best get over that in a hurry.  Like before the next game.

----------


## Anonymous.

Man another whacky game with a 4 point play to force OT... This has to be the oddest series in a while.

I'm not sure what coach is doing putting Perkind and Thabo in for the entirety of OT, but it is obvious to everyone else but him, that they don't stick a defender within 10 feet of either of those guys. Add in the fact that Ibaka never touches the ball in the final 10 minutes, and there you have FIVE grizzlies defenders to guard TWO thunder players. That just doesn't work. I am not trying to board the cliche "fire the coach" train, but we essentially played identical games back to back now with ZERO adjustments. In fact, he actually played less adjustments because once again Adams didn't sniff the floor.

Side note, Butler is trash this post season... I would rather have Fish or Jackson out there in his spot every time he checks in.

I think OKC is done unless we win tomorrow night, and I could see Brooks getting a phone call shortly after if we do end up losing Round 1.

----------


## SoonerDave

> I think OKC is done unless we win tomorrow night, and I could see Brooks getting a phone call shortly after if we do end up losing Round 1.


What bugs me about this team, and I make no pretense of being a big basketball expert, is that they _look great_  when things are working, but when someone comes and smashes them in the mouth, they struggle to respond. Its almost like they _expect_ the other team to just, kinda, swoon, and when they don't, they get a little...well....pouty. They should be tougher than that. Yeah, the team is still relatively "young," but they're hardly a "young team" anymore. They should know  better. 

Now I don't know what you do about a coach leaving Thabo and Perk in which essentially guarantees FIVE on two and nothing but horrendous shots in OT. 

And I agree completely that if we don't win tomorrow night, sayonara. Someone on this team needs to show some leadership, grit, toughness, whatever, and kick everyone _else_ in the tail. Thought that was kinda what Perkins was supposed to do to some extent.

----------


## dankrutka

I'm not sure why people are talking about Adams coming in. Perk played one of his best games of the season. He actually contributed offensively and continued to hound Randolph defensively. 

The biggest problems are (a) our superior bench is contributing absolutely nothing and (b) we play undisciplined offensively and, to a degree, defensively. For Westbrook to take 13 threes is an indictment both on him and Scott Brooks for letting it happen. He's a poor three point shooter. He shouldn't take more than two to three a game. Instead of fighting for the best shot, we have a lot of late game "hero" ball that is is predictable and lazy. Serge Ibaka, despite his effectiveness, is zoned out late in games offensively - Brooks, Westbrook, and Durant can all be blamed for that. 

All of these problems are same issues that have plagued Brooks his entire career, and without a dynamic third offensive threat like Harden, our offense stagnates and becomes predictable. Despite all of this, there's no reason we couldn't still take this series. Game 4 is a big one...

----------


## OSUMom

Anon, I'm with you on Butler.  Was this guy all show and no go when it came to reg season vs playoffs?  I thought he was some big time veteran.  Doesn't he have a ring?  How much did we pay for him?  I'm feeling a bit like we got suckered in that deal and everyone (not necessarily here but like national press) thought it was going to be great for us.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Durant missing some open shots.  I know there has been some good defense on him (especially with the no-calls) but not all of it.  He's in a shooting slump.  Which sounds silly when he scored over 30 last game and over 20 this game.  But for him to miss half his free throws?  There is the game right there.  He best get over that in a hurry.  Like before the next game.


Durant began his slump about 6 or 7 games from the end of the season. I think it's fatigue. He went 0 for 8 from 3 last night. No way he shuould take a long 3 to end regulation. KD and RW missed 7 free throws last night....Game. The bench has dissappeared, I think there is some infighting going on, epecially when Ray Westbrook is putting tweets out during the game that Brooks be fired. If they don't get it resolved, we can kiss it goodbye. Presti will have to make some hard decisions this summer then.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

If we take this series 7 games and lose, Brooks will not be fired. His winning percentage is too high for that to happen (can't include first season as interim coach). 

Name a solid candidate that you think would take an open coaching opportunity seriously here?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## zookeeper

They pay these guys millions of dollars to _especially_ show up at playoff time. Mind boggling.

----------


## OKVision4U

There are several things that are major factors to not playing "Great Ball" at this time.

1.  C. Butler arrived and it messed up the entire chemistry in the way the all the other "role" players ( Lamb / Adams / Perry ) were expected to contribute at the beginning of the season and throughout the time the injuries ( Westbrook / Thabo / Perkins ) were benched.  Lamb started the season great w/ a great shot and hitting 3's.  When Butler arrived, you saw an immediate affect on the bench's contribution.  Butler wasn't the answer, and should not be on the court before Lamb.  This is Brooks' fault.  How do you game plan to beat Miami, and we run them off their court w/ a small starting line-up ( Perry too ).  There was no need for Butler to be here, ...he did not "add"  anything to the game... a break-even at best.  So why bring him in and Up-set the great chemistry already on the floor?  ... Brook's needs to own this one.

2.  Perkins on his best day does NOT add offense.  Steve Kerr stated my opinion on this the other night.  When you only have 3 offensive threats to defend, it makes your game plan easier to defend AND it puts a 5 X the pressure on the existing 3 players ( even if they are named Durant / Westbrook / Ibaka ).  They have bad nights too, so why would Brooks expose this to our demise?  The Grizzlies play a clean game and defend w/ intensity.  They grind the game to a slow pace.  Why are we playing to their game?  ...this is like starting Perkins against Miami again, knowing it is not our best approach.  This is Brooks problem too.  Lamb is a MUST on the floor.  Don't tell me about his "lack of defense", that is an excuse Brooks uses.  If we play our game we win, if we play the Grizzlies game we go home early.  1st Round Early.  Brooks needs to get over his issue w/ Lamb, or Brooks may be looking for another team.  

3.  This is not the panic button, this is seeing what worked through a great deal of the regular season,...so why would you not go w/ the same line-ups when the "wins" were being accummulated?  Why would Brooks continue to keep the same players in ( down 17 on the road in a playoff game ) and not make game-time adjustments?  IF Thabo is not going to shot the 3 when he is wide open, then get him out.  For whatever reason, he has no confidence now.  .. Lamb might.

Brooks, bench Butler.  Put Lamb in early and tell him we are counting on him.  Perry needs to have a bigger role.  Put him in when the Grizzlies have their number 19 Beno Udrih is on the floor.  Shut him down. Get Gasol in early foul trouble.  Have Jackson drive to the bucket w/ the intention of getting Gasol some quick fouls.

Brooks, start Adams and give him the ball 5 times early and get Gasol to foul him.  ... and this may open things up on the outside.  Play the game inside -> out.  ..

Brooks, please have Ibaka around the basket at ALL times.  This game is about possessions.  Ibaka must be the guy the finds every rebound & put back.  Ibaka should never be on the perimeter when the ball is shot.  I know he has a good  3 point shot, but that is not his value.

Brooks, in the second half, have Durant bring the ball up.  Let the double team come to him, pass to Westbrook, let him go to the bucket ( drive or dish ) back out to Durant or an open Lamb.  We need to press the basket w/ every possession.  ..a foul / Free Throws / or trailing Durant.  Take the game to them.  ...not the other way around.

... Brooks, don't make it easier for them.  Full court press the entire first quarter.  Make their BIG's be something they are not.  Pressure.

----------


## Anonymous.

Last night was a great example. Houston had a rookie shoot the game winning 3 last night. That's right, an inexperienced, talented young guy was in the game during crunchtime. 

I still say if we lose this series to the Grizz, Brooks is gone. I have never heard of a more stubborn coach.

----------


## OKVision4U

> Last night was a great example. Houston had a rookie shoot the game winning 3 last night. That's right, an inexperienced, talented young guy was in the game during crunchtime. 
> 
> I still say if we lose this series to the Grizz, Brooks is gone. I have never heard of a more stubborn coach.


He finally made adjustments to attack Miami with, so why not now?

----------


## Laramie

> He finally made adjustments to attack Miami with, so why not now?


Scott Brooks isn't going anywhere.  Coach Brooks can only tell the players what to do; they have got to go out and execute their game plan.

*You're right; let's not push the panic button.*

Sometimes the ball just takes an unlucky bounce and things are not going your way.  Memphis in the first half of game one experienced that.  They have since won two overtime games.  

When the ball is going through the hoop and you're winning; any coach can look like a genius.   When players are not moving or rotating off the ball on offense and defense and the ball is not going through the hoop; fire the coach.

Would like to see Perkins, Adams & Collison tag team up on Randolph.  Gasol is a beast; keep him out of the paint.

Would like to see Sefolosha get out of his shooting shell and Jackson continue to attack the basket until he gets those calls.

Durant is not the only player who can hit a game winning shot; they're keying on K. D. because they know he's our 'go to guy' in closing out games.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Jake

This isn't a must win game tonight.......but it's kind of a must win game tonight.

----------


## Klop

> If we take this series 7 games and lose, Brooks will not be fired. His winning percentage is too high for that to happen (can't include first season as interim coach). 
> 
> Name a solid candidate that you think would take an open coaching opportunity seriously here?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Kelvin Sampson would have, had he not taken the Houston job. What about Bill Self? You don't think he would be interested in returning to the state on the BIG stage? I think he has proven he can coach.

----------


## Klop

Travis Ford would probably take a hard look at the Thunder job. Oh, you said a "solid candidate." lol

----------


## Klop

Oh, Self has a 10 year contract worth close to $50 mil. Probably not. 

Although, Brooksy is halfway through a 4 year deal at $4 mil per yr.

That's right, $4 mil per year. ugh

----------


## Klop

I'm not so busy that I couldn't change my plans for $4 mil per year. lol

----------


## Klop

NBA Head Coach Contracts
Team	Head Coach	Years Left (Options)	Dollars/Year
Atlanta Hawks	Mike Budenholzer	X	X
Boston Celtics	Brad Stevens	6	$3,666,667
Brooklyn Nets	Jason Kidd	3(1)	$2,500,000
Charlotte Bobcats	Steve Clifford	2(1)	$2,000,000
Chicago Bulls	Tom Thibodeau	3	$4,375,000
Cleveland Cavaliers	Mike Brown	5	$4,000,000
Dallas Mavericks	Rick Carlisle	3	$4,600,000
Denver Nuggets	Brian Shaw	3(1)	$2,000,000
Detroit Pistons	John Loyer	interim	interim
Golden State Warriors	Mark Jackson	2	$2,000,000
Houston Rockets	Kevin McHale	1(1)	X
Indiana Pacers	Frank Vogel	3	$2,000,000
Los Angeles Clippers	Glenn Doc Rivers	3	$7,000,000
Los Angeles Lakers	Mike DAntoni	2(1)	$4,000,000
Memphis Grizzlies	Dave Joerger	3(1)	$2,000,000
Miami Heat	Erik Spoelstra	X	$3,000,000+
Milwaukee Bucks	Larry Drew	3(1)	$2,000,000
Minnesota Timberwolves	Rick Adelman	2	$5,000,000
New Orleans Pelicans	Monty Williams	3	X
New York Knicks	TBD	X	X
Oklahoma City Thunder	Scott Brooks	3	$4,000,000
Orlando Magic	Jacque Vaughn	X	X
Philadelphia 76ers	Brett Brown	4	X
Phoenix Suns	Jeff Hornacek	3(1)	$2,000,000
Portland Trail Blazers	Terry Stotts	1(1)	X
Sacramento Kings	Mike Malone	3(1)	$2,250,000
San Antonio Spurs	Gregg Popovich	X	$6,000,000
Toronto Raptors	Dwane Casey	1	X
Utah Jazz	TBD	X	X
Washington Wizards	Randy Wittman	1	X
*X stands for contract details that are still undisclosed*
Source = overtheleague.com

----------


## SoonerDave

> This isn't a must win game tonight.......but it's kind of a must win game tonight.


I don't think there's any "kinda" about it. Lose tonight, and I think it's too deep a hole from which to escape.

----------


## PWitty

nm

----------


## Mel

I wish my doctor had not taken me off of beta blockers.

----------


## ljbab728

Wow, does anyone have any idea what the record is for the most consecutive overtime games played between two team in the playoffs?

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> Wow, does anyone have any idea what the record is for the most consecutive overtime games played between two team in the playoffs?



5...Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns?????

Scratch that. My Bad!

----------


## Anonymous.

Reggie Jackson just changed this city tonight.

Finally, Scott Brooks leaves in Reggie more than 13 minutes and look what happens. I cannot believe we won this given all of the circumstances (Durant and Westbrook sucking).

These Grizzlies are tough. Let's bring the noise Tuesday night.

EDIT: Game 5 is Tuesday, not Monday

----------


## SOONER8693

> Reggie Jackson just changed this city tonight.
> 
> Finally, Scott Brooks leaves in Reggie more than 13 minutes and look what happens. I cannot believe we won this given all of the circumstances (Durant and Westbrook sucking).
> 
> These Grizzlies are tough. Let's bring the noise Monday night.


THANK YOU, Reggie Jackson.

----------


## Jake

Never saw Kevin Durant have a worse game than that.

Wowzers. Thank you Reggie Jackson! Mr. April!

----------


## Laramie

*Reggie Jackson*


Jackson Saves The Day - ESPN Video - ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?id=400553071

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

> Never saw Kevin Durant have a worse game than that.
> 
> Wowzers. Thank you Reggie Jackson! Mr. April!


Ending their 15 game home winning streak with KD having a bad game certainly speaks well for the rest of the team tonight.

----------


## zookeeper

> Ending their 15 game home winning streak with KD having a bad game certainly speaks well for the rest of the team tonight.


Is there a chance Durant is not well? He was playing almost lazily at times - at playoff time? It's just bewildering.

----------


## ljbab728

> Is there a chance Durant is not well? He was playing almost lazily at times - at playoff time? It's just bewildering.


I keep hearing commentators saying he's exhausted, but who knows.  He'll have a few days to rest up for the next game anyway.

----------


## SOONER8693

> I keep hearing commentators saying he's exhausted, but who knows.  He'll have a few days to rest up for the next game anyway.


I agree with the commentators. Having played b-ball and followed at many levels for many years, I agree. His legs are gone. Missing shot after shot, and especially free throws is a sure sign of exhausted legs.

----------


## Mel

> Reggie Jackson just changed this city tonight.
> 
> Finally, Scott Brooks leaves in Reggie more than 13 minutes and look what happens. I cannot believe we won this given all of the circumstances (Durant and Westbrook sucking).
> 
> These Grizzlies are tough. Let's bring the noise Tuesday night.
> 
> EDIT: Game 5 is Tuesday, not Monday


You will hear Momma and me hollering from Mustang.

----------


## Teo9969

I think it's less physical exhaustion and more mental exhaustion.

The only thing that's going to cure that mental exhaustion is a the MVP tucked securely away in his trophy case. I think he's so consumed with it he can't concentrate properly on putting the ball in the bucket. I'm praying that trophy is granted to him in game 5.

----------


## Urbanized

It's usually announced during the second round.

----------


## Pete

Memphis is beating the hell out of KD at every turn...  He's having to work much harder in this series than in the regular season and probably any other playoff series.  Plus, that was three very draining OT games in a row for the guy that plays way more minutes than anyone on the team.

If we can just get past these guys and their ugly style of play, I'm sure he'll be reinvigorated.

----------


## G.Walker

The team will get a few days rest, they don't have to play again until Tuesday night, so that should get their legs under them, and both KD and Russ should have better shooting nights come Tuesday.

----------


## Teo9969

> The team will get a few days rest, they don't have to play again until Tuesday night, so that should get their legs under them, and both KD and Russ should have better shooting nights come Tuesday.


This makes the 3rd straight game we've said that…I'm not so sure.

This is the definition of overzealous ridiculous conjecture but this is my theory:

I said this on another forum, but I really hope KD plays for something else on Tuesday. Maybe he can play for Reggie because of Reggie bailing him out in what would have likely gone down as the most embarrassing moment of his career. This slump of KD's goes back the past 10 to 15 or so games, and if indeed it's mental exhaustion from a season of hearing about the MVP race, he needs to find something else to play for, if only momentarily. I don't think KD is wired to play 500 games with a single-minded purpose. He's not a machine like Kobe or Jordan. So he needs to keep his mind fresh and play for a variety of things: greatness, team, family, friends, faith, self, legend, competition, fun. So many reasons. If I had to bet money on something as silly as another human being's mentality, I'd bet that playing for greatness/legend drove him to the legendary month he had in January and that after that instead of hitting the refresh, he doubled down and let the mindset consume him.

----------


## Mel

Memphis really knows how to dog KD. That can open up a lot of other players. It ain't over 'till it's over.

----------


## Pete

I wish we were making better tactical changes given how they are defending.

Not seeing a lot of adjustments in this series.

It's great that we won but we shot under 40%.  Even if we scrape by Memphis we aren't going much further until we learn to make better offensive adjustments.

----------


## Klop

I know its improbable. But, I was hoping they could find the groove they had during the first part of the season, and just run the friggin table from here on out.

----------


## ljbab728

> I know its improbable. But, I was hoping they could find the groove they had during the first part of the season, and just run the friggin table from here on out.


You are an optimistic sort, aren't you?   :Smile:

----------


## Teo9969

> I wish we were making better tactical changes given how they are defending.
> 
> Not seeing a lot of adjustments in this series.
> 
> It's great that we won but we shot under 40%.  Even if we scrape by Memphis we aren't going much further until we learn to make better offensive adjustments.


It's not offensive adjustments. It really and truly is as simple as KD and RW just need to hit their shots. 53/154 (34.4%) for the last 3 games. You can't retool the offense just because the basis for your offense are collectively in a slump. A few plays, sure…finding the hot hand (as they somewhat did last night), great. But KD and RW are supposed to be shooting 45% on the low-side and 55 to 60% on the high-side. If they get to that 45% mark, then that's 32 extra points at a minimum over the last 3 games.

----------


## SoonerBoy18

This series is almost exactly the same with how it was in the 2010-2011 semi finals. I think it goes to 7 in Thunders favor. I can't take any more of Memphis. Off that subject, can they please do an orange out for once!  :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

The ball is back in our court:.

Optimism is often contagious!  Let's telepath that enthusiasm to the players at the next home playoff game.  Could result in an extra hustle for a loose ball.  A win will put Memphis on the ropes; a 'do or die' situation for the Grizzlies in game six own their on court..

The Thunder caught the Grizzlies off guard; especially when Durant & Westbrook deferred to Jackson in the closing minutes.  We have weapons on our bench (Adams, Butler, Collison, Fisher, Jones & Lamb)  besides Jackson.

We dodged a bullet in Memphis; kick them while they are down--let's not let them beat us two of three on our home court. 

Durant should weather through this temporary physical & mental exhaustion with a few days rest.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Memphis fans are not so optimistic about this series anymore, judging by their forums, this was theirs after 2-1.

Game 4 was most definitely the turning point. I think Thunder win out in 6 now. MEM will be mentally beat down after losing a game at home where Durant plays the worst game he will probably ever play again. 

Reggie Jackson will get a standing-O on check-in tomorrow night.

----------


## SoonerDave

Friend of mine who goes to just about EVERY Thunder home game offered to me the thought KD was just physically worn out, certainly compared to the early season, all _combined_ with the fact that Memphis is just physically abusing him unlike any other team this season. And as it appears the refs are, as they say, "letting them play," don't look for that to get any better. 

I try to be optimistic, so I look at this series as one where the Thunder has played some of its worst basketball all season, where its stars have really struggled, but they _still_ own home court advantage and can take the series lead tomorrow night _at home._ What's even bigger from a psych standpoint is that surely Memphis knows this, too, which should make that Game 4 loss (for them) just that much more disheartening.

There are *lots* of psych angles to this. After all the body blows, they've taken, if they can get this thing to 3-2 in their favor, I _have_ to like their chances of winning the series. Ironically enough, after watching the Golden State/Clipper game yesterday, I'd have a tough time seeing the second round series being anywhere near as physical - neither team plays anywhere near the kind of game Memphis does. 

I know, I know, we have to get Memphis out of the way first. I'm hoping against hope we got into their heads with Game 4, and can push them right to the edge tomorrow night.

----------


## adaniel

FWIW none of the favorites have been playing great outside of Miami in these playoffs. Houston and Chicago are dangerously close to being eliminated over teams they were favored to win. Spurs have looked god-awful against the Dallas Mavericks Senior Citizen Club. Indiana has been in slow motion collapse since the all star break. Just a weird playoff series so far.

----------


## Mel

Four overtimes. What a series!

----------


## Mississippi Blues

Nothing happy about that ending.

----------


## ljbab728

The Thunder's maddening tendency to dig themselves into a deep hole in the 3rd quarter than having to have a frantic rally in the 4th is going to finish them this year, I'm afraid.

----------


## Jake

Scott Brooks is coaching for his job Thursday.

----------


## Laramie

*K E E P*
*T H E* 
*F A I T H !*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## AFCM

I see a rivalry in the making.  

I recall many proclaiming the birth of a rivalry after the 2011 playoff series, and I admit to scoffing at the idea on account that doing so after a single series seemed to be a bit premature.  But these two teams continually produce some of the most exciting overtime match-ups, and mostly in the playoffs.  Factor in that both are small market teams slugging it out for dominance in Western Conference, and we have ourselves an interesting dual.  

I'm disappointed with the loss, but I'm thrilled that we citizens of OKC have such a great team (let alone any team) to call our own.  Perspective is huge.

----------


## soonerguru

Losing sucks.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> *K E E P*
> *T H E* 
> *F A I T H !*
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


Remind me next season.

----------


## OKCJapan

I still have I slight bit of optimism that the Thunder can get the job done in Game 6.  

With that being said, want to put forth my opinion I have been observing over the past couple of months.  I hope I am wrong but here is how I see things potentially going.  I think the Thunder peaked at the all-star break this season. Since then, they have been little by little on a downward spiral.  I don't think it is because of C. Butler breaking up the chemistry.  This team has become very inconsistent.  over the past couple of months and It has definitely shown in the playoffs. In this series, Brooks is apparently not able to see that the current offense is not working and try something else. 
 I really think that there has to be a dramatic personnel and or coaching change.  If not Then I think we can expect this team to slip a couple of seeds in the playoffs next year and following years and become a middle of the pack team like Golden State in the Western Conference.  Meaning that from now on we may see several first round exits from the playoffs.  If that happens, don't expect KD to stick around.  He wants to win.  The Western Conference is just too loaded right now.  too bad we are not in the Eastern conference.

----------


## dcsooner

Memphis is simply BETTER than the Thunder. no amount of analysis will change that. OKC will win in the regular season and lose in the post season until Scott Brooks is gone, KP is gone, RW is a shooting guard and Thabo is on the second team. enjoy a couple more years of KD and Russ before they bolt to a winner (post season). Oh by the way I am a season ticket holder so I can make these comments as a fan.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

You guys that want Scott Brooks gone are just funny. Obviously you're Sooner fans regardless of it being in your screen name or not. He won't be gone. Kendrick Perkins probably but most definitely not the coach. He wasn't out on the court missing shots and shooting I'll advised shots. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## gopokes88

> You guys that want Scott Brooks gone are just funny. Obviously you're Sooner fans regardless of it being in your screen name or not. He won't be gone. Kendrick Perkins probably but most definitely not the coach. He wasn't out on the court missing shots and shooting I'll advised shots. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So he either thinks those horrid shots are a good idea, needs to be fired. 
Or he doesn't like those shots and this team just ignores him, needs to be fired. 

We have no offensive system, insane rotations and schemes (like using kd as a decoy after he hit a momentum three, what in the hell was that?), and we have been playing crummy defense since the last 15 games of the season it's time to get some new blood and fresh ideas. Brooks is Doug Collins. Thanks for the improvement and development but he's clearly not the guy to get us over the hump.

----------


## Anonymous.

Another overtime...

This series is insane and shows how sad the East really is. Our 7 and 8 seeds are competitive with the 1 and 2. Yea Indiana and Hawks are dueling, but look at the rest of the East... Cake walk avenue.

I am sad that we possibly just had our last playoff game at the 'Peake. But if anyone can force a game 7 in OKC, it is the Thunder.


Also can Mike Thunder-Killer Miller please stop hitting everything he chucks up in overtimes?! That dude could shoot blind folded with one arm at full court and sink everything against us. He is, to us, what Fisher is to the Spurs.

----------


## SoonerDave

> You guys that want Scott Brooks gone are just funny. Obviously you're Sooner fans regardless of it being in your screen name or not. He won't be gone. Kendrick Perkins probably but most definitely not the coach. He wasn't out on the court missing shots and shooting I'll advised shots. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'm no basketball expert, so I'm surely not about to say Brooks should or shouldn't be gone. My only sentiment about Brooks at all - particularly in light of the idea of KD missing shots - is that there is at least _some_ component of the end-game situation that relies on _some_ coach at least drawing up a play that _puts_ KD in a position for a _chance_ to make the best shot possible. I'll leave it to the others here who know the game better to assess the extent to which that's at play right now.

Beyond that, I think this whole blue-funk-for-most-of-the-game mentality has to have _some_ roots, _somehow_, in the lockerroom. It makes _no_ sense to me that a team with this much potential and so much at stake at home can come out _completely flat_ and, perhaps, even a little disinterested. Surely, by now, they don't disrespect the opponent _that_ much. Are bench players tired of the focus on KD and RW? Is the broader team tired of the KD for MVP push? I mean, dumbbell that I admittedly am, the eyeball test tells me that these guys are just out of whack for some reason.

----------


## SOONER8693

> I'm no basketball expert, so I'm surely not about to say Brooks should or shouldn't be gone. My only sentiment about Brooks at all - particularly in light of the idea of KD missing shots - is that there is at least _some_ component of the end-game situation that relies on _some_ coach at least drawing up a play that _puts_ KD in a position for a _chance_ to make the best shot possible. I'll leave it to the others here who know the game better to assess the extent to which that's at play right now.
> 
> Beyond that, I think this whole blue-funk-for-most-of-the-game mentality has to have _some_ roots, _somehow_, in the lockerroom. It makes _no_ sense to me that a team with this much potential and so much at stake at home can come out _completely flat_ and, perhaps, even a little disinterested. Surely, by now, they don't disrespect the opponent _that_ much. Are bench players tired of the focus on KD and RW? Is the broader team tired of the KD for MVP push? I mean, dumbbell that I admittedly am, the eyeball test tells me that these guys are just out of whack for some reason.


I think that KD kissed the "MVP" away when he missed the game tying free throw with 20some seconds left. The real "MVP" is deadly/clutch in that situation. He let his team down again. And, regarding the final shot, wow. With all of the supposed basketball knowledge on that sideline/team, and that is the best they could come up with. Please. A junior high kid could have set up something better than that. Oh well, it's just basketball.

----------


## Jake

Our superstars aren't playing like superstars and our coach doesn't know how to draw up plays. Bad combination.

----------


## Anonymous.

> I think that KD kissed the "MVP" away when he missed the game tying free throw with 20some seconds left. The real "MVP" is deadly/clutch in that situation. He let his team down again. And, regarding the final shot, wow. With all of the supposed basketball knowledge on that sideline/team, and that is the best they could come up with. Please. A junior high kid could have set up something better than that. Oh well, it's just basketball.



I agree with you here.

In the post game presser, Brooks said he did not draw up a play, and instead gave the go-ahead to KD. So KD made the decision there. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. Chuck up a 3 ball that could magically fall and have a shot at a tip in. That is two pretty good chances in under 3 seconds. I feel like the odds of driving and hoping for a foul call is worse than what happened. Refs are terrible at calling fouls under the final 24 seconds.

KD should have sunk that free throw. In fact, he should have sunk all of them. I think he missed 3. Which were all the second FT of all his pairs. That is inexcusable. 


It will be interesting in game 6 to see if KD takes over and plays his heart out, or rolls over and Mike Miller and Grizz stomp out OKC _a la_ Heat 2012 Finals.

----------


## OKVision4U

Things were moving along nicely until they brought Butler to OKC in mid-season.  This is when the chemistry was lost.  This is when the "bench's" contribution dropped.  

Ask this question, if Brooks can "game plan" and find a new line-up for Miami and Win decisively w/ Lamb & Perry contributing majory roles in that victory, then why do we not see Lamb on the court now?

... Lamb's confidense was still at a high-level ( during the Miami game - before Butler arrived to OKC ) and we got to see what caliber of player Lamb is.  Brooks has pushed him to the end of the bench now?

Brooks, he was good enough for the Miami ( and BTW, Miami is a much better team than Memphis) line-up, so why not now? ...if Lamb does not see the floor in Game 6, Brooks should be let go at the end of the season, which would be after a game 6 loss.

----------


## Laramie

Head official Joey Crawford interrupts Kevin Durant's rhythm with 28 seconds remaining in between free throws.  Durant made the first; then he was given the ball by Crawford to complete the second.




* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SOONER8693

> Head official Joey Crawford interrupts Kevin Durant's rhythm with 28 seconds remaining in between free throws.  Durant made the first; then he was given the ball by Crawford to complete the second.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


You are dead on correct with this. Crawford "iced" him, but, prior to that, Brooks "iced" him by making a late substitution. But, still, the "MVP" drains both of those.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> So he either thinks those horrid shots are a good idea, needs to be fired. 
> Or he doesn't like those shots and this team just ignores him, needs to be fired. 
> 
> We have no offensive system, insane rotations and schemes (like using kd as a decoy after he hit a momentum three, what in the hell was that?), and we have been playing crummy defense since the last 15 games of the season it's time to get some new blood and fresh ideas. Brooks is Doug Collins. Thanks for the improvement and development but he's clearly not the guy to get us over the hump.


So then...as I asked pages back who would your candidate be to replace Brooks??  Is there a coach out there like a Popovich that is willing to relocate to a small market city with the hopes of winning a championship? Taking numbers now...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Richard at Remax

Id look at George Karl or Lionel Hollins

----------


## gopokes88

> So then...as I asked pages back who would your candidate be to replace Brooks??  Is there a coach out there like a Popovich that is willing to relocate to a small market city with the hopes of winning a championship? Taking numbers now...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


For starters enough with this small market crap it has absolutely NOTHING to do with coaching. Small market concerns a player's ability to earn more money through endorsements. The town he plays in is larger thus bigger deals to be had because in theory that particular team has more fans and therefore can sell more shoes. However, an international superstar is above small market and it doesn't matter where they play. Kryie Irving is a guy who could make more money in NY, Chicago, or LA, but it doesn't matter for the leagues MVP. So it's pretty ridiculous you think a coach cares how big the market is, for what, his ego? 

Give Kevin Ollie, Stan Van Gundy, Jeff Van Gundy, George Karl all a call just to start. 

You act like if OKC is the Bucks or something. This would be the most attractive job in the NBA and it's not even close. Two of the top 5 players in the league on the same team including the MVP? If a coach gives a sh*t that it's a "small market" despite that it's a team with the talent to win a title next year, then its not the right coach.

----------


## Jersey Boss

Karl is a great candidate for rebuilding , but the Thunder? Meh. 8 seasons in Denver, championship round once(lost). His other seasons never made it out of first round.  How is he superior to Brooks?

----------


## gopokes88

> Karl is a great candidate for rebuilding , but the Thunder? Meh. 8 seasons in Denver, championship round once(lost). His other seasons never made it out of first round.  How is he superior to Brooks?


Outside of Melo how much talent was on those Nugget teams?

----------


## Jersey Boss

> Outside of Melo how much talent was on those Nugget teams?


AI was averaging 30 or so a game, Marcus Camby- Defensive player of year while a Nugget, a couple that come to mind.

----------


## Laramie

> Id look at George Karl or *Lionel Hollins*


The Thunder-*Grizzlies* series has been very competitive with games 2, 5 (in OKC) and  3, 4 (in Memphis) going into overtime.  

*Game 1* (in Oklahoma City)  Oklahoma City Thunder 100 Memphis Grizzlies 86  
*14-point OKC win in regulation**
*Game 2* (in Oklahoma City)  _Memphis Grizzlies 111   Oklahoma City Thunder 105_ 
_6-point Memphis win in OT
_*Game 3* (in Memphis) _Memphis Grizzlies 98   Oklahoma City Thunder 95_ 
_3-point Memphis win in OT
__Game 4 (in Memphis)_  Oklahoma City Thunder 92   Memphis Grizzlies  89 
*3-point OKC win in OT**
_Game 5 (in Oklahoma City)_ _Memphis Grizzlies 100  Oklahoma City Thunder 99_ 
_1-point Memphis win in OT_


*Don't think it's going to happen:*  If Scott Brooks were to be replaced; Lionel Hollins the former Memphis Grizzlies coach would be someone to give  thorough consideration. (Those of you who want to replace Scott Brooks, be careful for what you wish.)


*Lionel Hollins*
Memphis Grizzlies Three wins = [ 6 + 3 + 1 Total = 10 points]  Average 3.33 points/per game win*** Oklahoma City Thunder Two wins  = [14 + 3 Total = 17 points] Average 8.5 points/per game win

All three Memphis wins were in OT.


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> You guys that want Scott Brooks gone are just funny. Obviously you're Sooner fans regardless of it being in your screen name or not. He won't be gone. Kendrick Perkins probably but most definitely not the coach. He wasn't out on the court missing shots and shooting I'll advised shots. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Nope, but he is the one with the befuddling game plan that had KD as a decoy late in the game, has seemingly given Westbrook the green light to fire three after three at an 18% clip, and can only offer up KD fade away threes down by 1 at the end of the game. Brooks is a good motivator, but the most knowledgeable basketball minds knows that the Thunder are at a disadvantage with him on the sidelines. He's stubborn, makes poor adjustments, and hasn't addressed our weaknesses. I'm pretty much ready for him to go after defending him for years. But we have to know who we're going after before doing so...

----------


## dankrutka

> I think that KD kissed the "MVP" away when he missed the game tying free throw with 20some seconds left.


The MVP votes have already been cast. KD won it. It just hasn't been announced. Unfortunately, the announcement was delayed because of this Donald Sterling situation, which means KD could be the first MVP in a long while to be out of the playoffs when he receives the award.

----------


## Anonymous.

I wonder when the last time was when the MVP won the award on his couch?



Tonight is the night. 7pm on TNT. The OKC paper today called Durant Mr Unreliable. Not sure if this is reverse psychology or just being flat mean. Either way, I hope it lights fire under these guys and Durant MOVES AROUND and pulls the double and triple team all over and wears them out. Even if DUrant is gassed, at least he is gassing two or three of their guys as well.

----------


## SoonerDave

> I wonder when the last time was when the MVP won the award on his couch?
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight is the night. 7pm on TNT. The OKC paper today called Durant Mr Unreliable. Not sure if this is reverse psychology or just being flat mean. Either way, I hope it lights fire under these guys and Durant MOVES AROUND and pulls the double and triple team all over and wears them out. Even if DUrant is gassed, at least he is gassing two or three of their guys as well.


Yeah I could not BELIEVE that headline. Having said that, I also know that the guy writing the _column_ (Tramel) is not the guy who writes the _headlines._ While he did use that phrase within the article, it was a far cry from the context implied by the headline. Think the DOK is fishing for attention, unfortunately.

----------


## Pete

From Steve's Twitter feed:

----------


## Richard at Remax

another coach ill throw in there and preface that there is less than a percent of landing him would be Coach K. He agreed to become the Lakers coach a few years ago then had second thoughts. Also, he has been coach of Team USA for a while and all the players respect the hell out of him.

Dangle Durant and Westbrook in his face and he might listen.

----------


## Anonymous.

Someone on another forum fixed the article:




> Fixed it:

----------


## OKVision4U

> From Steve's Twitter feed:


KD, please don't give this ( Small Dying Paper ) as second thought.   This is the most INCORRECT statement they have made in 50 years.  KD, if we have the ball for the last second shot for the win, please take that shot.   ... the fans.

If The Oklahoman is looking to Revive its readership to the glory days, then run a headline with a picture of Scott Brooks on the cover and it reads :  Mr. Uncertain ...The Other Coaches in the NBA win with less talent on the floor.  ....why are we looking at a 3-2 deficit w/ Memphis ?   ... don't tell me it is fatigue with Durant, when Lamb has not even seen the floor.  That is coaching.  That is managing the game.  That is Your role as coach.  Putting them in the best position to win the game.  Why did Michael Jordan want Phil Jackson?  Why did Kobe want Phil Jackson? ...he is the coach that can WIN the ring, not just get your there.   ...a big difference.

Who is the brain child at the Oklahoman that let this ( Unreliable ) out of the building?  ...all of you should be let go. This is pathetic.

----------


## gothundergo

please leave your comments to show the OKC thunder team your support for tonight game.

----------


## catcherinthewry

I support the Thunder. I just wish The Oklahoman did as well.  Their headline today was "Mr. Unreliable" in 3" copy with a big picture of KD beneath it. :Hammer: 

I wrote the sports editor, Mike Sherman a letter to state my disgust.  I suggest all Thunder fans do the same.  His email is msherman@opubco.com

----------


## Jersey Boss

> I support the Thunder. I just wish The Oklahoman did as well.  Their headline today was "Mr. Unreliable" in 3" copy with a big picture of KD beneath it.
> 
> I wrote the sports editor, Mike Sherman a letter to state my disgust.  I suggest all Thunder fans do the same.  His email is msherman@opubco.com


Welcome to the major leagues. It's like that in any major league city with the press. It is not the job of sports reporters to be uncritical cheerleaders.

----------


## dankrutka

The irony is that KD is arguably the most consistent player in the NBA. Even when he has struggled during this series, his production has been largely consistent... just inefficient.

----------


## catcherinthewry

If you are as disgusted with today's headline as I am, please share your thoughts with the sports editor, Mike Sherman, msherman@opubco.com

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Welcome to the major leagues. It's like that in any major league city with the press. It is not the job of sports reporters to be uncritical cheerleaders.


There's a big difference between being critical and being right.  Is Durant Mr. Unreliable?  He may be the most reliable player in the NBA.  How many great seasons and great playoff series has he had?  Calling him Mr. Unreliable during one bad series that is not even over yet is a case of the "what have you done for me latelys" at its worst.

The Oklahoman owes him an apology.

----------


## gothundergo

> please leave your comments to show the OKC thunder team your support for tonight game.
> 
> 
> Attachment 7690


yes I have seen those rude comments too. but is time for the thunder team to rise over criticisms, and all that. I know the OKC thunder team have what it needs to win, they just have to focus on winning and give their best on court, no holding back anything. they have to give all tonight.

----------


## OKVision4U

> Welcome to the major leagues. It's like that in any major league city with the press. It is not the job of sports reporters to be uncritical cheerleaders.


When a paper writes a headline like this, they need to be at least 51 % accurate. In this case, this is the furthest from it.

KD has another nickname, ... Mr. Clutch.  Ice water in his viens.

*Mr. Clutch is human*.   ..he gets tired too.  Scott Brooks knows this, he just doesn't know HOW to manage it.

----------


## Jersey Boss

> There's a big difference between being critical and being right.  Is Durant Mr. Unreliable?  He may be the most reliable player in the NBA.  How many great seasons and great playoff series has he had?  Calling him Mr. Unreliable during one bad series that is not even over yet is a case of the "what have you done for me latelys" at its worst.
> 
> The Oklahoman owes him an apology.


 Was the article about the professional career of KD or was it more about the current series with Memphis? If it was about Memphis,  what are the numbers for KD in shooting % and % outside the arc?

----------


## gopokes88

> Welcome to the major leagues. It's like that in any major league city with the press. It is not the job of sports reporters to be uncritical cheerleaders.


Yeah but cities like NY and LA can get away with stuff like that because it's NY and LA. OKC? Not so much.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> There's a big difference between being critical and being right.  Is Durant Mr. Unreliable?  He may be the most reliable player in the NBA.  How many great seasons and great playoff series has he had?  Calling him Mr. Unreliable during one bad series that is not even over yet is a case of the "what have you done for me latelys" at its worst.


As has been already pointed out, the criticism is about THIS series and playoff run. And the criticism is spot on. I love KD, but he isn't looking very much like the league MVP so far in the playoffs.




> The Oklahoman owes him an apology.


No, they do not.

----------


## gothundergo

Tonight is the night when KD will have to prove that he is the best player in the NBA! so lets all watch tonight game and see how he will play. I personally think he need to play a little more hard to prove what he already is,  the best NBA player. go thunder! go KD

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Was the article about the professional career of KD or was it more about the current series with Memphis? If it was about Memphis,  what are the numbers for KD in shooting % and % outside the arc?


The articles are fair criticism of KD.  I never said anyone on the Thunder is above reproach.  In this case the headline did not match the articles and made The Oklahoman look like The New York Post.  

Apparently, Mr. Sherman agrees with me:Headline over Kevin Durant story missed the mark | News OK
We take great pride in our headlines about big sporting events and news in Oklahoma. Thursday’s headline in The Oklahoman on Kevin Durant’s performance in the Memphis series missed the mark.

The words were overstated and unduly harsh. The headline and presentation left the impression that we were commenting on Durant’s season, career or even character. We were not. We were referring only to the Memphis series.

The fact the headline and presentation left that impression with so many readers is proof that we failed.

----------


## catcherinthewry

> No, they do not.


They feel different seeing as how they've already issued one.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> They feel different seeing as how they've already issued one.


They should apologize for having no backbone. Even so, the headline is appropriate for THIS series, which is what Mike Sherman said was the intent.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Tonight is the night that they all need to play like it's their first game in the Final Four! Hate to have to revert to college but it's ONE OR DONE time!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## catcherinthewry

> They should apologize for having no backbone. Even so, the headline is appropriate for THIS series, which is what Mike Sherman said was the intent.


He also admitted that they missed the mark with their intent.




> The fact the headline and presentation left that impression with so many readers is proof that we failed.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> He also admitted that they missed the mark with their intent.


Only because people with half-second attention spans couldn't make it past a two-word headline to read what the intent actually was. Apologizing to people too lazy to read for context just validates bad behavior.

----------


## Urbanized

He apologized for the headline, not the article. It was appropriate. The article was accurate, the headline unnecessarily ambiguous, sensationalistic and baiting.

----------


## catcherinthewry

Unfortunately, it's the 2-word headline that has made national news, not the two articles underneath it.

----------


## OKVision4U

> As has been already pointed out, the criticism is about THIS series and playoff run. *And the criticism is spot on*. I love KD, but he isn't looking very much like the league MVP so far in the playoffs.
> 
> 
> No, they do not.


Do you know anything about Athletics?  ...obviously not.  How many analogies do I need to make, to help you with your education...???

In the HIstory of Baseball, Cy Young / Nolan Ryan / Roger Clemens / Sandy Kofax / etc, could NOT pitch every inning of every game of the season, and then expect to have any "Pop" on their fastball in the playoffs.

In the History of Football, Barry Sanders / Waltor Peyton / Jim Brown / Bo Jackson /  etc, could NOT carry the ball every snap of every game of the season, and then expect to have any "Drive" in their legs in the playoffs.

They even figured this out in 1860.  The Pony Express knew that you can't just ride the same Pony Across The US !!!!!  ( they break-down after a given distance )

So, this is NOT about KD, this is about Scott Brooks.  The Oklahoman does owe KD an apology.  This is a sports issue and the History of Sports has already spoken about this.  The Oklahoman got it wrong on So Many Sports Levels.  

Tramel, do your job, Apologize to KD, and then ask Brooks how he was able to find a way to beat Miami, but can't get passed Memphis in the first round?  This is the story.

----------


## dankrutka

I wouldn't mind Stan Van Gundy one bit as a Scott Brooks replacements:

Do the Thunder Have a Scott Brooks Problem? Could Stan Van Gundy Solve It?

----------


## Of Sound Mind

Scott Brooks certainly shoulders the lion's share of the blame/credit for the Thunder performance in the playoffs so far (I hope his tenure comes to an end as quickly as the Thunder's season is about to). Even so, and why the headline and article were not unreasonable, when you are the player-leader of the team and the league MVP, you also bear significant responsibility for being the leader you are supposed to be (and being handsomely paid to be), helping your team play like the champions everyone has thought they were supposed to be.

----------


## SoonerDave

> He apologized for the headline, not the article. It was appropriate. The article was accurate, the headline unnecessarily ambiguous, sensationalistic and baiting.


Bingo. First thing I thought of when I read the article was that there's no way the guy who wrote that _article_ would have expected that _headline_ to accompany it, and a lot of folks don't realize the guy who writes the headlines is almost certainly not the person who wrote the story - can often be a layout or composition person, although someone has to proof the final release at some point, and that goes on Sherman, I think.

Baiting is precisely the word I was thinking. Tramel is going to get crushed with blame for this, and in all honesty, _his article_ was a fair assessment. KD hasn't had a great series. 

All that said, win tonight, bring it back home miraculously for a Game 7 and win then, all is forgiven  :Smile: 

My heart is in this too much now. I somehow still think we'll win tonight, despite the fact I know better. Perhaps I've drunk too much coffee.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Scott Brooks certainly shoulders the lion's share of the blame/credit for the Thunder performance in the playoffs so far (I hope his tenure comes to an end as quickly as the Thunder's season is about to). Even so, and why the headline and article were not unreasonable, when you are the player-leader of the team and the league MVP, you also bear significant responsibility for being the leader you are supposed to be (and being handsomely paid to be), helping your team play like the champions everyone has thought they were supposed to be.


I think the overarching sentiment right now is that Brooks has not helped his team in this series. The part of coaching that isn't very popular these days is when the Mack-like "clap 'em up" kind of coaching has gone as far as it can, and the job then becomes telling your guys when they're making wrong decisions. The next level of refinement for RW or KD is knowing when they're _not_ making those smart decisions, and it's up to the coach - hard as it may be, I think Brooks has yet to get to a point where, as an example, he's comfortable telling RW to "stop shooting threes."

----------


## dankrutka

> Do you know anything about Athletics?  ...obviously not.  How many analogies do I need to make, to help you with your education...???


I like how the post starts condescending... and then proceeds without really making much of an argument. At least use some facts to back up your point that Kevin Durant is playing too many minutes to win a title. So, I figured I'd test your theory and see how many minutes Michael Jordan played before his first title...

Michael Jordan played 3,102 minutes in 80 games in the year of his first championship. Kevin Durant played 3,122 minutes in 81 games this season. I guess you can "ride the same Pony Across the US !!!"  :Tongue:

----------


## OKCretro

The headline was very succesfful. You started a thread about it. "mr. unreliable" was trending on twitter this morning.  They will probably get more page views today than they ever have.  

If you don't like the headline, ignore it.

----------


## Anonymous.

"Mr. Unreliable" is top trending on twitter now. Wow. The Oklahoman really going to get those website hits now.

Opposing fans having a hayday using this opportunity to troll KD and the Thunder.


It is amazing to see the impact spread today.

----------


## OKVision4U

> Scott Brooks certainly shoulders the lion's share of the blame/credit for the Thunder performance in the playoffs so far (I hope his tenure comes to an end as quickly as the Thunder's season is about to). Even so, and why* the headline and article were not unreasonable*, when you are the player-leader of the team and the league MVP, you also bear significant responsibility for being the leader you are supposed to be (and being handsomely paid to be), helping your team play like the champions everyone has thought they were supposed to be.


The Headline was the most ( Unreasonable ) point to take.  ( Un-reliable ??? ), is not KD's game to date.  Un-realiable in this series, not even close.  The word that should have been used is KD is human too.

Now, I ask this:  Who is not doing their job?   KD is giving his ALL out there, he is just fatigued.  ...and that is Brooks' job to make sure his players are in a positive situation for winning, not at a dis-advantage ( fatigued) and not in a position to win.   ( and i'm not talking about a last minute shot, I'm talking about the wear of the season, the drain on his star player, and the lack of others in the game ( LAMB / Perry ) during the playoff w/ Memphis ).  That is Brooks' job to manage.  And he didn't.

----------


## OKVision4U

> I like how the post starts condescending... and then proceeds without really making much of an argument. At least use some facts to back up your point that Kevin Durant is playing too many minutes to win a title. So, I figured I'd test your theory and see how many minutes Michael Jordan played before his first title...
> 
> Michael Jordan played 3,102 minutes in 80 games in the year of his first championship. Kevin Durant played 3,122 minutes in 81 games this season. I guess you can "ride the same Pony Across the US !!!"


KD is not built like MJ or Labron James, and he can't take that long-term body abuse in games.  It's the miles, not the age.

----------


## OKVision4U

> I like how the post starts condescending... and *then proceeds without really making much of an argument*. At least use some facts to back up your point that Kevin Durant is playing too many minutes to win a title. So, I figured I'd test your theory and see how many minutes Michael Jordan played before his first title...
> 
> Michael Jordan played 3,102 minutes in 80 games in the year of his first championship. Kevin Durant played 3,122 minutes in 81 games this season. I guess you can "ride the same Pony Across the US !!!"


Really? ...so you are saying that Clemens could pitch every inning of every game in the season, and still have "Pop" on his fastball in the play-offs? ... I will let you in on a little secret, his arm would fall off before the first pitch of the play-offs.  Things take their toll.

KD can still shoot the ball, he just might lose a little "touch" on his shot.  His legs might be a little weary.

----------


## gothundergo

You shouldn't compare Michael Jordan or Kevin Durant with lebron James because neither Michael Jordan or Kevin Durant needed help from the ref. To be a good player.

----------


## SoonerDave

> You shouldn't compare Michael Jordan or Kevin Durant with lebron James because neither Michael Jordan or Kevin Durant needed help from the ref. To be a good player.


Uhhmmm....while I realize he has not necessarily gotten his share of the calls in this playoff series, to say that KD hasn't gotten "help from the refs" over the course of his career is....a bit naive.

----------


## Bellaboo

What Sam Presti said about the headline -

SAM PRESTI -

 What I witnessed from Kevin Durant on the streets of Moore, Oklahoma, a year ago is the absolute definition of reliability.

----------


## Laramie

*Keep the Faith!*
It's not the minutes, the Russell Westbrook absence and transition was really tough on Durant.  The whole weight of the team fell on his shoulders.  Durant is suffering from acute mental & physical exhaustion; he will recover!   

We enter the bears' forum, grit & grind house, the 'Den of Doom,' let's take game six, pick up sticks and drag this *carcass* back to OKC! A bear skin rug will look nice at the entrance to the Peake.

Who's going to step up tonight; _Jackson, Fisher, Butler or Thabo?_  We've got to come out and sucker punch the Grizzlies; hit them hard, knock them into semi-hibernation .

*Thunder gonna eat, BEAR MEAT!*
*Let's Go Thunder!*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## catch22

If you're going to take an unnecessarily high risk shot in the last seconds of a pivotal playoff game -- you need to hit that shot.

He took the shot, and he didn't make it. When you take a big risk you have to be prepared to accept the consequences of it if your judgment wasn't right. 

I'd agree overall we have a Scott Brooks problem and not a KD problem. We shouldn't have every single playoff game coming down to the last seconds. it's unfair to cast all of the blame on KD, when the entire team and coaching staff did not perform well enough, forcing KD into that situation at the end of the game. 

We need to go back to having the game won with a minute left on the clock.

The Thunder in this series was not the same team we are used to seeing.

----------


## adaniel

> "Mr. Unreliable" is top trending on twitter now. Wow. The Oklahoman really going to get those website hits now.
> 
> Opposing fans having a hayday using this opportunity to troll KD and the Thunder.
> 
> 
> It is amazing to see the impact spread today.


At this point I am hoping its "bulletin board" material to get them fired up. Maybe I'm just delusional but I really think they pull it off tonight. Of course I have no idea what they will do if they make it to a game 7.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> What Sam Presti said about the headline -
> 
> SAM PRESTI -
> 
>  What I witnessed from Kevin Durant on the streets of Moore, Oklahoma, a year ago is the absolute definition of reliability.


In that case, absolutely without question. In this series, not so much.

Historically, he has been solid. That's what makes his performance this playoffs so stark in its contrast.

----------


## Laramie

*The only unreliable and inconsistent thing in OKC is the Oklahoman.*

*The Oklahoman is like a deadly virus that has planted itself into Oklahoma City's media environment as a press parasite preying upon everything in sight.



The Impotent Daily Disappointment, the doormat of America's News Outlets!
** "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## gothundergo

only few more hours for the game LETS GO THUNDER 


> please leave your comments to show the OKC thunder team your support for tonight game.
> 
> 
> Attachment 7690

----------


## OKVision4U

I want all the "journalists or media industries" to help-out in this discussion.  How does KD score 25+ points in over 41 games this season, breaking a NBA record that was held by Jordan?  ... get tagged w/ Un-reliable ?

If you want a story, ask how we Brooks has allowed his team to fall behind by 20 ( at home ) against Memphis in a playoff game?  ...how does that happen?  If Phil Jackson is the coach, does the team fall behind by 20? ...don't think so.  

So, if you want a REAL story, step-up and ask that question.  ( The Sports Animal is lost on this.  They are only concerned w/ the apology question ).  As a coach, how do you allow ( The Thunder ) to fall behind and not putting any new faces on the floor, if the guys are not hitting shots?  ...and still have Perkins / Thabo on the floor?  ...that is a coaching deficit.

----------


## ljbab728

The Oklahoman says the headline was wrong and unfair.

Kevin Durant headline was unfair | News OK




> He is not “unreliable” and it was wrong and unfair for us to characterize him as such in a headline in Thursday’s editions of The Oklahoman. The headline, which appeared over a column by Berry Tramel, was not written by Tramel.


Something certainly woke the Thunder up tonight though and they need to just keep it going.

----------


## Pete

That's what I'm talking about!

I don't know if it was Brooks or Durant or both that finally figured out he's got to take the ball into the paint.  He's got five inches on Allen, draws many more fowls, causes the defense to collapse leaving others open, actually means we have somebody near the basket when he's shooting, etc., etc.

Once he started doing that, everything changed, not the least of which was we stared making shots and getting more breaks, and thus could dictate the tempo.

Just do the same thing Saturday night and we're rid of these grinders!

----------


## Richard at Remax

Took some brass ones not playing Thabo at all and gave minutes to Adams. Really changed how the grizz approached the game

----------


## Mel

Good game tonight. :Wink:

----------


## Easy180

Having Adams and Ibaka down low will be great to watch for years to come

Grizzlies better hope Conley is 100% for game 7

----------


## Laramie

*Oklahoma City Thunder 104  Memphis Grizzlies  84*
Drag this grizzly carcass back to Oklahoma City and call the taxidermist.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies - Box Score - May 01, 2014 - ESPN

Balanced scoring tonight:

36 Durant
25 Westbrook
16 Jackson
8 Ibaka
7 Butler
6 Perkins
2 Adams
2 Collison
2 Fisher
*Key to tonight's win:* Thunder held Mike Miller to 7 points; every time Miller got the ball someone was in his face crowding him, keeping him from pointing his arse and knocking down a three.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

We certainly don't want to look past a Memphis team that has already won twice in OKC during the playoffs but we need to keep an eye on what's happening in the very competitive Clippers - Golden Gate series.  Golden State is up by one point in the 2nd quarter at the time I'm posting this.  We should be hoping for a seven game series there so the winner doesn't get any extra rest.

----------


## dankrutka

We played smart tonight. Finally. We took good shots, got to the basket, and, unfortunately, finally benched Thabo. Our shot selection was so much better than it's been. When we play smart we're hard to beat. Got to do it again though.

----------


## zookeeper

Let's hope the Thunder can close this out on Saturday. Let something really good happen on May 3rd!

----------


## zookeeper

> We played smart tonight. Finally. We took good shots, got to the basket, and, unfortunately, finally benched Thabo. Our shot selection was so much better than it's been. When we play smart we're hard to beat. Got to do it again though.


You nailed it. It was a smarter team on the court tonight. Hope this can carry over to Saturday and end this series.

----------


## adaniel

> At this point I am hoping its "bulletin board" material to get them fired up. Maybe I'm just delusional but I really think they pull it off tonight. Of course I have no idea what they will do if they make it to a game 7.


Told y'all  :Smile:

----------


## dankrutka

> I want all the "journalists or media industries" to help-out in this discussion.  How does KD score 25+ points in over 41 games this season, breaking a NBA record that was held by Jordan?  ... get tagged w/ Un-reliable ?


Well, if you read the story you'd know that Tramel specifically contrasted how reliable KD has been this season with his shortcomings in the series. 

Anyway, I don't believe the player-speak totally. I think this was a nice shot of motivation for KD. One more.

----------


## ljbab728

Golden State beats the Clippers so that series is going to a seventh game also.

----------


## OKVision4U

Well, Brooks did what he is supposed to do.  Place his star player in the best position to win, by adding Butler to the starting line-up. Yes, I'm not a Butler fan, but I do appreciate Brooks' attempt to help add more offensive fire-power from the tip-off.  And it worked nicely.  Butler hit a key 3 in the first quarter that helped relieve pressure off of Durant.  Memphis had to guard Butler and couldn't just "Load Up" on KD. 

KD was able to have a little more "space" to shoot in and lanes were open for his mid jumper.  Thank you KD!  As Always, so reliable.

Brooks also brought in Adams, who had a monster game.  The announcer even asked "where has he been this series?"  So, KD has another 35 point game, I think we can look to see a big game on Saturday here at home.  

KD, please don't let a couple of "knuckle-heads" with a type writer & a printer ever let you think you are not VALUED here, they Don't speak for us, the fans.  This is your home too.  

In the year 2014, we need KD and the Thunder.... we don't need a paper.

----------


## Urbanized

The Thabo/Butler switch worked primarily because KD stepped up his perimeter defense and smothered Courtney Lee et al. the entire evening.

Thabo's perimeter defense is the single thing that he excels at, and KD essentially negated the drop off that came from putting him on the bench. I appreciate everything Thabo has done for the team, but realistically the team probably can't/won't re-sign him as his contract expires.

If KD brings that type of defensive intensity on a regular basis it will allow another Thunder scorer to be on the floor from the start, which will in turn improve Russ' and KD's own effectiveness offensively. KD already has the length, quickness and game-awareness to be an elite defender, but so far he has mostly been satisfied to let others do the dirty work.

Not so much a criticism of him, but I think everybody learned last night how much better the team can be if he rolls up his sleeves and takes on another aspect of the game. It is the type of thing that elite players do as they ascend to Champion and Hall-of-Fame status, and if he takes this next step in his development (he will) the team has the potential to be virtually unstoppable.

----------


## OKVision4U

> The Thabo/Butler switch worked primarily because KD stepped up his perimeter defense and smothered Courtney Lee et al. the entire evening.
> 
> Thabo's perimeter defense is the single thing that he excels at, and KD essentially negated the drop off that came from putting him on the bench. I appreciate everything Thabo has done for the team, but realistically the team probably can't/won't re-sign him as his contract expires.
> 
> If KD brings that type of defensive intensity on a regular basis it will allow another Thunder scorer to be on the floor from the start, which will in turn improve Russ' and KD's own effectiveness offensively. KD already has the length, quickness and game-awareness to be an elite defender, but so far he has mostly been satisfied to let others do the dirty work.
> 
> Not so much a criticism of him, but I think everybody learned last night how much better the team can be if he rolls up his sleeves and takes on another aspect of the game. It is the type of thing that elite players do as they ascend to Champion and Hall-of-Fame status, and if he takes this next step in his development (he will) the team has the potential to be virtually unstoppable.


KD was able to have intensity because he was not getting mugged on the offensive side w/ Butler in the game too.  It is a balance that works best w/ a 4th offensive threat on the floor and not just 3 ( KD / RW / SI ).  ..and the other guys were hitting their shots too.  

Yes, they were all more focused on the defensive side of the ball, not letting them have the early 3 and Ibaka was not letting anything get to the rim.  They played "deny" ball and it worked well.

----------


## Urbanized

You have that backwards. True, he wasn't getting mugged because Butler was in the game, but what allowed Butler to be there in the first place was KD's willingness to shoulder the load of the perimeter defense. Having the third scorer with no defensive drop off made Memphis account for another guy, which allowed the Thunder (including KD) more spacing, better passing lanes and more open looks. The ultimate key to what happened last night was a more balanced defensive effort.

----------


## Anonymous.

Brooks must have cleaned his ears out after game 5. Our first adjustment all series and it is a blowout. Who would have thought playing Thabo and Perkins less with more Jackson, Butler, and Adams would have worked?! Oh that's right, everyone BUT Brooks.

Regardless, it looks like Durant has that beast mode look again and we should stomp them out tomorrow night in the 'Peake.

Great to see the Clips/Warriors wearing each other out, too. Should be a fun round 2 if we make it!

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Several people I know can attest to the fact that I personally picked this series to go 7 games. Let the crying commence if we lose at home on Saturday and let the 'all that crying for nothing' commence on Saturday after we win because it's on to the next series where everyone will cry and complain if it goes 7 games too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## SoonerDave

> Several people I know can attest to the fact that I personally picked this series to go 7 games. Let the crying commence if we lose at home on Saturday and let the 'all that crying for nothing' commence on Saturday after we win because it's on to the next series where everyone will cry and complain if it goes 7 games too!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Would love to hear if Conley is really going to play for Memphis....lots of varying stories about how badly he's hurt, with many of them leaning toward hurt-worse-than-it seems. Huge, huge factor going into tomorrow night.

And I wish I had my own "ticket oak" for tomorrow night's game!  :Smile:

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Yeah, I'm not for sure on what his status is but I'd bet the team is preparing for his presence. They seem to think on The Franchise that his injury is not bad and due to his competitiveness, he will play on Saturday night. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Anonymous.

Randolph suspended for Game 7. 
For the punch on Steven Adams. 


As if tomorrow couldn't look any better for OKC. Conley, now Randy.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Couldn't believe that Thabo got a DNP last night, hope he hasn't completely bailed on the team, we're going to need his abilities against the Clippers and Spurs/Blazers.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

^article with video

Grizzlies' Randolph suspended for Game 7 | NBA.com

----------


## Klop

> ^article with video
> 
> Grizzlies' Randolph suspended for Game 7 | NBA.com


Wow

----------


## Pete

Wow is right.

This is a pretty big deal.

----------


## Jim Kyle

You have a definite gift for understatement...

----------


## PWitty

Z-Bo got hosed. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that we won't have to match up with him tomorrow night. But I don't see how that is worthy of a 1-game suspension for game 7 of a Playoff series. I thought it was pretty obvious he was going for a shove and his hand just got up too high initially. Like SVG said, if Z-Bo had intended to punch Adams then he would have gone down like a heavyweight boxer in a late-round KO. 

Not a bad turn of events for the Thunder though.  :Cool:

----------


## zookeeper

Seeing that clip I don't see how anybody could justify letting him play. I like Abe Lemon's old saying, which went something along the lines of, "If it goes so far that if it happened on the street, you'd be arrested, it's too far for the basketball court." Amen, Abe. If Randolph had done what he did - (not the shove but the fist to the face) - outside the arena, he would have been arrested for assault. 

That punch literally knocked Adams (as big as he is) off his feet! Randolph is getting off light. NewsOK's Vine video shows just how violent it was.
https://vine.co/v/MrDr9ZmKvlU/embed (click the center of the pic)

That's not basketball - that's thuggery. It has to be stopped in the NBA and this was a good call in that they are saying it doesn't matter what game you'll miss. Assault another player so blatantly on the basketball court and you're out the next game. Gutsy call by the NBA.

----------


## zookeeper

Just saw this video from Bruce Bowen on ESPN - he is absolutely, 100% spot-on. There's no room for this in the game of basketball. Period.
Zach Randolph of Memphis Grizzlies suspended for Game 7 - ESPN

----------


## BrettM2

> Z-Bo got hosed. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that we won't have to match up with him tomorrow night. But I don't see how that is worthy of a 1-game suspension for game 7 of a Playoff series. I thought it was pretty obvious he was going for a shove and his hand just got up too high initially. Like SVG said, if Z-Bo had intended to punch Adams then he would have gone down like a heavyweight boxer in a late-round KO.


Adams getting knocked so far away from the initial point of contact is equivalent to a late-round KO for normal people.  After seeing a picture of his sister and hearing about his childhood, I'm not sure anyone in the NBA is going to KO Adams.

One of the national writers put on twitter that the intent would be irrelevant because he _did_ make contact with the head.  That's an automatic suspension.

----------


## zookeeper

You know, with this idiot's history - they should pay him for two weeks and say goodbye and never let him back anywhere near the NBA. Talk about bringing this stuff to a stop, and quick!

He looks more like a boxer anyway - look at his face while he punches Adams. Watch enough to see the view from the front and close-up.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/or...olph-video.nba

----------


## 918Town

> Seeing that clip I don't see how anybody could justify letting him play. I like Abe Lemon's old saying, which went something along the lines of, "If it goes so far that if it happened on the street, you'd be arrested, it's too far for the basketball court." Amen, Abe. If Randolph had done what he did - (not the shove but the fist to the face) - outside the arena, he would have been arrested for assault. 
> 
> shows just how violent it was.
> https://vine.co/v/MrDr9ZmKvlU/embed (click the center of the pic)
> 
> That's not basketball - that's thuggery. It has to be stopped in the NBA ... Assault another player so blatantly on the basketball court .....Gutsy call by the NBA.


Wow! I've stopped caring about the nonsense that was spewed on this board years ago. However, this is par for the course, and enough is enough. You've checked all the boxes, all the key words, except the most overt, flagrant ones that wouldn't conceal your true agenda. As it has been stated before by pwitty, it was an attempt to shove. Zac Randolph would've knocked his teeth out with a true intended punch. But that's not important, when there's an opportunity to discuss or analyze a controversial event it always dissolves to this. And many on this board wonder why our state is viewed in such a negative light around the nation. They say the outsiders have it wrong........

----------


## PWitty

Adams wasn't knocked off his feet, he was mid-stride so he stumbled back a few feet and then avoided Randolph and walked away.

I might be mistaken, but didn't Z-Bo finish out the rest of the game? If the play was "blatant thuggery" and a straight up punch as some of you are saying, then he would've been ejected on the spot. It wasn't like the refs didn't see it. They stopped play and called a foul, but they didn't think it warranted anything more than that. It was nothing more than a frustration shove. Mike Scott gave George Hill a two hand stiff arm to the face last night and I haven't seen the league hand down any sort of punishment to him. The only difference between the two plays is that Scott was in a face-to-face confrontation and Adams didn't see it coming. 

Anyways, my point is that the NBA justified the suspension by saying it was a punch. It wasn't a punch. I've never seen a guy throw a punch with both hands at the same time. The vine you linked shows it perfectly. The contact was with the bottom side of his closed hand and his forearm. It was a hard shove directed at Adams' upper body and he made contact with Adams' neck and face. Those are two very different things. 

The only folks I have seen who thought that was deserving of a suspension are on this board. The entire ESPN pre-game crew and the commentators in the Dal-SA game thought the NBA overstepped their grounds.

I'm as big of a Thunder fan as anyone else in this thread, but to act like that is a 100% deserving of a suspension is nuts. People wouldn't be so shocked at the league's decision today if that were the case.

----------


## Jake

If DeJuan Blair got suspended a game for accidentally touching Tiago Splitter's head with his foot after a scramble for the ball, then Zach Randolph deserves to be suspended a game.

Also, all the talk about the NBA being at fault, Zach Randolph shouldn't have let a rookie get into his head to where he threw a "close-fisted push to the jaw" as they were down double digits.

----------


## zookeeper

> Wow! I've stopped caring about the nonsense that was spewed on this board years ago. However, this is par for the course, and enough is enough. You've checked all the boxes, all the key words, except the most overt, flagrant ones that wouldn't conceal your true agenda. As it has been stated before by pwitty, it was an attempt to shove. Zac Randolph would've knocked his teeth out with a true intended punch. But that's not important, when there's an opportunity to discuss or analyze a controversial event it always dissolves to this. And many on this board wonder why our state is viewed in such a negative light around the nation. They say the outsiders have it wrong........


I have no clue what you're talking about. Could you explain how the NBA seeing things the way I saw it, and Bruce Bowen on ESPN saying the same thing, what did I say? Seriously? Dissolves to what? I am simply clueless.

----------


## bradh

I think the biggest beef people are having is the NBA is saying "precedent" in this case, but didn't hand out a single punishment for what happened in the ATL-IND game last night.

It appears Adams went for the nut shot and that's what set Randolph off.  I love Adams, he's the master of the dark arts of basketball.  Guys like that in soccer are great, too.  Can infuriate the opponent into doing something stupid, and never retaliate or get caught.

----------


## zookeeper

Wait a minute...918town....were you insinuating I was talking race? Honestly, the white-black perspective did not enter. my. mind. Not once. I think it was thuggery on the court. That, my friend, doesn't mean just black players like Randolph. There are white thugs, black thugs, green thugs. A thug is a thug.

I am a bit surprised you make a comment like this and say it reflects on the state? Maybe you should read my posts. I am an economic social democrat (Paul Krugman should be Secretary of Commerce, Labor, Treasury - with Robert Reich and Elizabeth Warren in there as well) with a few libertarian or traditional views on *some* social issues. I didn't know playing rough basketball in the NBA and calling out the thugs for thuggery reflects any way other than being against that kind of play on the basketball court. Maybe you are being a bit reflexive - if not reactionary.

----------


## zookeeper

Pwitty: Only on this board? Try ESPN: Zach Randolph of Memphis Grizzlies suspended for Game 7 - ESPN
Watch the video. Bruce Bowen says what I said.

----------


## bradh

> it was an attempt to shove. Zac Randolph would've knocked his teeth out with a true intended punch.


Haven't seen many NBA fights have you?  I've never seen an NBA player throw a correct punch or fight in a way that wasn't more than flailing arms all over the place.

----------


## BrettM2

That was almost an insane San Antonio comeback.  Up to 5 Game 7s.  I'm hoping Portland finishes Houston tonight though.

----------


## PWitty

> Pwitty: Only on this board? Try ESPN: Zach Randolph of Memphis Grizzlies suspended for Game 7 - ESPN
> Watch the video. Bruce Bowen says what I said.


One analyst's opinion doesn't outweigh all the other analysts who disagreed with the NBA's decision. 

Not to mention it's a little funny hearing Bowen say, "stuff like this has no place in the NBA", when Bowen himself is considered one of the dirtiest players in NBA history.

----------


## bradh

I agree hearing Bowen speak out against this is hilarious, but he was a lot like Adams, did everything to get under guys' skins, but he was never called or retaliated.  That's an art.

----------


## zookeeper

> One analyst's opinion doesn't outweigh all the other analysts who disagreed with the NBA's decision. 
> 
> Not to mention it's a little funny hearing Bowen say, "stuff like this has no place in the NBA", when Bowen himself is considered one of the dirtiest players in NBA history.


Well, now that you mention it. Life is full of irony.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Wow! I've stopped caring about the nonsense that was spewed on this board years ago. However, this is par for the course, and enough is enough. You've checked all the boxes, all the key words, except the most overt, flagrant ones that wouldn't conceal your true agenda. As it has been stated before by pwitty, it was an attempt to shove.* Zac Randolph would've knocked his teeth out with a true intended punch*. But that's not important, when there's an opportunity to discuss or analyze a controversial event it always dissolves to this. And many on this board wonder why our state is viewed in such a negative light around the nation. They say the outsiders have it wrong........


Fail.... as the NBA rule states, any deliberate blow to the face or head will result in a suspension. It was an intentional effort by Randolph, and that's why they left him home today.

And if push came to shove, Steven Adams would kick old man Zack Randolph's a$$. That punch hardly fazed him. Adams grew up a rugby player, a real contact sport.

----------


## Bellaboo

Watch this video from the NBA. It was a left elbow to the body, then a clinched fist thrown by Z-Bo to Adams jaw. Anyone that sees this any different is living in outer space. 


Randolph Suspended One Game | NBA.com

----------


## OKCJapan

Read a couple of blog sites for the Grizzlies.  IT seems that their fans and everyone in their camp is confident and more motivated that they will win game 7 without Z-bo.  Conley was quoted saying that after a day, the injury was not as bad as he thought and will play.  At what percentage, remains to be seen.  I believe, the Thunder need to be very focused to come out and punch them first.  I would have thought that all the the news would have stepped them down just a bit on their optimism for winning game 7.  It seems to be just the opposite.  They are a wounded animal backed in a corner. That can be very dangerous. We better be really prepared or we may see a repeat of game 5 where the Thunder get down big early and then have to play uphill the rest of the game and lose a close one at the end. I am still confident that we will win though.

----------


## zookeeper

> Watch this video from the NBA. It was a left elbow to the body, then a clinched fist thrown by Z-Bo to Adams jaw. Anyone that sees this any different is living in outer space. 
> 
> 
> Randolph Suspended One Game | NBA.com


I posted this in #1160 and don't know how many actually watched it. Especially the right in front, close-in shot in the second half of the video. The look on Randolph's face at the moment he hits Adams with the closed fist is that of a boxer - putting a lot of force into that punch.

----------


## ljbab728

OMG, that Portland - Houston game was unbelievable.  Houston was up by 2 with .9 seconds left.  Portland tosses in a shot and they get up a prayer 3 pointer which goes in.  Portland wins by one and eliminates Houston.

----------


## Snowman

> Read a couple of blog sites for the Grizzlies.  IT seems that their fans and everyone in their camp is confident and more motivated that they will win game 7 without Z-bo.  Conley was quoted saying that after a day, the injury was not as bad as he thought and will play.  At what percentage, remains to be seen.  I believe, the Thunder need to be very focused to come out and punch them first.  I would have thought that all the the news would have stepped them down just a bit on their optimism for winning game 7.  It seems to be just the opposite.  They are a wounded animal backed in a corner. That can be very dangerous. We better be really prepared or we may see a repeat of game 5 where the Thunder get down big early and then have to play uphill the rest of the game and lose a close one at the end. I am still confident that we will win though.


He may not be the best source for how he is, he tried to return in the game and lasted like thirty seconds. Hopefully for his sake it is not bad but the odds are pretty low he will be near 100%

----------


## SoonerDave

> OMG, that Portland - Houston game was unbelievable.  Houston was up by 2 with .9 seconds left.  Portland tosses in a shot and they get up a prayer 3 pointer which goes in.  Portland wins by one and eliminates Houston.


I saw that and could not believe the finish. I've historically never been a huge basketball fan, but even I have to appreciate the quality of games we've seen in these playoffs. The execution on that inbounds play for the winning 3-pointer was flawless, and the very guy who tipped in the garbage for Houston with .9 left to give them the apparent game-winner was the same guy late to rotate over and cover the guy who shot THE game winning 3 for Portland. Amazing stuff, and I didn't really have a dog in the fight for who won. I'll admit perhaps a slight bias toward Portland winning, but in general it was just exciting basketball. 

Now we *have* to make sure to win tonight to remind Harden why he should have stuck with a winner  :Smile:  (insert snarky laugh here)

----------


## SoonerDave

> He may not be the best source for how he is, he tried to return in the game and lasted like thirty seconds. Hopefully for his sake it is not bad but the odds are pretty low he will be near 100%


I think its got to be at least some face-saving. I heard blurbs from too many reporters/blogs that indicated he was hurt a lot worse than was reported, and if he had been remotely able to play the other night, he would have, but literally, physically could not. I know from watching football all my life that hamstrings can be really annoying and take a long time to really heal, so its hard to say how this will really affect him going into tonight. He could start and play the whole game, or pull his leg funny in the first 30 seconds and be done for the game. 

GO THUNDER.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Read a couple of blog sites for the Grizzlies.  IT seems that their fans and everyone in their camp is confident and more motivated that they will win game 7 without Z-bo.  Conley was quoted saying that after a day, the injury was not as bad as he thought and will play.  At what percentage, remains to be seen.  I believe, the Thunder need to be very focused to come out and punch them first.  I would have thought that all the the news would have stepped them down just a bit on their optimism for winning game 7.  It seems to be just the opposite.  They are a wounded animal backed in a corner. That can be very dangerous. We better be really prepared or we may see a repeat of game 5 where the Thunder get down big early and then have to play uphill the rest of the game and lose a close one at the end. I am still confident that we will win though.


If the Thunder can perform the way they *had to* the other night, but then let it slip away at home by not being *EVERY BIT* as intense, and focused, all while starting Butler again, then we'll be back to questioning their mettle on and off the court. I think Durant did, in fact, take it to another emotional level the other night, and would be crazy not to do everything to put his team right back in that same emotional condition. Here's the critical difference, however - if we can smash them in the mouth early, really take out their will, I think there's a MUCH greater chance Memphis will fold. If Conley is less than 100% and with Randolph out, at some point you have to realize there's a limit to how much of your team you can lose and still expect the same level of overall performance. Keep in mind that I think Randolph was their leading scorer in the game where he played at least a certain number of minutes - something like 16-18 points per game. Someone will have to make that up. 

And I think someone needs to put super glue on Sefalosha's chair to ensure he has exactly the same game experience he had the other night  :Smile: 

Sure wish I could be there  :Frown:

----------


## Dennis Heaton

Thunder wins Game 7, 113-92.

----------


## PWitty

Losing Randolph isn't as big of a blow as losing Conley (if he can't play effective minutes). Randolph has been terrible for the most part this series and the Grizzlies have been better both offensively and defensively when he is on the bench, believe it or not. I don't have the efficiency numbers on me at the moment, but it's not even close if I remember correctly. The Grizzlies still have a huge mountain to climb though, and I expect the Thunder to lead this game by double digits throughout.

----------


## dankrutka

Losing Randolph is gigantic for the the Grizzlies. He draws a ton of offensive attention. He's been less efficient than normal this series (he's still had good games), but he creates a lot if open shots for other guys. Most all the Memphis people I've read are pretty low on their chances without him. I agree I'd rather lose Z-bo than Conley, but losing either is pretty disastrous. However, the guys behind them are capable of having good games. The Thunder still better be focused.

----------


## Easy180

It is a big blow since the dude averages 17 pts 10 reb a game...My bold prediction is we will see a ton of three point attempts from Mike Miller...They will just hope he is on fire

----------


## Urbanized

I honestly think Steven Adams' secret to getting under the skin of these guys is clandestine nut shots. I'm not kidding. Old rugby trick. And of course it is one that Serge has pulled before too.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

I am hoping the Grizzlies don't have a Reggie Jackson on the bench that ends up having a breakout night.

----------


## Teo9969

> I am hoping the Grizzlies don't have a Reggie Jackson on the bench that ends up having a breakout night.


It's like all of them have already had a breakout game.

Udrih was that guy I think. Made a name for himself in this series.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Losing Randolph isn't as big of a blow as losing Conley (if he can't play effective minutes). Randolph has been terrible for the most part this series and the Grizzlies have been better both offensively and defensively when he is on the bench, believe it or not. I don't have the efficiency numbers on me at the moment, but it's not even close if I remember correctly. The Grizzlies still have a huge mountain to climb though, and I expect the Thunder to lead this game by double digits throughout.


Saw a tweet this morning indicating Conley had been receiving all kinds of treatment, and still could perhaps probably will play, but the sense is he's not going to be anywhere near 100%. I think the tweet said something like "not optimistic."

----------


## Pete

Just saw on ESPN that Tony Allen left the shoot-around with a trainer and wearing dark, wrap-around glasses.

Saying he may have to sit tonight due to a migraine.

I say we turn up the lights nice and bright just in case.   :Smile:

----------


## dankrutka

I guess Allen was scratched in the eye by Caron last game & is seeing an eye doctor today.

----------


## Easy180

Good lawd by tonight it might be Globetrotters vs Washington Generals

----------


## OSUMom

Quick question.  Been out of town and only heard about the "Unreliable' headline.  Just got into town today and didn't see the paper Friday.  What was the headline Friday?

----------


## Pete

> Quick question.  Been out of town and only heard about the "Unreliable' headline.  Just got into town today and didn't see the paper Friday.  What was the headline Friday?

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Quick question.  Been out of town and only heard about the "Unreliable' headline.  Just got into town today and didn't see the paper Friday.  What was the headline Friday?


Kevin Up

Horrible. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## OSUMom

No, wasn't that Thursday?  (Or was it Wednesday?)  I'm thinking of Friday morning, after they won in Memphis.

----------


## Pete

We stopped turning the ball over, Gasol cooled off and we're shooting the ball well.

Only a 3 point HT lead but we were 9 down going into the 2nd Q.

I feel good about the way things are going.

----------


## Pete

If not for 17 turnovers through 3Q, this wouldn't even be close.

Nice shot from the broadcast tonight (although you can tell they are a bit old):

----------


## Money Shot

If that Oklahoman story would have come out sooner we wouldn't be playing game 7. Durant's been killing it!

----------


## zookeeper

Pete, Great looking shot! What direction are we looking? NW, right? I don't know why, but I am completely disoriented looking at that picture. It looks like Bricktown Ballpark is right by Devon, and the rest of it seems strange. Am I overloaded with excitement from this game and just missing it? Weird feeling looking at my own city and not being able to place things correctly.

----------


## zookeeper

What a game! Check this out>>>>>>> Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City Thunder to be named MVP, according to sources - ESPN

----------


## Dustin

Mr. Unreliable looked pretty reliable tonight!

Fantastic win!

----------


## Dustin

> If not for 17 turnovers through 3Q, this wouldn't even be close.
> 
> Nice shot from the broadcast tonight (although you can tell they are a bit old):


Was this shown on TNT or FSOK?

----------


## zookeeper

> was this shown on tnt or fsok?


It was on TNT.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

Y'all gotta check out the Grizzlies FB Page...Unbelievable!!!

----------


## BrettM2

> Y'all gotta check out the Grizzlies FB Page...Unbelievable!!!


What, exactly, is unbelievable?  All I see are scores...

----------


## Dustin

> What, exactly, is unbelievable?  All I see are scores...


"The NBA is rigged!!!"  Yada yada yada...

----------


## Mel

Great win!

----------


## OSUMom

> "The NBA is rigged!!!"  Yada yada yada...


I love all the people who say Randolph was just pushing Adams.  And when it was pointed out his fist was closed would turn around and state that you can push someone with a closed fist.  Yeah.... it's called a PUNCH.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> What, exactly, is unbelievable?  All I see are scores...


Have you read the Comments..https://www.facebook.com/MemphisGrizzlies ?

----------


## ljbab728

Here come the Clippers and Blake Griffin after a game 7 win tonight over Golden State.  For some reason I feel a little better about this matchup than I did against Memphis.

----------


## Laramie

> Was this shown on TNT or FSOK?


Tonight's game was on both FoxOklahoma & TNT. 

The Grizzlies paid the price for Randolph's actions.  Steven Adams got into Z-Bo's big head; a head that's about the size of a number 3 wash tub.

*Damn Steven Adams, you're one tough iron stunt man...   ...you didn't loose your cool as you got into 'Mighty Jo'  Z-Bo's head.*

Zack Randolph made a fatal mistake when he gave Steve Adams his best cheap shot in game six; Adams acted as if a fly had flown up his nose and blew it off.   The whole Grizzly bear family paid for Randolph's blunder.  The video recorded only what was real--Mighty Jo Z-Bo got caught on camera.  *Z-Bo, your little scheme backfired on you.*

Salute the Thunder players & coaches for their stellar game.   They didn't allow Memphis to stay in their confront zone to begin the grit & grind with a fatal bite in the jugular vein. 

Give it up to the Grizzlies; especially Mike Conley, you played like a warrior despite your injury.

Thunder advances to the WC semi-finals against the Los Angeles Clippers.

*Game 7 Final:  Oklahoma City Thunder  120  Memphis Grizzlies 109*

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - May 03, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

Prepare for terrible sleep schedules this week. 

Game 1 Monday @ 8:30.

----------


## ljbab728

> Prepare for terrible sleep schedules this week. 
> 
> Game 1 Monday @ 8:30.


So you can't stay up until 11?  I think I'll survive just fine.  :Smile:

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> Mr. Unreliable looked pretty reliable tonight!
> 
> Fantastic win!


Before vs. after "the headline"

----------


## Easy180

> Prepare for terrible sleep schedules this week. 
> 
> Game 1 Monday @ 8:30.


Yup. I get up at 5am for work so I might be checking the ESPN headline on a couple of these.

----------


## PWitty

> Prepare for terrible sleep schedules this week. 
> 
> Game 1 Monday @ 8:30.


No kidding. It makes it even worse that I'm in the Eastern time zone right now.  :Mad:

----------


## AP

> No kidding. It makes it even worse that I'm in the Eastern time zone right now.


I'll one-up you. I'm in Atlantic, so one hour earlier than you.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> Yup. I get up at 5am for work so I might be checking the ESPN headline on a couple of these.


It is sooooo great to be Retired!  :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

> *K E E P*
> *T H E* 
> *F A I T H !*
> 
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


*There's no stopping us now!*

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> *There's no stopping us now!*


Laramie...I Think I am gonna share this with the good folks on the Grizzlies FB Page.  :Cool:

----------


## Laramie

*MVP!*


*Who's it going to be?*





*K.D?*





* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## bradh

> I'll one-up you. I'm in Atlantic, so one hour earlier than you.


Where are you, Newfoundland?

----------


## AP

> Where are you, Newfoundland?


Nova Scotia.

----------


## bradh

> Nova Scotia.


I was close  :Smile:

----------


## Anonymous.

> Prepare for terrible sleep schedules this week. 
> 
> Game 1 Monday @ 8:30.


Just wait until the away games....

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I'm gonna have to miss those away games!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Mel

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kevin-d...082010904.html

----------


## OKCDrummer77

We do get a bit of a break on the road games.  Game 3 is Friday night, so it's easier for most people to stay up late.  Game 4 is Sunday afternoon, so it won't be late at all.

----------


## Laramie

Get ready for a rival city (Memphis) that feels as though we cut their hearts & souls out; that could have been us, awakened to a nightmare meltdown in game 7.

Found this classic on another forum; _we feel your pain..._

Memphis' lament (morphis in Memphis):





> Excerpts:
> • Lets hope we run into OKC team flat in game 7
> • For those of you on the ledge, remember this before you decide to jump. The Grizzlies have already won 2 of the last 3 in OKC
> • This rivalry just got rivalrier
> • Jackson scares me
> • They are answering every basket
> • We need SOME superstar in this roster but this team is so cheap.
> • God I hate you Russell Westbrook


Game 7 Grizzlies Meltdown! blah blah you bluff now, don't you? - ThunderObsessed.com

Bless whoever wrote this and comfort them in their time of sorrow--it's only a game.  Let's hope time heals the ill feelings you have toward one of our players.  Westbrook has 'swagger, synergy and super confidence' about himself.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Pete

In their deciding Game 7, the Spurs are absolutely destroying the Mavs, up 27 just before half.

----------


## Anonymous.

San Antonio/Portland should be great. And Nets/Heat is actually going to be a challenge for the Heat.


These playoffs are amazing. I feel bad for anyone not a fan of the NBA right now, this is probably going to go down as one of the best playoffs seasons EVER.

----------


## Laramie

> San Antonio/Portland should be great. And Nets/Heat is actually going to be a challenge for the Heat.
> 
> 
> These playoffs are amazing. I feel bad for anyone not a fan of the NBA right now, this is probably going to go down as one of the best playoffs seasons EVER.


The Brooklyn Nets will definitely challenge the Miami Heat.  It was difficult to believe that they swept Miami in all four regular season meetings:

November 1   101-100
January 10    104-95 OT
March 12  @ Miami  96-95
April 8 @ Miami  88-87

This should be an interesting series.  We know that the playoffs are a different animal. 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

> In their deciding Game 7, the Spurs are absolutely destroying the Mavs, up 27 just before half.


That game got _really_ ugly _really_ early. I mean, you could tell that thing was over barely a few minutes into the first _quarter._ Dallas just finally flat ran out of gas. If they hadn't choked off that Game 1.....

----------


## shawnw

If you didn't already know, by becoming a member at the Paramount in Film Row, you can watch Thunder playoff games on their big screen, plus there's that cafe next door.

----------


## Stinger

I need new ideas for pre-game dinner/drinks.

Lately, I've done Urban Johnnie, The Wedge, La Luna, Fuzzy's, Deep Duece Grill. Any suggestions for something new/different? I want to stay close to the gameday atmophere.

----------


## adaniel

Iguana Lounge?

Shoot, you can get lit off margaritas and Dos Equis and they'll shuttle your drunk ass right to the area. Can't be beat IMO.

----------


## Stinger

> Iguana Lounge?
> 
> Shoot, you can get lit off margaritas and Dos Equis and they'll shuttle your drunk ass right to the area. Can't be beat IMO.


Not a bad idea, but I'm not going to fight the 5th of May crowd tonight.

----------


## Mississippi Blues

It seems like, for the most part, the ESPN folks think the Clippers will win the series.

----------


## Snowman

> It seems like, for the most part, the ESPN folks think the Clippers will win the series.


A fair number of their media personalities have a tendency to spin stories as positively as possible to the major media markets as possible, others with be more balance. Remember how good a chance LA Lakers had of beating us two years ago in the playoffs, oh wait they were out in five and they barely won game three. Another thing is they have a radio station in LA, so when their games come up the local broadcast pieces tend to get stuffed with the normal analysis.

----------


## Stan Silliman

Here's my column for this week: 

Silliman on Sports
By Stan Silliman 

*2014 NBA 1st ROUND PLAYOFFS: THINGS LEARNED*

This time of year much of what I do is influenced by the NBA. I wear tennis shoes with Velcro straps. I’m prepared should I ever be lined up next to J.R. Smith. I broke out my NBA dinnerware. Not surprisingly, when I turned it over, it only said “Silver.” The word, “Sterling,” had been magically rubbed out. I’ve got to get a V. Stiviano welder’s mask. I never know when the paparazzi is stalking me. 

*The Spurs Have More Players Than Other Teams* – Do you ever look at the Spurs and think “My gosh, their bench goes on forever.” Coach Pop can rest his elderly starters like Duncan, Parker and Ginobili and still be competitive against the league’s best teams. Do you ever think that? Then it shouldn’t be any surprise that at the end of game six, the Spurs had six guys on the floor compared to the Mavs’ five. An investigation needs to be made to see how often the Spurs get away with this. 

*Old Guys Can Advance, Too* – Many of the teams advancing to the second round had elderly, experienced old guys playing key roles. Check these oldsters – Paul Pierce, 36, Kevin Garnett, 37 (18 years in league), Ray Allen, 38, Tim Duncan, 38, Manu Ginobili, 36, Derek Fisher, 39. There’s a lesson, here. If you’re going to have seven game series, have a few guys who have been there before.    

*Mr. Unreliable* – More like Mr. Undeniable. Yes, stupid was the original headline tagged to Kevin Durant which he responded with 36 and 33 while leading all playoff scorers at 33 per game. How someone at the Oklahoman could describe the Most Valuable Player this way just because he missed a free throw is beyond us. Lesson to self: Write own headline. Lesson two: Pass advice on to Barry Tramel. 

*Overtime Games and Four Point Plays Become Ho Hum* – Some say this has been the most exciting first round in NBA history, most overtime games – 8 --, most games decided by five or fewer points, 18, most game sevens – 5 --, most four point plays, eleventy-dozen, it seems like.  Westbrook, Durant, Lillard, Curry, Korver all had four pointers. Some of them ridiculous like Durant being fouled at the end of the game while falling out of bounds. We must have left a few people out, like Jamal Crawford, who holds the NBA record, 43, for four point plays. 

*Kia Believes You Can’t Promote Too Many Cars During the Playoffs* – You get a lot of car ads during playoffs. Not all of them Kia, but enough so, they’ve drowned out all other carmakers. Too bad there’s not an NBA team in the playoffs from Detroit. The K900 has Lawrence Fishburne’s Morphus offering two different colored keys to luxury. You’d think some of the money spent on luxury could go to closing the gap in Morphus’s teeth, a gap wide enough to drive a Kia Soul through. Even the Kia Soul hamsters have tighter teeth than Morphus. Of course Blake Griffin and Jack McBryer’s Griffin Force pushes the Optima. I want to see one commercial where Morphus offers the red pill to the Griffins which makes them morph into hamsters, just once. 

*Steven Adams Can Get You Suspended* – Ask Zach Randolph. Not sure what it is, whether it’s his quirky New Zealand “Flight of the Concords” accent, his rugby background, his scrambling feistiness from struggling with seventeen brothers and sisters, or what. Whatever it is, Steve is able to get in your head and then after you punch him, he doesn’t retaliate. He walks away like your punch was a love tap. This takes a bit of skill but this year Zach Randolph, Nate Robinson, Larry Sanders, Jordan Hamilton and Vince Carter were all ejected, fined or suspended for striking Adams.

----------


## OSUMom

Who Will Punch Steven Adams in the Face Power Rankings 

As for walking away from a hit like it was a love tap, just like he told the reporter a few months ago "Have you seen my sister?"  I would think a two time Olympic gold medalist in the shot put would have a nasty punch.

----------


## Mel

Adams is a tough guy and doesn't let the physicality of the game bother him one bit. I got ants in my pants waiting for tonights  game to start. 2 more hours!

----------


## OSUMom

That was ugly.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> It seems like, for the most part, the ESPN folks think the Clippers will win the series.


Seems like the Thunder does too.

----------


## OKVision4U

Another little coaching note to Brooks... When C. Paul hits 4 3's in the first quarter, you may want to stop that from being a huge part of the "rest of the game".  Brooks, you don't have to wait until game 2 to stop him.  ...this would be called a "game-time" adjustment.  It can be done during the game.  You don't have to wait until tomorrw, you don't have to wait until halftime to make that adjustment.  

You can call a time-out and tell Westbrook / KD / Thabo that from THIS MOMENT ON, Paul WILL NOT GET ANOTHER 3.  Paul finished the game w/ 8-9 from the 3 point line.  That is 24 points.  That is a lot of momentum during a game.  The other team FEEDS of that  momentum when CP3 is hitting 3's.  ... fyi.

----------


## OSUMom

That would require them playing some defense.

----------


## OKVision4U

Is it me or does our team look bored?  ...the Thunder play w/ greater intensity when they are on the road, but when they get home, they are too relaxed.  Yes, the home court advantage is key, but not when you are down 24.  

Thunder, here is a key to winning this series..... Don't let the other team win the first quarter.  Hold them to 20.  Get in their face.  Don't let them have 3's.  In the 2nd quarter, put Perry / Roberson on Jordan and "foul him early" if needed.  Yes, I know you wanted Jordan away from the basket to create lanes for KD / Westbrook, but that leaves us in a ( one n done ) in the 2nd chance rebounds.  Get Jordan in early foul trouble all series, it is the key.

----------


## Just the facts

That was hard to watch.  Every facet of the Thunder game needs to be improved.  Dribbling/ball control - sucks.  Shooting/shot selection - sucks.  Loose ball hustle - sucks.  Rebounding - sucks.  Passing - sucks.  Free throwing shooting - sucks.  Finishing at the rim - sucks.  Having the entire arena wear the same color shirt as the opposing team - sucks.

----------


## Snowman

> That was hard to watch.  Every facet of the Thunder game needs to be improved.  Dribbling/ball control - sucks.  Shooting/shot selection - sucks.  Loose ball hustle - sucks.  Rebounding - sucks.  Passing - sucks.  Free throwing shooting - sucks.  Finishing at the rim - sucks.  Having the entire arena wear the same color shirt as the opposing team - sucks.


The color matching was not nearly as bad as one of the Dallas playoff games, the entire shirt was literately their shade of blue, not just the highlight

----------


## SoonerDave

I guess one of the frustrating things for me is our propensity for digging ourselves into a hole. Slow starts. Deficits. Lack of interest and intensity. Then, maybe, at some point, someone gets a sense of urgency, and steps up. What's really bothersome is that while we certain played to form in starting slow, I never got the impression we had any notion of getting the intensity necessary to even consider a run to catch up. 

I'm naive: I keep thinking that the _last_ game where that happened, or the _last_ series where that happened, a light would go on and someone would say "Hey, we need to learn from this, come out firing from the opening tip," and I keep finding out I'm wrong. We continue to come out blah and somewhat disinterested. The Clips are good, obviously, but heavens, last night just makes you scratch your head and say "Whaaaat???"

Not throwing in the towel or giving up, but this game two tomorrow night is monstrous. Don't show up for that one and it may be the last home game of the season.

----------


## OKVision4U

Why have we, for the past 2 months, decided to get down by 10 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 24 and then try to make a run back for the win at the last second?  ...and we do this at home !?!?  ( take out game 7 w/ the Grizzlies, that was a different setting)   

..so why does Brooks allow the guys to get behind greater than 10 ?  ...how does that happen at home?

----------


## Urbanized

^^^^^^
I agree 100% about digging a hole early. They have done that this entire season, in case nobody has been paying attention. There has been a lackadaisical approach, almost lazy, and then they kick it into gear, ratchet up their intensity, get the crowd behind them, and win. Might be survivable during the season, but the playoffs are different. Especially when playing the best offense in the league.

----------


## Anonymous.

Last night was one of those nights. You can't stop a team shooting 55+% and a POINT GUARD torching everyone while shooting career playoff high numbers.

We are good when we get our butts kicked. Tomorrow should be the return favor.

----------


## Just the facts

> Last night was one of those nights. You can't stop a team shooting 55+% and a POINT GUARD torching everyone while shooting career playoff high numbers.
> 
> We are good when we get our butts kicked. Tomorrow should be the return favor.


They weren't even trying to stop Chris Paul though.  They were literally daring him to shoot - and he did.

----------


## Anonymous.

This is true. Terrible switching on D and Russell gambling for steals/blocks.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

It's really sad that the year KD finally wins MVP, his team is stinkin' it up and embarrassing themselves in the playoffs...

----------


## Pete

Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City Thunder wins MVP award for first time - ESPN

----------


## Anonymous.

The best part is KD doesn't really care. He wants to WIN.

Tomorrow night beast mode activation required.

----------


## OKVision4U

Congrats KD !!!!!!

Now get your team going w/ a sense-of-urgency and get to the finals again.  You deserve it !

----------


## s00nr1

Careless turnovers and a total lack of motivation on the defensive side of the ball (esp the perimeter).

This has been the story since the all star break.



(And congrats to KD)

----------


## Bellaboo

From DailyThunder -

Kevin Durant officially named 2013-14 MVP | Daily Thunder.com

----------


## Mel

Big congrats to K.D. Rally for him is at 3:30. I know 4 will have live coverage. Probably all the other stations too.

----------


## OKVision4U

> I guess one of the frustrating things for me is our propensity for digging ourselves into a hole. Slow starts. Deficits. Lack of interest and intensity. Then, maybe, at some point, someone gets a sense of urgency, and steps up. What's really bothersome is that while we certain played to form in starting slow, I never got the impression we had any notion of getting the intensity necessary to even consider a run to catch up. 
> 
> I'm naive: I keep thinking that the _last_ game where that happened, or the _last_ series where that happened, a light would go on and someone would say "Hey, we need to learn from this, come out firing from the opening tip," and I keep finding out I'm wrong. We continue to come out blah and somewhat disinterested. The Clips are good, obviously, but heavens, last night just makes you scratch your head and say "Whaaaat???"
> 
> Not throwing in the towel or giving up, but this game two tomorrow night is monstrous. Don't show up for that one and it may be the last home game of the season.


SD, that has to start with the coach.... Brooks.  He has to be the one to recognize it and make adjustments and in real time too.

----------


## SoonerDave

> SD, that has to start with the coach.... Brooks.  He has to be the one to recognize it and make adjustments and in real time too.


Very much inclined to agree with you, there, OKVis. While I have no doubt that Durant, Westbrook, et al _like_ Scott Brooks as their coach, good guy, pretty decent basketball X's and O's guy, I really wonder how much they _respect_ him as a _head coach._ Sometimes, football players talk about coaches they'd "run through a wall for," and while I don't know if that analogy holds in basketball so much, I wonder (doubt?) the THunder have that same sentiment for Brooks...again, not that he's a bad guy at all, but not necessarily the type to light up everyone emotionally...

----------


## Laramie

*Congratulations to Kevin Durant on winning the National Basketball Association's 
2014 Most Valuable Player Award (MVP).*

*You're Number One!*


*Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder - 2014 NBA's Most Valuable Player*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Pete

Just gave an amazing acceptance speech, had the whole team on stage with him, called his mom "the real MVP", got a standing ovation.


Honest question:  Has a community ever loved a pro athlete as much as OKC loves KD?

Bret Favre and Michael Jordan come to mind, but both ended up alienating a bunch of people at the end of their careers.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Just gave an amazing acceptance speech, had the whole team on stage with him, called his mom "the real MVP", got a standing ovation.
> 
> 
> Honest question:  Has a community ever loved a pro athlete as much as OKC loves KD?
> 
> Bret Favre and Michael Jordan come to mind, but both ended up alienating a bunch of people at the end of their careers.


That had to be one of the most magnificent, yet humble, acceptance speeches from a professional athlete I've ever seen (well, heard on the radio). The authenticity was inescapable, the humility was palpable, the honesty almost overwhelming. As a friend of mine tweeted, "Athletes everywhere today got an example of what true leadership really is." 

Just a hall-of-fame speech in every possible regard. Man, how can you not just be nuts about the kind of guy he is, and what he's about. Just awesome.

----------


## OKVision4U

KD is a man of charachter.   

All the people of Oklahoma, ...we thank you KD.

----------


## Anonymous.

The speech addressing every single teammate and staff member? Damn.... 

That was powerful.

----------


## Jake

There's going to be a statue of him in the city one day.

----------


## OkieHornet

so what player is on the actual trophy? or is it a generic player? i know it's named after an old nba commissioner, right?

----------


## kevinpate

> ...
> Bret Favre and Michael Jordan come to mind, but both ended up alienating a bunch of people at the end of their careers.


That means KD still has plenty of time to become a jerk if he had a mind to do so.  Somehow, I don't think his mama would stand for it, and so it isn't likely to happen.
Ain't nothing like a boy who loves his mama.   :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

> That had to be one of the most magnificent, yet humble, acceptance speeches from a professional athlete I've ever seen (well, heard on the radio). *The authenticity was inescapable, the humility was palpable, the honesty almost overwhelming. As a friend of mine tweeted, "Athletes everywhere today got an example of what true leadership really is."* Just a hall-of-fame speech in every possible regard. Man, how can you not just be nuts about the kind of guy he is, and what he's about. Just awesome.


A 'powerful & surreal' speech given by Kevin Durant televised live on KFOR - Oklahoma City.  Truly a proud and historic moment for Oklahoma City!

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

If anyone finds a video of the whole speech, please post it.  The only ones I can find cut off when he's talking to Reggie.


Nevermind.  I finally found this:

http://www.news9.com/story/25436827/...rant-named-mvp

----------


## Pete

> That means KD still has plenty of time to become a jerk if he had a mind to do so.  Somehow, I don't think his mama would stand for it, and so it isn't likely to happen.
> Ain't nothing like a boy who loves his mama.


Pro athletes almost never play their entire career with one team.

In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened with a superstar...  Maybe Cal Ripken?

Makes it very hard for a community to continue to love a player when they ultimately end up competing against your own team.

----------


## Pete

This is the full version of KD's speech:

MVP Award Presentation | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

----------


## Dustin

He's not only my favorite player in the NBA, he is one of my favorite people in general.  He never forgets where he came from and he doesn't shy away from his emotions.  I love that dude.

He had my bawling like a baby here at my computer!

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

> This is the full version of KD's speech:
> 
> MVP Award Presentation | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER


Man that sure was hard to watch, my monitor kept getting all blurry. What an amazingly humble man for someone that has accomplished so much

----------


## AP

> Pro athletes almost never play their entire career with one team.
> 
> In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened with a superstar...  Maybe Cal Ripken?
> 
> Makes it very hard for a community to continue to love a player when they ultimately end up competing against your own team.


Maybe not currently, but there are quite a few if you go back a little. I know for sure Barry Sanders played with the Lions his whole career.

----------


## Dustin

One person he didn't thank in his speech; his fianc.  I found that really strange.

Are they still together?

----------


## Bellaboo

> One person he didn't thank in his speech; his fianc.  I found that really strange.
> 
> Are they still together?


I think they split just after the season started.

----------


## Pete

> Maybe not currently, but there are quite a few if you go back a little. I know for sure Barry Sanders played with the Lions his whole career.


True, but that was only 10 seasons, where Ripken played 23.

KD has already played 7 and at 25 has many more ahead of him.

----------


## Bellaboo

> Pro athletes almost never play their entire career with one team.
> 
> In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened with a superstar...  Maybe Cal Ripken?
> 
> Makes it very hard for a community to continue to love a player when they ultimately end up competing against your own team.



Tim Duncan will and he's had an all star career.

----------


## Pete

> Tim Duncan will and he's had an all star career.


Very true!  Hopefully KD will follow his lead.

----------


## Snowman

They have what seems like the entire event uncut on the thunder website: MVP Award Presentation | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

----------


## dankrutka

> Very true!  Hopefully KD will follow his lead.


There are a ton of NBA players who played, or are deep into their careers, playing only with one team (this is just players I remember from the 90s on when I started watching the NBA): Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, & David Robinson of the Spurs (who is kind of a model franchise for the Thunder), Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, Udonis Haslem, Nick Collison, Jameer Nelson, Anderson Varejao, John Stockton, Reggie Miller, Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, etc... And then there are a ton of players that played their entire career with one team until switching to chase a title or something of the like: Karl Malone, Paul Pierce, and many others.

The point is that there's quite a precedent for staying with one team your entire career, or at least the meaningful parts of it.

----------


## Jersey Boss

> Pro athletes almost never play their entire career with one team.
> 
> In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened with a superstar...  Maybe Cal Ripken?
> 
> Makes it very hard for a community to continue to love a player when they ultimately end up competing against your own team.


Derek Jeter, Tim Duncan.

----------


## dankrutka

This Clippers series will be very telling. I've been really worried about the matchup and my gut said Clippers in 6 before it started. Our 3 point defense has been lazy and porous for quite a while now. Westbrook has really devolved into an awful, lazy defender who makes low-percentage gambles and then doesn't hustle back into position. Here's a good breakdown by Anthony Slater: Thunder Film Room: How did Chris Paul and the Clippers exploit OKC so badly from three? | News OK

The Clippers won't shoot that well every game, but they don't need to to win. It'll be interesting to see what adjustments Brooks and the players make. My biggest criticism of the team is the lack of discipline our veteran squad shows either offensively or defensively. Basically, we often do not play smart. During the first 5 games of the Memphis series KD and Russ in particular took terrible shots, way too many contested threes (Russ should never shoot more than 1 or 2 a game - he's an awful 3 point shooter). Now, our lack of defensive discipline is showing. To me, this is all a reflection of the coach. Let's hope we have some answers in the coming games or I suspect we'll see some significant changes in the offseason. This is the time to convince KD that he can win a championship here.

----------


## Mel

You have to dial in a different number for every team. Clippers dialed first. I expect a much better second game.

----------


## Pete

A couple of great shots from tonight honoring our new MVP!  (Thanks to Bellabo for the photos):

----------


## Dave Cook

> Pro athletes almost never play their entire career with one team.
> 
> In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened with a superstar...  Maybe Cal Ripken?
> 
> Makes it very hard for a community to continue to love a player when they ultimately end up competing against your own team.


Edmonton Oiler fans still loved Gretzky, Messier and the rest of those guys when they rolled back through town. Although it will be interesting what the reaction will be when Durant eventually returns with a different organization. Although different circumstances, I was a bit surprised with how quickly Okies started to despise Harden. 

Durant really intrigues me. He's such an amazing guy and good person that I honestly can't predict what he will do. I expect him to eventually want to try a different setting but not as an insult to OKC. I was born and raised in OKC and still left. Doesn't mean I dislike the place....just wanted something new. 

But Durant almost seems content with this market.....which is interesting considering he's one of the best athletes in the world.

----------


## dankrutka

It is crazy how quick everyone turned on Harden after he was so beloved. I still appreciate the guy and have a spot in my sports heart for him. But so it goes with pro sports.

----------


## Snowman

> It is crazy how quick everyone turned on Harden after he was so beloved. I still appreciate the guy and have a spot in my sports heart for him. But so it goes with pro sports.


A lot of it going so south so quickly seemed more on what he was saying during the contract negotiations, he was clearly going for a max contract but publicly talking about wanting to sacrifice for the team, less people would have turned if he would have just been saying something more along the lines I love it here and hope can resign with the team, the people have been great to me but since I have a short window to make the kind of money that multiple teams are offering will be holding out for a max contract.

----------


## OKVision4U

Russell Westbrook, I want to Thank you too for being a strong example for our kids and young men of today.  

I know this is just a game, but we know you have a choice to be here and you guys are always welcomed here.  This is your home away from home.  

Clay B, please do all you can to keep this "family" together.  We are proud of them and want to see them succeed on & off the floor.

Thank you.

----------


## Anonymous.

So all game 1s of round 2 were blowouts. Unfortunately we were on the wrong end of ours. I am thinking tonight may be a different story, though.

Would love to see the team come out extra motivated from KD's leadership on full display last night.

----------


## dankrutka

> A lot of it going so south so quickly seemed more on what he was saying during the contract negotiations, he was clearly going for a max contract but publicly talking about wanting to sacrifice for the team, less people would have turned if he would have just been saying something more along the lines I love it here and hope can resign with the team, the people have been great to me but since I have a short window to make the kind of money that multiple teams are offering will be holding out for a max contract.


Yes. He could have handled it differently, but casually mentioning that you might be willing to take less than the max totally offsets years of play and dedication to the community?!? He's still a pretty young guy. I forgave him for a slight misstep. I definitely root against Harden & the Rockets as it pertains to the Thunder, but I still like him as a player.

----------


## adaniel

Are we still talking about James Harden? Let it go already! The only people still talking about that are Bill Simmons...and frankly who cares what that hack says. 

He wasn't worth the money he was asking. If Houston thought that he was, more power to them. But so far all its earned them is inconsistent play, terrible defense, and 2 back to back first round playoff exits. And yes, his BSing about I am willing to sacifice to play with my brothers blah blah blah while doing something completely different behind the scenes absolutely had an impact on the fan base here.

----------


## Jim Kyle

> Pro athletes almost never play their entire career with one team.
> 
> In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened with a superstar...  Maybe Cal Ripken?


How about Larry Bird?

----------


## warreng88

> How about Larry Bird?


Dirk

----------


## Snowman

> Yes. He could have handled it differently, but casually mentioning that you might be willing to take less than the max totally offsets years of play and dedication to the community?!? He's still a pretty young guy. I forgave him for a slight misstep. I definitely root against Harden & the Rockets as it pertains to the Thunder, but I still like him as a player.


It was not like a one off casual mention, he said that for months in interviews, he would even throw it in with responses that were not even about the contract (granted he might have just done the same interviews enough he knew where they were going latter). I do not even hold it against him, he should make the deal that best fits what he wants, just was not going give him the benefit of doubt on statements after the deal was made.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Lets win this one!

----------


## Mel

My wife now wants to fist bump every Thunder basket. Can Playoff fever mutate?

----------


## bradh

Love the attacking style we're playing with tonight.  Russell is just so damned great, when Collison is on him he's smart in realizing he needs to post that up EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!

----------


## dankrutka

A good win because, well, it's a win. Getting contributions from guys like Perk (he's played his best ball in OKC this playoffs) and, finally, Thabo, really helped. Russ and KD took generally took good shots. The Clippers shooting finally gave out in the 2nd half, but they've got so many capable shooters that you can't count on that. Still too many open threes. Good win. On to game three...

----------


## Anonymous.

> A good win because, well, it's a win. Getting contributions from guys like Perk (he's played his best ball in OKC this playoffs) and, finally, Thabo, really helped. Russ and KD took generally took good shots. The Clippers shooting finally gave out in the 2nd half, but they've got so many capable shooters that you can't count on that. Still too many open threes. Good win. On to game three...



Pretty much exactly what I was going to say.

I will add, Reggie needs to be more involved. Last night he and KD got into a little tango when Reggie made an awful, forced pass to KD. Reggie looked like he was very frustrated.

----------


## Stan Silliman

If Fisher is down with a sore shoulder, activate former starter Andre Robertson. Also, I'd like to see Perry Jones. 
Both these guys have shown the ability to run a shooter off the three point line and into a long mid-range. Plus
Robertson gives you a very active offensive rebounder.

----------


## dankrutka

I think it's pretty clear none of the young guys are going to get much of a chance this playoffs (except maybe some spot minutes for Perry on LBJ in a potential finals). While Roberson is a good rebounder, he is so inept offensively that guys can totally ignore him to crowd the paint. He's basically the same player as Thabo, and with the game Thabo had last night (even if it is way overdue), I don't think there's any way Roberson should see the floor this playoffs. 

If Fisher was out his minutes will probably just go to Reggie among others. Reggie is our third most dynamic offensive player behind KD and Russ. I suspect he's going to have a big game, or at least more steady contributions, at some point. And, yes, I think we'll need it from him.

----------


## Laramie

Next two games in this series switches to Los Angeles; a victory over the Clippers will put the ball back in our court.


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Laramie

Our tough match up against the Memphis Grizzlies prepared us for this series against the Clippers.

What they're saying in Los Angeles: 

 :Smiley122: "Adams, in particularly, seemed to get under Griffin's skin a bit in Game 2, with his aggressive, physical play."

Clippers need more from Blake Griffin against physical Thunder*-*Los Angeles Times

"The Clippers can overcome big scoring nights from Kevin Durant (32 points) and Russell Westbrook (31), but when the Thunder stars also manage a combined 22 rebounds and 19 assists -- that's a problem."

Clippers need to protect boards, limit Thunder role players in Game 3*-*Los Angeles Times

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## BrettM2

Huge win tonight!  The Clippers play us tough but our guys did enough to steal home court back.  If we can take Game 4 as well...

----------


## Anonymous.

Ibaka was amazing tonight.

Russell showing his brilliance as of late. Really great team ball tonight.

HCA is back baby! Let's take Sunday afternoon and close it out in the 'Peake!

----------


## Mel

I am going to keep it short. YEEHAW!!!!

----------


## OKCDrummer77

When KD and Russ are both on, we're a handful.  If anyone else makes a significant contribution, we're all but unbeatable.  Serge was nearly perfect, and Caron hit some key 3s down the stretch.

----------


## Teo9969

I think if the Thunder win on Sunday, then they close out in 5, otherwise, though it should finish in 6, it will probably go to 7 off a bad overall performance by the Thunder.

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## Laramie

The Thunder has shown resilience in turning the tables on the Clippers.  Really proud of the way our team didn't panic, continued to chip away and maintained its strength until the Clippers cracked.  'Cracked,' which reminded me--what was Chris Paul smoking when they asked him about his relationship off the court with Durant.  

Chris Paul has really turned into 'ugly' character since moving out west. . 


Kevin Durant has true class & character.  He respects his coaches, team players, fans and opponents which shows why he's the MVP!

Now the pressure back on the L.A. Clippers.   Time for the Thunder to move in for the kill; take game four and close this thing out at home.


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Urbanized

Not to dwell on Harden - I was expecting the trade the moment they re-signed Serge and was pretty sanguine when the move happened - but I think his style of play also made it easy to turn on him. I feel the same way about Chris Paul and OKC-native and Sooner Blake Griffin.

In the back of my mind I was a little bit troubled by the flopping, ref deception and other things I normally think of as dirty play. But when they were playing for my teams I did my best (and found it easy) to overlook it, and even was a little bit entertained by it at times, chalking it up to craft. But once they left (and for each guy the flopping - cheating - has become way more pronounced since), I found it very easy to dislike them.

Believe me, I notice the occasional flop, whine, grapple and nut shot from our own guys, but in no way does it define our style of play. I think in some cases a few of our guys (Westbrook for example) would rather be beaten than resort to flopping. I respect that.

----------


## Easy180

Chrissy Paul has always been a drama queen...Much too good to flop, dramatize even the slightest touch and whine about every call

----------


## OSUMom

Refreshing to watch Adams "the anti-flopper" play.

----------


## Teo9969

It would be nice if OKC could put this away in 5 and get some rest. It's a tall order, but if they play like they did the last 2 games, I just don't think the Clips have it in them to beat OKC. Unless the Clippers combine an onslaught of 3-point shooting with a massive advantage in the turnover department, the overall Clipper defense just isn't good enough to stymy OKC. OKC will continue to dominate the boards because OKC they've been the best rebounding team in the league all season and have all the assets to continue that domination.

But if they were to put the series away in 5 and the IND/WAS could go to 7, OKC could at least a full 4 days rest between series.

----------


## Klop

What a great game that was. The hustle and effort put forth by Team Thunder on both sides of the ball and the Clippers as well. Just a great game to watch. Of course, the best part was the Thunder ended up on top. I think back to when the NBA meant; not much hustle, not getting back to play defense, and a lot of one-on-one play. But this was real basketball played at the level it should be played. Great job Thunder.

----------


## Anonymous.

> It would be nice if OKC could put this away in 5 and get some rest. It's a tall order, but if they play like they did the last 2 games, I just don't think the Clips have it in them to beat OKC. Unless the Clippers combine an onslaught of 3-point shooting with a massive advantage in the turnover department, the overall Clipper defense just isn't good enough to stymy OKC. OKC will continue to dominate the boards because OKC they've been the best rebounding team in the league all season and have all the assets to continue that domination.
> 
> But if they were to put the series away in 5 and the IND/WAS could go to 7, OKC could at least a full 4 days rest between series.



Honestly I don't think this team needs the rest. I would rather keep on pace with this 1 on, 1 off pattern. We seem to suck after multiple days of rest.

However, I would love to close this out in 5.

----------


## dankrutka

I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're not closing this out in 5. The Clippers have had a couple bad shooting games in a row after their scorching hot game 1. I suspect they've got a good shooting game coming... I hope I'm wrong though.

----------


## Snowman

> I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're not closing this out in 5. The Clippers have had a couple bad shooting games in a row after their scorching hot game 1. I suspect they've got a good shooting game coming... I hope I'm wrong though.


Regardless, I still hope they pull out a win in game four, since it is fairly rare for lower ranked teams to come back when getting behind in the series 3-1.

----------


## Teo9969

> I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're not closing this out in 5. The Clippers have had a couple bad shooting games in a row after their scorching hot game 1. I suspect they've got a good shooting game coming... I hope I'm wrong though.


45% is not a bad shooting game. May not be their best, but 45-48 is about average


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----------


## dankrutka

> 45% is not a bad shooting game. May not be their best, but 45-48 is about average


7/26 from 3 point range is though. I expect them to have a 3 point outburst in another game... I hope I'm wrong.

----------


## Laramie

Thunder got balanced scoring with contributions from the bench players:

PTS
14  Butler
14  Jackson
04  Adams
02  Collison

34  Points from the bench.  

Key stats:  Thunder  *FGM-A 44-79 - 55.7%*  vs.  Clippers  *FGM-A 42-93 - 45.2%*   - Rebounds:  Thunder 44 Clippers 33.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Box Score - May 09, 2014 - ESPN


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

So much for Portland giving San Antonio a run for their money.

Spurs making them look like a joke this series.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> So much for Portland giving San Antonio a run for their money.
> 
> Spurs making them look like a joke this series.


I picked San Antonio in that series. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Dennis Heaton

Sure is quiet out in Los Angeles. Thunder 32 Clippers 15 at end of 1st quarter.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

1 point game...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Sonny_Crockett

I'm afraid we'll see a Finals rematch. The media wants Miami to keep on winning.

----------


## jn1780

Well that was disappointing.

----------


## OSUMom

Great game, until the forth quarter.  They had them.  Then they just handed them to the game.

----------


## Richard at Remax

Pathetic

----------


## Klop

Dam, they had a chance to really put a nail in the coffin.

----------


## Anonymous.

Very questionable plays down the stretch...

Durant with a lot of terrible passes. Really bad basketball when it mattered most.


One thing to take note of, OKC has outplayed Clips every game except when CP went hero mode in game 1.

----------


## Laramie

Gave up entirely too many easy baskets in the 4th quarter.    Outscored 38-24 in the fourth quarter. Sixteen turnovers; Durant had eight of those.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Box Score - May 11, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Pete

We're still "on serve".  Just need to win two of the last three and of course two of those are at home.

----------


## s00nr1

Blake Griffin enters the game in the 4th with 5 fouls and OKC up 16. From that point on Scott Brooks did not draw up one play to exploit this situation by forcing a switch where Griffin would have to actually play defense. Meanwhile, Rivers sets it up to where Durant has to switch off of Paul and on to Griffin in the post nearly every possession.

We were in position to pretty much lock this series up. Now with SA on the verge of sweeping Portland and getting to take a nice long rest we will have to try to grind this one out in 7.

----------


## Laramie

> *Blake Griffin enters the game in the 4th with 5 fouls and OKC up 16. From that point on Scott Brooks did not draw up one play to exploit this situation by forcing a switch where Griffin would have to actually play defense.* Meanwhile, Rivers sets it up to where Durant has to switch off of Paul and on to Griffin in the post nearly every possession.
> 
> We were in position to pretty much lock this series up. Now with SA on the verge of sweeping Portland and getting to take a nice long rest we will have to try to grind this one out in 7.


The rest might be good for San Antonio; however the Thunder wouldn't benefit from a rest.  Our players need to stay focused and engaged in play.

Let's not put that on the coach--player performance and lack of staying focused for 48 minutes is what killed us in this game.  

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## s00nr1

Laramie come on. You can't possibly be a Brooks-apologist after that collapse. They all share in the blame but Brooks has zero ability to come up with adjustments when things are going the wrong direction in-game. He didn't once try to exploit any matchup advantage the Thunder had in the last 5 minutes of the game.

----------


## Urbanized

Yeah, seriously. There was plenty of poor coaching in that 4th quarter.

----------


## Jake

Awful loss. Could potentially change the trajectory of the series.

----------


## s00nr1

> Awful loss. Could potentially change the trajectory of the series.



I'm afraid it already did -- taking a 3-1 lead back to OKC would've pretty much locked it up.

----------


## kevinpate

> Sure is quiet out in Los Angeles. Thunder 32 Clippers 15 at end of 1st quarter.


Apparently their fans were just resting up for the cheering at the end. dang it all.

----------


## zookeeper

Hey, it's playoff time! As someone said here the other night - it's the Globetrotters versus the Generals.

----------


## soonerguru

> Awful loss. Could potentially change the trajectory of the series.


Overreact much?

----------


## Jake

I mean, blowing a double digit lead about to go up 3-1, to having the series tied? We haven't exactly been good at home this postseason. I'm not saying the Thunder will lose the series, but it makes it a lot tougher now that they blew this game.

----------


## OSUMom

Not saying we are going to lose the series, because I think we will have the advantage, but if we do lose, the fourth quarter of this game is what they need to pin it on.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Big Mo is definitely in the Clippers corner now.

----------


## Klop

> Laramie come on. You can't possibly be a Brooks-apologist after that collapse. They all share in the blame but Brooks has zero ability to come up with adjustments when things are going the wrong direction in-game. He didn't once try to exploit any matchup advantage the Thunder had in the last 5 minutes of the game.


sOOner, you are dead on. You would think an NBA coach could have led his team through that fourth qtr with one arm tied behind his back and blind folded.

----------


## dankrutka

The collapse is simple. Our defense was terrible and our offense became stagnant and predictable. While KD put up a lot of points, he looked tired, took lazy shots, and made a lot of turnovers after we got the ball to him too late in the shot clock. Brooks should have adjusted and ran the offense through Reggie and Russ. KD should have adjusted too. This team has been together too long to continue to revert to this iso-hero ball offense. More than that though, our defense was horrid. That all adds up to a massive collapse. 

On to game 5, but these shortcomings speak to larger problems that worry me long term.

----------


## dankrutka

> I'm afraid we'll see a Finals rematch. The media wants Miami to keep on winning.


I hate this media conspiracy crap. Do you really think there's a massive conspiracy? Please... Miami plays smart and in the East. Of course they're on their way. But it has NOTHING to do with the media.

----------


## dankrutka

> Overreact much?


How was that post an overreaction? It could POTENTIALLY change the series. Is that even in dispute?

----------


## Pete

The biggest concern is that even if we advance, we are going to be playing a very well-rested Spurs team.

If we would have won today and closed this out in 5, we would have at least gone into that series with a comparable amount of exerted effort.  Now, that's completely out and we'll be lucky to scrape through.

----------


## adaniel

Considering that everyone predicted this series to go to 6 or 7 games I'm not on the ledge yet but I can't remember any team in a playoff situation being up 20+ and losing. Really unwise coaching by Brooks and some just lazy awful shooting towards the end. We still pull it out but I agree San Antonio could really shred us. Best hope now is Trail Blazers wake up from their coma and stretch out their series.

----------


## ljbab728

> We still pull it out but I agree San Antonio could really shred us. Best hope now is Trail Blazers wake up from their coma and stretch out their series.


That certainly could happen based on how the Thunder plays but you seem to be forgetting that the Thunder swept the Spurs this year.

----------


## soonerguru

I don't think this team does particularly well after a rest. I'm OK with them taking this to six or seven games. They seem to stagnate after a layoff.

----------


## soonerguru

> How was that post an overreaction? It could POTENTIALLY change the series. Is that even in dispute?


He didn't put it that way. The fact is that the series is returning to OKC, and I expect us to retake the lead, possibly lose again in LA, and then close it out at home.

----------


## Klop

> He didn't put it that way. The fact is that the series is returning to OKC, and I expect us to retake the lead, possibly lose again in LA, and then close it out at home.


I hope you're right. But you have to remember, the Clips are playing for a bigger cause now, thanks to d-bag Donald Sterling. Mo is on their side.

----------


## jn1780

> He didn't put it that way. The fact is that the series is returning to OKC, and I expect us to retake the lead, possibly lose again in LA, and then close it out at home.


Hopefully, they actually take advantge of the advantage and Clippers dont kill them at home again.

----------


## zookeeper

In the long run, none of this matters. Millionaires running up and down the court is exciting to watch, but relax and keep it in perspective. It's more distraction from things that really matter anyway. I honestly believe that sports and celebrity worship is today's opiate of the people. Hey, it's fun! But......really.

----------


## dankrutka

> In the long run, none of this matters. Millionaires running up and down the court is exciting to watch, but relax and keep it in perspective. It's more distraction from things that really matter anyway. I honestly believe that sports and celebrity worship is today's opiate of the people. Hey, it's fun! But......really.


Thanks!!!! Until you pointed it out I thought this was life and death!

Seriously though, did anyone post anything indicating that this series was somehow beyond the realm of sports?

----------


## Laramie

> The collapse is simple. Our defense was terrible and our offense became stagnant and predictable.* While KD put up a lot of points, he looked tired, took lazy shots, and made a lot of turnovers after we got the ball to him too late in the shot clock. Brooks should have adjusted and ran the offense through Reggie and Russ. KD should have adjusted too.* This team has been together too long to continue to revert to this iso-hero ball offense. More than that though, our defense was horrid. That all adds up to a massive collapse. 
> 
> On to game 5, but these shortcomings speak to larger problems that worry me long term.



Good points!

Let's all step back, this series will play itself out.   Thunder dealt themselves a bad hand (coaches & players are responsible).  They have the legs to pick it up and win the next game at home and close out game 6 in L. A.   

Scott Brooks does need to manage his players (Durant logged 45 minutes); rotate some fresh legs into the game. 

Note:  We were 2-2 against Memphis at home and 2-1 against them on the road.  We are road warriors!

Brooks does need to trust in his players. Someone's got to step up besides Durant & Westbrook.   K.D.  looked lethargic in closing out (8 of the team's 16 turnovers); teammates were tired as well, they were not rotating and moving off the ball.

Free throws are going to be critical down the stretch.  Thunder was 26 of 34 (76.5%), below our average 82%; Steven Adams went 1-4.  Perkins can't put the ball in the rim underneath the goal; our three big men (Perkins-1, Adams-1 & Collison-2) scored 4 points combined. 

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Box Score - May 11, 2014 - ESPN

*San Antonio:* These veterans are crafty and skilled--they do a fantastic job of closing out games.   Coach Popovich has been around the block more than once; his players are immune to his grumpy ways of getting across.   Brooks took over for (old school) P. J. Carlesimo.  Scott toned down the rhetoric of which the younger players today are accustomed. 

We're still in the driver's seat.  The onus is on us to close out this series.  These are NBA professionals (coaches & players); it not like they don't know how to close out a game.  Thunder will have to protect their home court to win this series.     

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

> The rest might be good for San Antonio; however the Thunder wouldn't benefit from a rest.  Our players need to stay focused and engaged in play.
> 
> *Let's not put that on the coach--player performance and lack of staying focused for 48 minutes is what killed us in this game. * 
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


No disrespect, lar, but it's really hard for me to jump on board with you there. There was a conscious decision late to stop moving the ball around and go into that half-court, isolation offense with presumably the intent to melt the clock. When you do that, you turn the Thunder from a five-man team to a two-man team, taking poor, long-range shots and the bad guys getting long rebounds with no one back on defense. How we did not run sets designed to go _right-at_ Griffin once he snagged his fifth foul is beyond me. We were something like 14/16 or 12/14 (number escapes) in the paint, yet in those crucial minutes as the lead was melting away, we played a yardstick behind the three-point line and didn't really _challenge_ the Clips inside and make it a FT shooting contest. If nothing else, you keep them from getting these waves of momentum they eventually rode to the win. 

Do players share some part of it? Of course, but the decision _not_ to respond late just about _has_ to be on Brooks' head IMHO. 

Not claiming disaster and doom, but _man,_ you were sixty seconds from going up 3-1 and having this series all but done, and just gave it away. That hurts.

----------


## zookeeper

> Thanks!!!! Until you pointed it out I thought this was life and death!
> 
> Seriously though, did anyone post anything indicating that this series was somehow beyond the realm of sports?


I'm not sure, Dan, why you always insist on "dialogue" instead of debate, yet you just love to get in the mix. Was there anything that made you respond to my post? It was innocuous and just a thought on how some truly can lose perspective. You "talk" dialogue - _you love debate_.

----------


## dankrutka

> I'm not sure, Dan, why you always insist on "dialogue" instead of debate, yet you just love to get in the mix. Was there anything that made you respond to my post? It was innocuous and just a thought on how some truly can lose perspective. You "talk" dialogue - _you love debate_.


I apologize, Zoo. Woke up in the middle of the night, couldn't sleep, and posted in delirium. While I didn't think anyone had lost life perspective on the thread, I didn't need to be sarcastic. My bad and your point is well taken.

----------


## Laramie

> No disrespect, lar, *but it's really hard for me to jump on board with you there.* There was a conscious decision late to stop moving the ball around and go into that half-court, isolation offense with presumably the intent to melt the clock. When you do that, you turn the Thunder from a five-man team to a two-man team, taking poor, long-range shots and the bad guys getting long rebounds with no one back on defense. How we did not run sets designed to go _right-at_ Griffin once he snagged his fifth foul is beyond me. We were something like 14/16 or 12/14 (number escapes) in the paint, yet in those crucial minutes as the lead was melting away, we played a yardstick behind the three-point line and didn't really _challenge_ the Clips inside and make it a FT shooting contest. If nothing else, you keep them from getting these waves of momentum they eventually rode to the win. 
> 
> Do players share some part of it? Of course, but the decision _not_ to respond late just about _has_ to be on Brooks' head IMHO. 
> 
> Not claiming disaster and doom, but _man,_ you were sixty seconds from going up 3-1 and having this series all but done, and just gave it away. That hurts.


Et tu, Brute?  :Smiley063: 

LMAO--Gotta love it!  You meant, 'Jump off the cliff...'   

You should know me by now; everything happens for a reason.  True, this was an ugly & painful NBA loss.   

Stay tuned, stay positive... *Thunder up!*
* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

> Et tu, Brute? 
> 
> LMAO--Gotta love it!  You meant, 'Jump off the cliff...'   
> 
> You should know me by now; everything happens for a reason.  True, this was an ugly & painful NBA loss.   
> 
> Stay tuned, stay positive...
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


LOL absolutely its all good. 

Actually I blame my kid for yesterday. I saw the first quarter where we ran up this ridiculous lead, then had to leave....we're visiting familiy, decent crowd around, no TV, but I hear via the grapevine/social media we're up 15 early in the 4th. I figure we're good. Then I heard him say those fateful words..... "Hey, let's turn on the Thunder game..."

And I say "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  OOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And the rest, as they say, is history.  :Frown:  (hehehe)

----------


## s00nr1

> That certainly could happen based on how the Thunder plays but you seem to be forgetting that the Thunder swept the Spurs this year.


Brooklyn swept Miami during the regular season as well. That doesn't mean a whole lot come playoff time. Different ballgame.

----------


## dankrutka

The Thunder seems to match up well with the Spurs. Not the same as the Nets-Heat situation, which clearly wasn't likely to hold in the postseason. Not saying the Thunder would for sure win, but we can glean some insights from the season sweep.

----------


## ljbab728

> Brooklyn swept Miami during the regular season as well. That doesn't mean a whole lot come playoff time. Different ballgame.


True, but it doesn't mean you can just dismiss it totally. And Miami may win the series against Brooklyn but it won't be a sweep or easy.

----------


## Anonymous.

Portland finally played basketball last night. Amazing.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Still gonna get blown out tomorrow night...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Anonymous.

Most likely, but still less rest days for those old guys.

----------


## adaniel

Guys, I know why we lost.

I wasn't wearing my polo Thunder shirt. It was dirty so I put on my ratty one that I got free from a playoff game. I was wearing this same shirt when my GF broke up with me so _obviously_ it is bad luck, right?

Also, my dad was at my townhouse to do some work. We were up 15 and when he came over we immediately started sucking. I swear every time I watch any sort of sporting event with my dad...NFL, OU, Thunder, etc....the team I want to win not only loses but does so in ugly fashion.

So dad will be staying at home and my polo Thunder shirt is pressed and ready to go. So in advance for tonight, your welcome......

----------


## warreng88

> Guys, I know why we lost.
> 
> I wasn't wearing my polo Thunder shirt. It was dirty so I put on my ratty one that I got free from a playoff game. I was wearing this same shirt when my GF broke up with me so _obviously_ it is bad luck, right?
> 
> Also, my dad was at my townhouse to do some work. We were up 15 and when he came over we immediately started sucking. I swear every time I watch any sort of sporting event with my dad...NFL, OU, Thunder, etc....the team I want to win not only loses but does so in ugly fashion.
> 
> So dad will be staying at home and my polo Thunder shirt is pressed and ready to go. So in advance for tonight, your welcome......


Nope, it was my fault. I was wearing my Thunder shirt and we had to leave to go to dinner with my mother-in-law for mother's day so I had to change out of the shirt I had been wearing the entire game to put on something nice to go to dinner. We left the house with my different shirt on with about nine minutes left in the game...

----------


## Sonny_Crockett

If the Thunder don't win tonight, I'm afraid the season will be over. It looks like David Stern rigged a Heat-Clippers Finals and is using Donald Sterling's "comments" to get the Clippers to the Finals.

----------


## zookeeper

> If the Thunder don't win tonight, I'm afraid the season will be over. It looks like David Stern rigged a Heat-Clippers Finals and is using Donald Sterling's "comments" to get the Clippers to the Finals.


David Stern is no longer commissioner of the NBA.

----------


## adaniel

> Nope, it was my fault. I was wearing my Thunder shirt and we had to leave to go to dinner with my mother-in-law for mother's day so I had to change out of the shirt I had been wearing the entire game to put on something nice to go to dinner. We left the house with my different shirt on with about nine minutes left in the game...


You MUST coordinate your clothing...the team is depending on you!  :Big Grin:

----------


## ljbab728

OMG, do the Thunder enjoy living on the edge of disaster or what?

----------


## Pete

Now we are even...

We threw the last one away and then stole this one.


Let's wrap this up in L.A. and move on!

----------


## adaniel

Both teams playing some UGLY basketball down the stretch these last two games. But a W is a W...Doc Rivers has got to have a fine coming after his rant tonight.

Lets finish these guys out on Thursday so I can get some sleep!

----------


## Anonymous.

Controversy!

Inconclusive video evidence.

I cannot believe this series is going to be saved by that phrase and one other thing... Russell Westbrook. KD was MIA last night and Russ came through.


If we advance, this will go down as one of the most controversial games in recent playoff history. I feel like after all the awarded flopping in this series, I have no remorse.



Shutting it down in LA tomorrow may be necessary, these Clips are going to be fired up!


EDIT:

Also I want to add, Thabo never gets any whistle love. He was fouled on almost all of his shots tonight, including the posterize on Jordan. NO LOVE!

----------


## SOONER8693

> If the Thunder don't win tonight, I'm afraid the season will be over. It looks like David Stern rigged a Heat-Clippers Finals and is using Donald Sterling's "comments" to get the Clippers to the Finals.


Omitting the David Stern part, I'm afraid you are right on on this. My daughter has been saying this all along. Looking at the "poor" officiating that has gone extreme in favor of the Clips, it sure makes it hard not to let this thought creep into one's mind.

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Omitting the David Stern part, I'm afraid you are right on on this. My daughter has been saying this all along. Looking at the "poor" officiating that has gone extreme in favor of the Clips, it sure makes it hard not to let this thought creep into one's mind.


Has the NBA become professional wrestling, scripted to where the home team is down on the mat, smashed with no hopes of getting up but then they rise and pull out the most unlikely victory to a frenzied crowd? 

Commissioner Silver: "Kevin, you know how we've been running your speech? Well tonight you pretend to be the fall guy. Make it like you can't buy a shot."
KD: "But, I can make those shots in my sleep. Nobody's going to buy me missing all these threes and running jumpers."
Commissioner: "Don't worry. Right at the end, Chris Paul is going to fumble the ball a few times and you can start making shots."
KD: "Chris Paul turning it over? Nobody's going to believe that."
Commissioner: "It'll be great. You'll be 13 down with three minutes to go and will still win. Our ratings will go through the roof."

----------


## Laramie

End of the game non calls and missed calls truly impact; however that's what fans seem to remember.    Russell Westbrook's three free throws closed this game. 

Reggie Jackson was fouled; 'you're not going to get that call,' is what I hear announcers say all the time. Players are willing to take that risk that the referees will not make that call as the game closes.  It backfired on Chris Paul against Westbrook.  The officials realized that the Clippers had gotten by with too many non calls. 

The referee's floor call (Jackson hand was hit which resulted in the ball going out) stood solid because the video reply was determined to be 'inconclusive.'

Steven Adams (9 points) and Reggie Jackson (8 points) highlighted the bench.  *Thunder won this game at the free throw line:  32 FTM/36 FTA  88.9%*

*Thunder Rally For Dramatic Win:* http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:10929634

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - May 13, 2014 - ESPN

Thunder has to protect home court.  We have them back on the ropes again--know knock them out!


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I just don't think I can think of another game that I've been to that was truly as great as last night. I stayed standing up from the 9 or so minute mark until we gained the lead. I'll take it how I got it!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## adaniel

Don't know where to post this, but NY Times recently compiled a map of NBA fans based on facebook "likes" and other algorithms. Needless to say, Thunder fans are represented pretty intensely in the state of Oklahoma as well as North Texas and Southern Kansas.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...35.258,-97.451




> Super Cell of Fandom
> 
> In 2012, the New York Times Magazine wrote that the Oklahoma City Thunder were the culmination of 20 years of civic reinvention and that the city and its team have undergone a perfect mind meld. Facebook has no data for mind melding (at least, that they're sharing with the public), but the data is consistent with the kind of support the magazine reported. Other teams are more popular over all, but in terms of intensity, the Thunders fans stand alone  or, possibly, with Chicagoans and their Bulls.

----------


## betts

Clippers should blame themselves for collapse

Read paragraph 10.  

KD doesn't think we're such wonderful fans.  He might remember this when its contract time.  For all those who say they have the right to leave: So does he.

	Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater)
5/14/14, 12:20 AM
Kevin Durant with a subtle shot at the Thunder fans: "When we were down 7 and everybody was walking out..."

----------


## Anonymous.

Are the Clippers just overshadowed by Lakers or something?

----------


## zookeeper

> Clippers should blame themselves for collapse
> 
> Read paragraph 10.  
> 
> KD doesn't think we're such wonderful fans.  He might remember this when its contract time.  For all those who say they have the right to leave: So does he.
> 
>     Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater)
> 5/14/14, 12:20 AM
> Kevin Durant with a subtle shot at the Thunder fans: "When we were down 7 and everybody was walking out..."


Did they change the article? I can't find anything.

----------


## Pete

Love the Onion:


Opposing Team Terrified After Seeing Home Fans All Wearing Same Color T-Shirt
SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF • Sports • NBA Basketball • ISSUE 50•19 • May 14, 2014



OKLAHOMA CITY—Describing the atmosphere as the most daunting they have ever encountered, Clippers players expressed their utter terror and panic Tuesday night upon taking the floor against the Thunder and discovering every spectator in the arena wearing the same white T-shirt. “When I first saw that sea of white shirts out there, I just remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, what have we gotten ourselves into here?’” said Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, noting that he and his teammates were absolutely crippled with fear after realizing the T-shirts worn by the Oklahoma City fans were not only the same color, but also had the same “Thunder” logo printed on the front. “Then they all started chanting “De-fense! De-fense!” while we had the ball, and we just didn’t know what to do. We’ve played in hostile environments before, but that—I don’t ever want to face that again.” Following his team’s loss, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers admitted to reporters that his players simply couldn’t overcome the fans’ wild cheers when the phrase “Let’s Get Loud!” was displayed on the arena’s Jumbotron.

----------


## Pete

I've always liked Doc Rivers but he needs to get a hold of himself:

Report: Doc Rivers Yelled at OKC Thunder Owner After Controversial Game 5 Loss | Bleacher Report

----------


## OSUMom

> End of the game non calls and missed calls truly impact; however that's what fans seem to remember.    Russell Westbrook's three free throws closed this game. 
> 
> Reggie Jackson was fouled; 'you're not going to get that call,' is what I hear announcers say all the time. Players are willing to take that risk that the referees will not make that call as the game closes.  It backfired on Chris Paul against Westbrook.  The officials realized that the Clippers had gotten by with too many non calls. 
> 
> The referee's floor call (Jackson hand was hit which resulted in the ball going out) stood solid because the video reply was determined to be 'inconclusive.'
> 
> Steven Adams (9 points) and Reggie Jackson (8 points) highlighted the bench.  *Thunder won this game at the free throw line:  32 FTM/36 FTA  88.9%*
> 
> *Thunder Rally For Dramatic Win:* http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:10929634
> ...



Doc Rivers and the Clippers need to suck it up and move on.  You don't see Brooks whining about the tons of non-calls to Griffin in game 4 (or any game for that matter).  How different would the ending of that game have been if Griffin had fouled out.  But from the moment he got 5 fouls he was the golden child and the refs wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.  But hey, that's how it goes.  Don't see Brooks being a big baby about losing game 4 because of it.

----------


## jn1780

> Clippers should blame themselves for collapse
> 
> Read paragraph 10.  
> 
> KD doesn't think we're such wonderful fans.  He might remember this when its contract time.  For all those who say they have the right to leave: So does he.
> 
> 	Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater)
> 5/14/14, 12:20 AM
> Kevin Durant with a subtle shot at the Thunder fans: "When we were down 7 and everybody was walking out..."


OKC fans are a lot more patient than other cities.  I'm sure the game 4 collapse was fresh on the minds of the fans that left.

----------


## Urbanized

He was plenty friendly earlier in the afternoon when I exchanged greetings with him as he was walking down the canal by himself. I guess that's what a late 4th quarter game 5 meltdown by your future Hall of Fame point guard will do for you.

----------


## jn1780

I think at the end of the day KD leaving would be for the same reason fans stop watching: The hope of a championship ring is gone.

----------


## Urbanized

Yep. Hate to say it, but the window is closing. This year is/was the best chance for a breakthrough, which of course could still happen, though the lack of continuity is seriously alarming. Next year will be similar, though some key players like Fisher (definitely gone), Sefalosha and Perkins might be done, and it's still possible Brooks could get the axe if this series ends badly. If so, next year would be another year of establishing chemistry, and could be a crapshoot. Get ready; the KD/Russell contract talk will also become a distraction next year, and the season after it will completely overshadow everything on the court. This year and next are the best chances to retain KD, and hopefully Russ. Win a ring, and at the very least KD stays. Don't win one, he's likely gone. It's the reality of the NBA.

----------


## Snowman

> Don't know where to post this, but NY Times recently compiled a map of NBA fans based on facebook "likes" and other algorithms. Needless to say, Thunder fans are represented pretty intensely in the state of Oklahoma as well as North Texas and Southern Kansas.
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...35.258,-97.451


What is wrong with the panhandle, two counties are more for the Lakers than the Thunder, SMH

----------


## Pete

> What is wrong with the panhandle, two counties are more for the Lakers than the Thunder, SMH


To be fair, that's probably about five people total.   :Smile:

----------


## BrettM2

The NBA just backed the referee's call on the Jackson-out-of-bounds call with 11 seconds to go.  Don't tell Doc...

----------


## zookeeper

> To be fair, that's probably about five people total.


The culture in a couple of counties in the OK panhandle are more tied to the Texas panhandle, SE Colorado, and Kansas than Oklahoma. Even Liberal, Dodge City and Garden City have more influence than we do. It's sad, but true. News & Weather from Amarillo & Pueblo, Colorado Springs, SW Kansas. Cimarron County suffers from a cultural identity crisis - the county shares borders with another Oklahoma county (Texas County), New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and Kansas. I know there was a move not long ago to move to Mountain Time, don't know whatever came of that.

----------


## kevinpate

It may help to realize that while to the downstaters OKC is the effective state center, to the panhandle folk, it is Woodward.

----------


## SoonerDave

Hey, anyone know if a clip of the last few minutes of last night's game has been posted anywhere? I've seen highlight snips from ESPN and NBA (on YouTube), but I was just looking for a straight vid of maybe the last few minutes, or even the last minute by itself if nothing else...

----------


## betts

If you have NBA tv, they show reruns (albeit with some minutes missing).  I think it's on tomorrow.

----------


## OKCDrummer77

It's on tomorrow at 4PM.  My DVR is already set. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

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## Urbanized

> The NBA just backed the referee's call on the Jackson-out-of-bounds call with 11 seconds to go.  Don't tell Doc...


Screw him. The more important question is whether or not they reversed the ridiculous flagrant called on Russ...

----------


## Anonymous.

FInal minute:

Final Minute of Clippers vs Thunder Game 5 - YouTube

----------


## Pete

I hope Doc is still stewing over that one call tonight while we concentrate on closing them out and moving on.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> It may help to realize that while to the downstaters OKC is the effective state center, to the panhandle folk, it is Woodward.


And with that, apparently the WalMart in Woodward needs to stock more Thunder gear. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Laramie

NBA: Pivotal play 'correctly stood'

2014 NBA playoffs -- NBA affirms referees' call, mum on possible Doc Rivers fine - ESPN Los Angeles

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Dubya61

> What is wrong with the panhandle, two counties are more for the Lakers than the Thunder, SMH


I've met them and both of those people are stupid jerks.

----------


## AP

If you have some time: What If This Is OKC?s Last Shot?

----------


## dankrutka

The game 5 win was fantastic, and I just kept repeating on my way out of the arena, "Unreal." I felt lucky to have been at the game.

However, I can't shake how game 5 was just another illustration of why it's time for the Thunder to move on from Scott Brooks, or at least bring in an assistant to design plays, and, dare I say, design the semblance of an offensive system. Repeatedly, game after game, season after season, when times get tough, our offense devolves into iso/hero ball. It's not efficient, sustainable, or wise long term. There are games where Westbrook and KD bail out Brooks, but there are many other times when it doesn't happen. Chris Paul bailed out Werstbrook on the three at the end of the game. That's an absolutely horrible shot both because Westbrook is an awful 3-point shooter, and because of the other options available with that much time left. Championship teams get contributions from role players throughout the game. The Thunder often stand around and stare at whoever has the ball. Anthony Slater has a great break down of our game 5 stagnant offense here: Five observations from the Thunder's dramatic 105-104 Game 5 win over the Clippers | News OK

Then I read Zach Lowe's article on Stan Van Gundy taking the Piston's job and I dreamed about what we would do with a coach like this: Detroit Retools Its Engine With Stan Van Gundy 

Scott Brooks has many positive attributes. He's a players coach, he's consistent and even-keeled, and he's even been willing to tinker with some adjustments lately. But, he's frequently outcoached. Sticking with Perkins in the 2012 Finals will go down as one of the most puzzling, stubborn coaching decisions in NBA history. There was absolutely no justification for it. The Thunder often win games in spite of Brooks, and the fact that we're seeing the same stagnant offense in his 6th year is all you need to know. Whatever happens this off season, he either needs an assistant to help develop a more sophisticated game plan or the Thunder need to get a coach that can do so... before it's too late: What If This Is OKC?s Last Shot? 

Oh, and, let's go Thunder! Huge game tonight.

----------


## Urbanized

> If you have some time: What If This Is OKC?s Last Shot?


What a great article. For the record, I get mad every time I *THINK* of Bill Simmons.

----------


## dankrutka

> What a great article. For the record, I get mad every time I *THINK* of Bill Simmons.


I'm a big Simmons fan, but he gets hung up on narratives sometimes, and there is no better example than the Harden trade (even if he's not totally wrong, IMHO). Anyway, if you're interested in the history of the NBA, his _The Book of Basketball_ is a good read: http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Baske.../dp/0345520106. He knows his stuff, but he definitely takes a more of a traditional fan view than an analytical perspective towards the game. That's why I love when Simmons has analytics gurus like Zach Lowe on the BS Report because he tests out all his theories/narratives and Lowe then responds with his vast reservoir of data. Makes for a good balance.

----------


## zookeeper

Simmons was wrong about how much we got for the Harden trade (or how little in his eyes). Either he doesn't know - or he wasn't being completely honest in the article.

----------


## Urbanized

He's not being completely honest. Remember, this is the same guy who refused to call the Thunder anything other than Zombie Sonics for several years after the relocation.

He knows full well at the very least that we also got Jeremy Lamb, who has potential to be pretty special and who would be seeing significant minutes if not for the Butler pickup and Brooks' substitution stubbornness. But his point WAS interesting that while the Harden trade might have made sense based on what the Thunder could reasonably project under the new CBA, the numbers are spiraling to the point where keeping Harden might not have put us into luxury tax territory after all. This is the first I have heard of that, but pretty amazing if this is correct.

----------


## adaniel

I like Grantland, but Bill Simmons is a hack who thinks he knows way more than he does. Thank you bringing up the whole "Zombie Sonics" thing. Nobody in the state of Oklahoma should take him seriously. I am jumping to conclusions here but if asked I doubt he thinks highly of anything related to OKC or OK and it comes across in his writing, like STILL talking about the James Harden. We are just dumb ass hicks who should bow to his Bawstin greatness, right? 

Speaking of disdain for middle America, I will never forget last year when he said the crowds in Memphis were tense not because they were worried about the outcome of the game but because they were still scarred from the MLK assissination. That is classic Simmons right there. Quite possibly the dumbest thing I've heard anyone say about anything, ever.

----------


## AP

There are a lot of people, I've recently found out, who don't really like him.

----------


## dankrutka

> I like Grantland, but *Bill Simmons is a hack who thinks he knows way more than he does*. Thank you bringing up the whole "Zombie Sonics" thing. Nobody in the state of Oklahoma should take him seriously. I am jumping to conclusions here but if asked I doubt he thinks highly of anything related to OKC or OK and it comes across in his writing, like STILL talking about the James Harden. *We are just dumb ass hicks who should bow to his Bawstin greatness, right?* 
> 
> Speaking of disdain for middle America, I will never forget last year when he said the crowds in Memphis were tense not because they were worried about the outcome of the game but because they were still scarred from the MLK assissination. That is classic Simmons right there. Quite possibly the dumbest thing I've heard anyone say about anything, ever.


I completely understand why OKC fans don't like Simmons, but you should probably stick to your Harden or Zombie Sonics arguments... You can say a lot of things about Simmons, one of them is not that he lacks knowledge about the NBA. Again, _The Book of Basketball_ is over 700 pages of detailed basketball analysis. He knows his stuff. And he created probably the most sophisticated sports site that exists in Grantland. Saying you hate Simmons, but love his creation - Grantland - seems a bit contradictory considering the influence he has over the site and who writes for it. Grantland is his baby. 

He's also not a traditional journalist striving for objectivity. He's found a niche as an opinion-based basketball junky. I enjoy it, but I also have pretty thick skin and tend to think he's correct on several points regarding the Harden trade (aside from him not mentioning Lamb apparently in that article).

I don't think he has anything personal against OKC anymore than most media members do who live on the coasts. He's fixated on the Harden trade, but what else has he really said that's controversial? I'm honestly asking.

Finally, do you have a link to the Memphis comment? I've never hear anyone mention that...

----------


## PWitty

> The game 5 win was fantastic, and I just kept repeating on my way out of the arena, "Unreal." I felt lucky to have been at the game.
> 
> However, I can't shake how game 5 was just another illustration of why it's time for the Thunder to move on from Scott Brooks, or at least bring in an assistant to design plays, and, dare I say, design the semblance of an offensive system. Repeatedly, game after game, season after season, when times get tough, our offense devolves into iso/hero ball. It's not efficient, sustainable, or wise long term. There are games where Westbrook and KD bail out Brooks, but there are many other times when it doesn't happen. Chris Paul bailed out Werstbrook on the three at the end of the game. That's an absolutely horrible shot both because Westbrook is an awful 3-point shooter, and because of the other options available with that much time left. Championship teams get contributions from role players throughout the game. The Thunder often stand around and stare at whoever has the ball. Anthony Slater has a great break down of our game 5 stagnant offense here: Five observations from the Thunder's dramatic 105-104 Game 5 win over the Clippers | News OK
> 
> Then I read Zach Lowe's article on Stan Van Gundy taking the Piston's job and I dreamed about what we would do with a coach like this: Detroit Retools Its Engine With Stan Van Gundy 
> 
> Scott Brooks has many positive attributes. He's a players coach, he's consistent and even-keeled, and he's even been willing to tinker with some adjustments lately. But, he's frequently outcoached. Sticking with Perkins in the 2012 Finals will go down as one of the most puzzling, stubborn coaching decisions in NBA history. There was absolutely no justification for it. The Thunder often win games in spite of Brooks, and the fact that we're seeing the same stagnant offense in his 6th year is all you need to know. Whatever happens this off season, he either needs an assistant to help develop a more sophisticated game plan or the Thunder need to get a coach that can do so... before it's too late: What If This Is OKC?s Last Shot? 
> 
> Oh, and, let's go Thunder! Huge game tonight.


Yep. I told my buddies before this series started that if the LAC ended up winning the series, the one and only reason would be because of Doc Rivers. He's a very vocal coach sometimes, such as after their Game 5 loss, but he is one of the best coaches in the league. Yes, the Clips have some solid talent. But we have better. Their advantage is on the bench. The thought of what the Thunder roster could do with a coach like Doc puts my brain on overload.

----------


## PWitty

> I completely understand why OKC fans don't like Simmons, but you should probably stick to your Harden or Zombie Sonics arguments... You can say a lot of things about Simmons, one of them is not that he lacks knowledge about the NBA. Again, _The Book of Basketball_ is over 700 pages of detailed basketball analysis. He knows his stuff. And he created probably the most sophisticated sports site that exists in Grantland. Saying you hate Simmons, but love his creation - Grantland - seems a bit contradictory considering the influence he has over the site and who writes for it. Grantland is his baby. 
> 
> He's also not a traditional journalist striving for objectivity. He's found a niche as an opinion-based basketball junky. I enjoy it, but I also have pretty thick skin and tend to think he's correct on several points regarding the Harden trade (aside from him not mentioning Lamb apparently in that article).
> 
> I don't think he has anything personal against OKC anymore than most media members do who live on the coasts. He's fixated on the Harden trade, but what else has he really said that's controversial? I'm honestly asking.
> 
> Finally, do you have a link to the Memphis comment? I've never hear anyone mention that...


I hold Simmons in pretty high regard as well. He has been overly critical of the Thunder in many instances over the past couple years, specifically about the Harden trade, so it isn't surprising that folks from OKC don't care for him. But the guy knows basketball. Anyone who disputes that is fighting a losing battle.

----------


## Urbanized

I'm not one of the ones who said he doesn't know basketball. He does. I just said I get mad every time I even think about the dude, and I'm not exaggerating.

----------


## zookeeper

From the Simmons article on Grantland:

"The Thunder EASILY could have afforded Durant, Ibaka, Westbrook and  Harden these next two seasons. *Right now, they have Steven Adams and the  21st pick of next month’s draft to show for a first-team All-NBA guard.*  Can you ever recover from that?"

I know he's supposed to be the basketball brain, so I must ask regarding the above - was he just being intellectually dishonest?

Reality:

"Harden turned down that deal and when the Thunder bumped it up a few million and he still wouldn't bite, they dealt him to the Rockets for Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick (via Daily Thunder's Royce Young). One of the first-round picks became Steven Adams, the second-rounder was used on FC Barcelona shooting guard Alex Abrines and the other first (from the Dallas Mavericks) is top-20 protected through 2017."
Re-Assessing James Harden's Decision to Turn Down OKC Thunder | Bleacher Report

So, he forgets 1.) Our picks that we used to trade-up in last year's draft? 2.) He forgets Kevin Martin? 3.) He forgets Jeremy Lamb? 4.) Forgets amnesty protection? 5.) Completely forgot the Thunder used a pick to acquire the NBA rights to one of the best young players internationally in Alex Abrines (only 19 or 20) in Spain?

All of that was a direct result from the Harden trade. If he's the Hoops Wiz, then Simmons really wasn't very honest about that trade. Remember what he said:
"*Right now, they have Steven Adams and the  21st pick of next month’s draft to show for a first-team All-NBA guard."*

----------


## adaniel

> I completely understand why OKC fans don't like Simmons, but you should probably stick to your Harden or Zombie Sonics arguments... You can say a lot of things about Simmons, one of them is not that he lacks knowledge about the NBA. Again, _The Book of Basketball_ is over 700 pages of detailed basketball analysis. He knows his stuff. And he created probably the most sophisticated sports site that exists in Grantland. Saying you hate Simmons, but love his creation - Grantland - seems a bit contradictory considering the influence he has over the site and who writes for it. Grantland is his baby. 
> 
> He's also not a traditional journalist striving for objectivity. He's found a niche as an opinion-based basketball junky. I enjoy it, but I also have pretty thick skin and tend to think he's correct on several points regarding the Harden trade (aside from him not mentioning Lamb apparently in that article).
> 
> I don't think he has anything personal against OKC anymore than most media members do who live on the coasts. He's fixated on the Harden trade, but what else has he really said that's controversial? I'm honestly asking.
> 
> Finally, do you have a link to the Memphis comment? I've never hear anyone mention that...


Read all about it: Bill Simmons Thinks Memphis Fans Get Tense Because MLK Was Shot There

As far as Simmons, he is very good at talking about the X's and O's but anything else he needs to leave alone. The Memphis thing is the most egregious thing he's said recently but by no means the only thing, and for the record my dad's family is from Memphis so I am well aware of the city's sordid history. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that Bill Simmon's explorations of Memphis are limited to the arena, the airport, and the hotel, yet this experience has somehow given him an accurate pulse on the city? The guy is trying way too hard to seem intellectual and high brow but most of his arguments are quite lazy, inaccurate, and poorly put together. Which is why I take nothing about his views on the Thunder and Harden trade (nearly 2 years after the fact) or snarky snides about the "Zombie Sonics" seriously. Didn't KD pretty much shut him down on a live interview? His articles are on entertaining on a I-need-to-read-something-on-my-phone-while-pooping level, but certainly not a real sports journalist.  

While we are piling on, he is _painfully_ awkward on his ESPN analyst gig, probably because he knows he doesn't hold a candle with his "knowledge" of the game compared to people who actually played it. The rumor is Magic Johnson left the show for this exact reason. Also his picks are usually wrong. FWIW I know the Thunder will win this series because Simmons picked the Clippers, which is kind of surprising considering Doc Rivers called him an idiot on live TV! 

But lots of people obviously like Bill Simmons and he's certainly entitled to his opinion. And I like Grantland's other writers...maybe at one point in the past he was on a similar level. He's not the worst person in the world...just another blogger/talking head at the worldwide leader. I just see little to put him on the pedestal some have.

----------


## Sonny_Crockett

Charles Barkley once said Greg Oden would win a title before Kevin Durant. That might happen this year and I would love to prove that moron Barkley wrong.

----------


## Dustin

The Thunder are heading to the Western Conference Finals!

----------


## Mel

That was worth staying up for! Worried about Ibaka's calf though.

----------


## zookeeper

> That was worth staying up for! Worried about Ibaka's calf though.


Yeah, that's certainly worrisome. But how about Steven Adams? Best game in his NBA career and showed us part of the future.

----------


## Laramie

*It is finished...*

Congratulations to the Oklahoma City Thunder on advancing to the Western Conference Finals!
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Box Score - May 15, 2014 - ESPN

*We finish . . .    >                                      <   . . .to Begin*


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## soonerguru

> *It is finished...*
> 
> Congratulations to the Oklahoma City Thunder on advancing to the Western Conference Finals!
> Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Box Score - May 15, 2014 - ESPN
> 
> *We finish . . .    >                                      <   . . .to Begin*
> 
> 
> * "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


Great game! I'll never forget Collison's three-point shot to tie at 72. You could just see the energy drained out of that arena.

----------


## Mel

> Yeah, that's certainly worrisome. But how about Steven Adams? Best game in his NBA career and showed us part of the future.


Adams just keeps getting better. Hope we get to keep him awhile.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Hard to imagine his career high is 17 points but the future is bright for young Padawan Adams. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Anonymous.

Presti is a god at picking players later in draft. Jackson and Adams are money picks.

Collison and Adams last night won that game. Russell's passing was solid and KD lit up the 2nd half like a winner.

Ibaka's calf injury is scary, but he has until Monday night at least. 


The schedule coming up for the WCF is interesting. Due to the NBA Finals having set dates, there is a large gap between game 2 and 3. So we won't have another game at the 'Peake until NEXT Sunday, the 25th.

----------


## Romulack



----------


## OKCretro

looking online for tix, don't think anyone will be getting into the arena for less than $100 unless u had season tickets

----------


## Mel

Steve (Stone Cold) Adams. I doubt if even Kirk or Spock could phase him. Reminds me of the song "Tubthumping".

----------


## Jake

Ibaka out for the rest of the playoffs.

Better luck next year, I guess.

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## dankrutka

> Ibaka out for the rest of the playoffs.
> 
> Better luck next year, I guess.


It's a huge blow, but we still have 2 of the best 10 players in basketball. Brooks is going to have to push the right buttons and I think our best chance is going small. KD will play a lot at the 4 and I could see Perry Jones getting minutes again. Adams, and to a lesser degree, Collison, will have to be good. Fisher and/or Butler need to shoot well and Reggie needs to have big games like he did against the Spurs all season. The defense will have to be more disciplined... which means Russ has to quit gambling for steals and stay in position. Winning this series just got a lot harder, but sometimes things work out in strange ways. The Heat had to go small when Bosh was injured last season and it changed their offense for the better permanently. Hopefully, the Thunder find something positive out of this.

----------


## adaniel

So I guess I am the only Thunder fan that isn't jumping off a ledge?

It hurts but its not the death of us. I would be more woried if I didn't see Steven Adams put on a FREAK performance last night. Collison has been laying low all year but he has it in him, as shown last night as well. I'm more worried about Perry Jones frankly. Bottom line, it can be done but the bench will need to be flawless.

And, I don't know, but notwithstanding Game 4's 4th quarter brain fart, I like the attitude of this team right now. In fact this team has a history of THRIVING this season when people/the media/fans, etc. started doubting them. Mr. Unreliable, RW injury, etc. Not to mention most so-called analysts had Clippers winning in 7 or even 6. Mental edges mean a lot when everything else is equal. Maybe I'm just too emotionally invested at this point to start doubting the Thunder now LOL.

Can't wait for Monday.

----------


## Pete

In a way, it helps to take the pressure off this team.

Too much "better win it all soon or it will never happen" talk has been swirling around.

----------


## PhiAlpha

Hoping for a Steven Adams coming out party and a hobbled Tony Parker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Mel

I was afraid of this. It just makes things a little bit harder but not impossible.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> I was afraid of this. It just makes things a little bit harder but not impossible.


It's gonna be all good...

----------


## Laramie

Thought that we would go into San Antonio with everyone healthy.  Another situation like what occurred with Westbrook.  What a blow; our best shot blocker out. 

We will need our bench more now than ever.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

Lots of Adams, more of Collison. 

While this is a terrible blow, of course, it's not as bad as losing Westbrook was last year, and keep in mind this series still comes down to Westbrook vs a perhaps less-than-100% Tony Parker. 

*SOMEONE* from the Thunder bench, like Butler or Fisher, has to step up and get some quality points for the team off the bench. I'm not jumping off the cliff.

----------


## Klop

Let's not forget we still have Perk defensively. He's not a shot blocker, but he sure takes up a lot of room in the middle. Adams is going to have to step it up. And, they need to stay out of foul trouble.

----------


## Easy180

I'm just thankful it wasn't Thabeet

----------


## Dennis Heaton

And let's not forget too...Doc Rivers is out of the pic now. That's a boost for team morale right there!

----------


## Bellaboo

Parker is questionable for game 1, according to one of the news channels. Listed day to day.

----------


## Bellaboo

> It's a huge blow, but we still have 2 of the best 10 players in basketball. Brooks is going to have to push the right buttons and I think our best chance is going small. KD will play a lot at the 4 and I could see Perry Jones getting minutes again. Adams, and to a lesser degree, Collison, will have to be good. Fisher and/or Butler need to shoot well and Reggie needs to have big games like he did against the Spurs all season. The defense will have to be more disciplined... which means Russ has to quit gambling for steals and stay in position. Winning this series just got a lot harder, but sometimes things work out in strange ways. The Heat had to go small when Bosh was injured last season and it changed their offense for the better permanently. Hopefully, the Thunder find something positive out of this.


We pulled away from the Clippers last night with Serge in the locker room. I'd rather have him on the court, but you play with what you're dealt.

----------


## Laramie

> I'm just thankful it wasn't Thabeet



Let's be thankful that we've put ourselves in a position to win the Western Conference playoffs.  We may need the services of Thabeet; he has the right attitude and his size can be an intimidation factor. 

The Dallas Mavericks took the Spurs through a full seven game series.  The Trailblazers didn't match up with the Spurs who knocked them out in five.  

San Antonio Spurs know that they have problems matching-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder.  

Steven Adams is playing at a high level; he will fill the void for Ibaka.  Durant & Westbrook will cause problems for the Spurs. 

The key San Antonio players in this series will be Kawhi Leonard and Patty Mills.

Coach Popovich relies heavily on a 'rotation rest' for his players; especially those ailing veterans.  The Thunder have the horse power to exhaust and exacerbate the Spurs.  Let's take one if not two of the opening games in San Antonio; then we can shake some apples off Coach Popovich's tree. :Mad: 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

I like the optimism, Laramie, but no way Adams is replacing Serge's production. It'll have to be a group effort.

----------


## Richard at Remax

Without Ibaka I'm gonna have to go spurs in 5. Just think we've ran out of luck. Hope I'm wrong though

----------


## Snowman

> Without Ibaka I'm gonna have to go spurs in 5. Just think we've ran out of luck. Hope I'm wrong though


If we go out I doubt it will be in five

----------


## Jake

Still just makes me sick Ibaka got hurt.


Two years in a row. Dang. So unlucky.

----------


## OKCJapan

Parker was unbelievable in the Portland Series.  Scott Brooks should look at what Dallas did defensively against Parker.  

Thunder have no chance unless they can contain him.  Duncan will be Duncan and Leonard will have an impact.  However, in games 3-6 of the 2012 series, OKC figured out how to keep Parker out of the lane.  Without Ibaka, it will be tough.

----------


## Snowman

> Parker was unbelievable in the Portland Series.  Scott Brooks should look at what Dallas did defensively against Parker.  
> 
> Thunder have no chance unless they can contain him.  Duncan will be Duncan and Leonard will have an impact.  However, in games 3-6 of the 2012 series, OKC figured out how to keep Parker out of the lane.  Without Ibaka, it will be tough.


In at least one of the interviews a couple days ago it sounded like Perk had already been looking into what happened with the Dallas series.

----------


## Anonymous.

> Parker was unbelievable in the Portland Series.  Scott Brooks should look at what Dallas did defensively against Parker.  
> 
> Thunder have no chance unless they can contain him.  Duncan will be Duncan and Leonard will have an impact.  However, in games 3-6 of the 2012 series, OKC figured out how to keep Parker out of the lane.  Without Ibaka, it will be tough.



Thabo can bother Parker. They have no answer for Reggie or Russell. And they used to have no answer for Ibaka, but luck took care of that. However, they have Leonard, Mills, and Green - who can all pour it on from 3. Limiting these shots will be the biggest key to Ws.

Like others have said, we will need everyone to help pour on the extra help with Ibaka missing.


I think tonight in game 1 is our best chance to steal. Brooks has no revealed the starting lineup, and SAS does not really know what to prepare for, yet.

----------


## warreng88

It has been a while, so help me remember, what did we do different in games 3,4,5 and 6 than we did in games 1 and 2 of the WCF of 2012? Did Thabo switch to guard Parker?

----------


## dankrutka

> It has been a while, so help me remember, what did we do different in games 3,4,5 and 6 than we did in games 1 and 2 of the WCF of 2012? Did Thabo switch to guard Parker?


Yes. That was one adjustment. We also just executed fantastically and in addition to KD and Russ, Harden had a huge series. 

Here's a depressing write up from Zach Lowe, who is the best in the business in my opinion, on why Ibaka's loss hurts so much: Conference Finals Preview: How the Absence of Ibaka Will Tip the Series to the Spurs 

And here's a more optimistic analysis: http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/t...ng-new-lineup/

----------


## Stan Silliman

Where are the biggest sports bar screens in the city to watch the game?

----------


## warreng88

> Where are the biggest sports bar screens in the city to watch the game?


BWW on Expressway, Edmond and Moore (those are the only ones I have been to and they all have projector screens), Belle Isle Brewery upstairs bar (smoking), RePUBlic and BJ's. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

----------


## Laramie

> Parker was unbelievable in the Portland Series.  Scott Brooks should look at what Dallas did defensively against Parker.  
> 
> Thunder have no chance unless they can contain him.  Duncan will be Duncan and Leonard will have an impact.  However, in games 3-6 of the 2012 series, OKC figured out how to keep Parker out of the lane.  Without Ibaka, it will be tough.


*Oklahoma City Thunder   vs.  San Antonio Spurs*
We have the tools and the knowledge to beat the Spurs:

2011-14:  The Thunder are 4-2 against the Spurs in playoff meetings; we are 7 - 4 against them in the regular season during that time span.

Scott Brooks already has a plan for the Spurs.  Sure, the playoffs are a different animal; the Spurs are the team that should be concerned about the Thunder.  The last time we met in the playoffs, we spotted them the first two games; then beat them four straight.   This year we have beaten them four straight; once without Westbrook.  If we are resilient and make the right adjustments; we will wear the Spurs down.  They had an easy series against Portland (4-1) after pulling a full seven games against Dallas.


*Playoffs:  Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio*

*Results of 2011-12 Playoff Finals: Thunder win series 4-2*

Game
1.  @San Antonio  (L)   101-98
2.  @San Antonio  (L)   120-111

3.  @Oklahoma City  *(W)*  102-82
4.  @Oklahoma City  *(W)*  109-103

5.  @San Antonio  *(W)*  108-103

6.  @Oklahoma City  *(W)*  107-99
*Regular seasons:  (2013-14, 2012-13, 2011-12)

**2013-14 Regular season results:  Thunder win regular season series 4-0*

Game
1.  @Oklahoma City  *(W)*   94-88
2.  @ San Antonio  *(W)*  113-100
3.  @ San Antonio  *(W)* 111-105
4.  @Oklahoma City  *(W)* 106-94
*2012-13 Regular season results:  Series tied 2 - 2*

Game  
1.  @San Antonio (L) 88-86
2.  @Oklahoma City *(W)*  107-93
3.  @San Antonio (L) 105-93
4.  @Oklahoma City *(W)*  100-88
*2011-12 Results:  San Antonio won series 2 - 1*

Game  
1.  @Oklahoma City *(W)* 108-96
2.  @San Antonio (L) 107-96
3.  @Oklahoma City (L) 114-105
* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## BrettM2

We're lucky to be down 8 at the half. Good news: our interior defense can't get much worse. Bad news: if it doesn't get better, it'll be uphill every game. San Antonio is too good not take take advantage of this kind of situation.

----------


## Dustin

It ain't over til it's over!  Thunder actually took the lead in the 3rd.

----------


## Jake

Ibaka in the early running for Defensive Player of the Year next year.

----------


## Easy180

Freakin nail biter tonight.

----------


## Mel

Bummer. Still 6 games to go though. Thunder Up!

----------


## ljbab728

> Bummer. Still 6 games to go though. Thunder Up!


Very true.  Remember the first playoff game against the Clippers?

----------


## Mississippi Blues

> Very true.  Remember the first playoff game against the Clippers?


That game also ended 122-105.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I was at Urban Johnny last night watching the game and I remember late in the 4th, Butler hit a 3 - pointer and I've heard people cheer even when it didn't matter and that didn't happen last night. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## Anonymous.

Yea, pretty much the fans have already accepted our fate. Losing Ibaka is the ideal situation for the Spurs. I am actually surprised we were competitive for as long as we were, last night.

Maybe we can steal tomorrow and try to push through with HCA.

----------


## Laramie

The injury bug reared its ugly head against one of our key starters for back-to-back years in the Western Conference playoffs.  It hurt us last season against Memphis without Westbrook; now Ibaka is out--what a blow to open the finals  against a veteran-laced Spurs squad.

Durant 28, Westbrook 25 scored 53 of our 105 points.  Need more production from three of the five starters (Sefolosha 0, Perkins 5, Collison 0).   The Spurs exploited the Ibaka-less Thunder inside the paint 66-32.   Our bench production (47 - 43 over S.A.) was good (Fisher 16, Jackson 13, Butler 9, Adams 4).  

San Antonio's experience showed tonight.  Popovich has the luxury of being able to rotate & rest his players.  Someone needs to step up defensively for us  inside the paint.  Our best chance will be to stretch this series out and wear them down. 

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs - Box Score - May 19, 2014 - ESPN

You would think that a city like San Antonio who finished the season with the best record in the NBA 62-20 could have sold out all of their regular season games.  The AT&T Center seats 18,581; the Spurs averaged 18,415.  San Antonio like OKC only has one major league team. Their metropolitan areas of boasts 2,277,550.  Oklahoma City has 1,319,677 in its metropolitan, 906,000 less than S. A.  

Oklahoma City Thunder  has approximately 150 consecutive sellouts of 18,203.  

2013-2014 NBA Attendance - National Basketball Association - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> And here's a more optimistic analysis: The Thunder May Have Just Discovered an Amazing New Lineup | FiveThirtyEight


Scott Brooks didn't even use the lineup that destroyed the Clippers after Ibaka went down in game 6 for one minute last night...

Adding Collison, a woeful offensive player, to a starting lineup with arguably the two worst offensive starters in the NBA seemed pretty dumb too. Also, KD and Russ should never both be off the floor at the same time. Stagger their minutes. 

Having said all that, those lineups are probably not the major factors in the loss.

----------


## warreng88

> Very true.  Remember the first playoff game against the Clippers?


Remember the first two games about SA in 2012?

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Remember the first two games about SA in 2012?


Won 4 in a row after that. Spurs were 1 seed then too. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## warreng88

> Won 4 in a row after that. Spurs were 1 seed then too. 
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5


Exactly. Also, there is an article in the Oklahoman (referencing yahoo) that says Serge might try to come back if we can get to the next round.

Is Serge Ibaka trying a postseason comeback? | News OK

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Scott Brooks didn't even use the lineup that destroyed the Clippers after Ibaka went down in game 6 for one minute last night...
> 
> Adding Collison, a woeful offensive player, to a starting lineup with arguably the two worst offensive starters in the NBA seemed pretty dumb too. Also, KD and Russ should never both be off the floor at the same time. Stagger their minutes. 
> 
> Having said all that, those lineups are probably not the major factors in the loss.


Collison might be woeful, but isn't he the best offensive big man of what we have left? 
Collison has always been pretty consistent with the mid-range jumper. Not Ibaka consistent 
but very good. 

Sefalosha is a question mark. Last year he was our best or second best three point shooter
giving him Bruce Bowen type qualities. We need him to be a disruptor but we need to pull the 
trigger quicker and insert Butler if he's losing confidence in his jumper. 

I keep thinking Perry Jones can help. He splashes the three and can run guys off the line. Plus 
he's got enough mobility to not be in trouble if a short guy tries to post him up inside.

----------


## dankrutka

No. Collison is not a very good jump shooter. It takes him forever to get it off and he rarely takes them. His percentages (except on 3s) aren't terrible, but he basically can't shoot it unless he's wide open, which makes him a pretty weak offensive weapon. Thabo was a good 3 point shooter last year, but last year is long gone. He's been an awful shooter all season long. The Spurs kept baiting him to pump fake and take 15 foot jumpers and he bricked, or airballed, them all. 

I'd start either Butler, Jones, or Jackson. Lamb just seems likes he's not ready. He was good earlier in the year, but really faded down the stretch. 

The problem is that we're having to experiment to find functional line ups in the Western Conference Finals. Obviously not ideal.

----------


## OSUMom

We sure could use the Butler that showed up to games in the regular season.  Not this non-entity that has appeared for the playoffs.

----------


## Prunepicker

Occasionally I feel a little bit guilty for not watching every Thunder game.

The truth be told, I don't like basketball.  In fact I can't stand it.  It's 
about as boring as an activity can be.  As a matter of fact I call basketball
"competitive aerobics".

I'd rather watch a stimulating chess match or a baseball game.  As a 
matter of fact I see little difference.

Basketball is all about getting the ball to the big scorer unless the 
other scorer will work.  

People who watch basketball aren't stupid.  They simply don't expect much.

I will admit that any game, even soccer, is exciting during the last minute.  
With baseball every inning is the last minute.

I've only talked to one person who can explain basketball and the plays.
Believe me, basketball isn't a fast game.  That's a misconception.

----------


## BrettM2

^^

Why does this even matter? You don't like basketball. Congratulations.

----------


## Prunepicker

> Why does this even matter? You don't like basketball. Congratulations.


My post explains it succinctly.  Maybe you should read it again.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Honestly, I feel absolutely nothing when I miss a Thunder game because I know they're gonna do what they're gonna do whether I watch them or not.

Truth be told, I love basketball and I can't stand to miss it.  I love it even more than football and its one of the best activities I can think of.  As a matter of fact, I call basketball, basket ball (with a space in it, in honor of James Naismith who invented the sport in 1891).

I'd rather watch it over football because even though they call it a non contact sport, it really is a contact sport.  To me, it's amazing how much the sport has morphed since it was first played.  Did you know the first games were played 9-on-9 and that dribbling did not exist?  It's all a rather interesting read.  To me, football, with its thick playbook is somewhat like a chess match...too much stimulation for my brain which only wants to watch a back and forth contest on wood instead of grass.

I will admit that any sport, except for croquet or badminton, can be exciting but basketball just gets my heart pounding--especially Thunder basketball.

I've talked to several people that think that they're qualified to replace Scottie Brooks and run the team.  Believe me, they're in for a shock cause basketball operations in the NBA is one tough cookie to crumble.  They're totally delusional.

^^sorry, Prunepricker. I just had to do that ;-)

----------


## BrettM2

> My post explains it succinctly.  Maybe you should read it again.


I'd prefer to keep my brain functioning. Thanks though.

----------


## Prunepicker

> Honestly, I feel absolutely nothing when I miss a Thunder game because I 
> know they're gonna do what they're gonna do whether I watch them or not.


Exactly.  However while I enjoy the last few minutes of even a soccer 
game, it's only because of the suspense.  The only suspense in a 
basketball game or a soccer game is only if it's close and during the 
last few minutes.  The suspense of a baseball game happens twice 
every inning.  The intensity increases when extra innings are necessary.

Nothing comes close to the suspense of a Baseball game except maybe 
a Hitchcock movie.  However, there are only so many Hitchcock movies.
There are continually more baseball games.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> Nothing comes close to the suspense of a Baseball game except maybe 
> a Hitchcock movie.  However, there are only so many Hitchcock movies.
> There are continually more baseball games.


Are you sure you're not thinking of tug o' war?  I have a friend who loves the St. Louis Cardinals and he has Vertigo...   lol.

----------


## ljbab728

> My post explains it succinctly.  Maybe you should read it again.


You might consider the possibility that those who like basketball have no interest at all in why you don't.  If you don't like basketball there is no reason for you to even look at this thread.  You may play around happily in your baseball thread.  Please note that I made a polite post in that thread even though I'm not a baseball fan.

----------


## dankrutka

Basketball is both extremely complex and simple.  No sport is inherently better or more exciting than another sport. It's all in the eye of the beholder. Enthusiasm makes sports fun - a sold out arena where people can't wait to see what happens or kids on a playground playing because they love it. In some countries it's soccer, others cricket, rugby, football, or basketball. 

If you don't enjoy the game, don't watch it. And please don't post about it here. But if you've watched KD play and you still don't love it... Then move on with your life because you never will. 

If you think basketball is simple, or you just don't understand it, then read some Zach Lowe articles of follow the analytics movement. Or don't. Whatever. I love the game - from beginning to end. But that's just my perspective.

----------


## Prunepicker

> Are you sure you're not thinking of tug o' war?


I'm 100% sure.  I don't dis anyone who likes basketdull.  I simply don't 
understand the attraction.  Seriously.  I have friends that watch every 
single game. I don't get it.  What is the attraction?  It's not strategy.  It's 
not athletisim.  It's not sportsmanship.  Serious, what's the attraction?

----------


## Prunepicker

> Basketball is both extremely complex and simple...


Are you serious?  What's complex about basketdull?  Please tell me and 
don't use the "it's so fast" routine because it's anything but.  Hockey makes 
more sense than basketdull.  

Just what is complex about basketdull?

----------


## ljbab728

> I'm 100% sure.  I don't dis anyone who likes basketdull.  I simply don't 
> understand the attraction.  Seriously.  I have friends that watch every 
> single game. I don't get it.  What is the attraction?  It's not strategy.  It's 
> not athletisim.  It's not sportsmanship.  Serious, what's the attraction?


Obviously millions of people complete disagree with your assessment.  It's that simple.

----------


## DavidD_NorthOKC

> You might consider the possibility that those who like basketball have no interest at all in why you don't.  If you don't like basketball there is no reason for you to even look at this thread.  You may play around happily in your baseball thread.  Please note that I made a polite post in that thread even though I'm not a baseball fan.


PP is a narcissistic troll who evidently isn't getting enough attention. So his MO is to post some condescending garbage and revel in the responses. Don't fall for it.

----------


## BrettM2

So back to the subject of this thread... I really hope Brooks gives Perry Jones some burn tomorrow. Maybe his athleticism will help us offensively. 

I think it might be time to ditch the traditional starting line up and go with Butler instead of Collison.  Might bite us but that starting unit wasn't getting it done last night.

----------


## OSUMom

On another note, Collison had 6 stitches on his mouth from the head butt during the game?  This guy is the walking wounded for sure.  Need to have a bag of his blood type nearby just in case.

And shouldn't that have been a technical?  I could tell it wasn't intentional but I thought even accidental contact like that was tech worthy.  Not flagrant or ejection worthy, but atleast a common foul?  He got head butted in the face!

----------


## DavidD_NorthOKC

> So back to the subject of this thread... I really hope Brooks gives Perry Jones some burn tomorrow. Maybe his athleticism will help us offensively. 
> 
> I think it might be time to ditch the traditional starting line up and go with Butler instead of Collison.  Might bite us but that starting unit wasn't getting it done last night.


Who do we have that can harass Duncan without getting into foul trouble? Interior defense was one of the Thunder's strengths is now only ok. Duncan looked ten years younger in Game 1 - make some of those other guys beat us. Can a rotation of Perk, Adams, Collison, and Jones get it done? Is Thabeet mobile enough for some minutes if for nothing else clog up the middle for a few minutes? Game 2 will be interesting.

----------


## dankrutka

> Are you serious?  What's complex about basketdull?  Please tell me and 
> don't use the "it's so fast" routine because it's anything but.  Hockey makes 
> more sense than basketdull.  
> 
> Just what is complex about basketdull?


Can you explain how the Triangle or Princeton offenses work? Have you ever studied SportsVU data to understand how coaches make adjustments? Can you understand how certain sets might yield increased spacing that leads to higher percentage shots? A ton of basketball decision-making is made by analytics experts with deep knowledge of all these things and more.

But... I'm sure you're not actually interested in learning. Just posting negativity...

----------


## dankrutka

> On another note, Collison had 6 stitches on his mouth from the head butt during the game?  This guy is the walking wounded for sure.  Need to have a bag of his blood type nearby just in case.
> 
> And shouldn't that have been a technical?  I could tell it wasn't intentional but I thought even accidental contact like that was tech worthy.  Not flagrant or ejection worthy, but atleast a common foul?  He got head butted in the face!


I don't think it was intentional. Incidental contact doesn't result in even a common foul in most cases... Unfortunately for Nick and the Thunder in this case...

----------


## dankrutka

> Who do we have that can harass Duncan without getting into foul trouble? Interior defense was one of the Thunder's strengths is now only ok. Duncan looked ten years younger in Game 1 - make some of those other guys beat us. Can a rotation of Perk, Adams, Collison, and Jones get it done? Is Thabeet mobile enough for some minutes if for nothing else clog up the middle for a few minutes? Game 2 will be interesting.


Perk is our best option probably. He can push Duncan out of the paint better than anyone. Duncan played really well. I think you stick with Perk, Collison, and Adams though. Perry would be eaten alive by Duncan on the post.

----------


## DavidD_NorthOKC

> Perk is our best option probably. He can push Duncan out of the paint better than anyone. Duncan played really well. I think you stick with Perk, Collison, and Adams though. Perry would be eaten alive by Duncan on the post.


True - I was thinking of Perry more in Ibaka's role. Athletic big that can help Perk - but if you do that I am sure Pop has an idea to beat that. Hopefully Perk will get back to containing Duncan and keeping away from his spots.

----------


## dankrutka

> True - I was thinking of Perry more in Ibaka's role. Athletic big that can help Perk - but if you do that I am sure Pop has an idea to beat that. Hopefully Perk will get back to containing Duncan and keeping away from his spots.


Just saw a stat that Duncan actually only scored on Perk on the block. His other baskets came on other defenders or because of openings due to our perimeter defense breaking down. So... it seems Perk wasn't the problem. Accept for one time when he let Duncan get too low of position and then an And-1, I thought Perk did a good job of pushing Duncan off his spot.

----------


## Anonymous.

Rumors swirling that Ibaka is eager to get out and play. He has so much heart it is admirable. He is watching at home and during the games sees/hears all the talk about him. 

If I had to guess, I think he could show up Sunday night if he is able to decently run up and down the floor; and of course, the team doctors okay it.


It would be amazing if OKC could steal this game tonight. Like many other fans, I think Perry Jones is the answer, and have been saying that since Memphis.

----------


## SoonerDave

Only problem with starting Adams, Perk, and Collison is that you have essentially no offense on the floor....

Someone off that bench is going to have to figure out a way to play above expectations - defend AND put some points on the board. I think that's what KD was trying to say when he was quoted "I've got to find another level to get this done" - think he's putting the notice out to EVERYONE that they can't rely on what's expected, they have to go above and beyond it if they're going to win this series.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Rumors swirling that Ibaka is eager to get out and play. He has so much heart it is admirable. He is watching at home and during the games sees/hears all the talk about him. 
> 
> If I had to guess, I think he could show up Sunday night if he is able to decently run up and down the floor; and of course, the team doctors okay it.
> 
> 
> It would be amazing if OKC could steal this game tonight. Like many other fans, I think Perry Jones is the answer, and have been saying that since Memphis.


I know nothing about a "calf sprain." Or is it literally a torn muscle? Or neither?

I mean, is there _any_ notion at all he might play? Or is the risk of aggravating the injury into something more serious just too great?

Really a rhetorical question, I realize, but if things get "desperate" (and they're really close to that right now), might be time for "caution to the wind" and see what happens..

----------


## AP

If you like to read good stuff -> Career Arc: Russell Westbrook

----------


## Richard at Remax

PP, you lost all credibility when you said basketdull. That's like one of us going into your baseball thread and saying baseball is Basebawful.

----------


## warreng88

> Only problem with starting Adams, Perk, and Collison is that you have essentially no offense on the floor....


I don't think it was meant to say play all of them at the same time, more of a play them in rotation on Duncan.

----------


## Throckmorton

> PP, you lost all credibility when you said basketdull.


Gotta have credibility to lose credibility.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> PP, you lost all credibility when you said basketdull. That's like one of us going into your baseball thread and saying baseball is Basebawful.


Except that latter is a more truthful statement.

----------


## dankrutka

There is zero chance Ibaka returns for this series. The Finals are an outside possibility, but not this series.

----------


## s00nr1

Same starting five tonight. #Facepalm

----------


## warreng88

Does anyone remember KD playing in Rucker Park where he scored 66? I think it is a thing there that once someone starts to get on fire, the whole crowd starts to increase the noise, not like on defense, but more of "Yeah" sound and then erupt when he makes a basket. Here is the link to the video, skip to 3:45 and again around 4:15 and you can see the sound I am talking about.

KD Rucker Park - YouTube

I think if a few people could start to do that Sunday night, it would catch on quickly and be great to see on national TV.

----------


## Just the facts

Here are the JTF keys to Thunder victory.

1) Westbrook needs to drive to the basket on every possession - preferably right at Parker.  Get the Spurs in foul trouble early and often.
2) Durant either needs to shoot the second he touches the ball or pass it.  He is a turnover waiting to happen.  He should have the ball in his hands no more than 3 seconds per possession.
3) Block out on the defensive rebounds (someone needs to show Perk what that is because he never does it).

----------


## s00nr1

#1 is an absolute must. Russ can get to the rim anytime he wants against SA as was proven in the 3rd quarter of game 1.

#2 -- never understood why KD doesn't play off the ball in the post. OKC had only 7 turnovers at the point they took the lead with 4 mins left in the 3rd and then turned it over 3 straight possessions. Killer.

#3 -- I actually thought Perk played decently in game 1. Perk on Duncan is probably our best defensive advantage in the series as silly as that sounds. SA's best minutes after we had taken the lead came with Duncan on the bench.

----------


## dankrutka

With this same starting 5, Thabo needs to shoot the 3 and not pump fake and settle for a 15 foot 2. He's too hesitant. He's not a good shooter, but he needs to shoot with confidence. If he's missing bad then he just can't stay in the game. He has to be at least a threat. Collison needs to create some plays passing and get some garbage buckets. His shot looks bad and that shouldn't be his primary offensive contribution. He also needs to just give up on the 3 point shot. Play sound defense and let's do this.

----------


## Richard at Remax

I would be surprised if they didn't feed Thabo a few shots right off the back to see if he is a go or not. and he can't take up a whole shot clock to wind up his shot either.

----------


## Anonymous.

Wow no Butler or PJ in the starting lineup?

Brooks seriously will not make a change until faced with elimination. 

Here is to another terrible start to tonight's game.

----------


## blangtang

Thunder play better:

1) With a lead
2) From behind

What do you all say?

----------


## Just the facts

> Here are the JTF keys to Thunder victory.
> 
> 1) Westbrook needs to drive to the basket on every possession - preferably right at Parker.  Get the Spurs in foul trouble early and often.
> 2) Durant either needs to shoot the second he touches the ball or pass it.  He is a turnover waiting to happen.  He should have the ball in his hands no more than 3 seconds per possession.
> 3) Block out on the defensive rebounds (someone needs to show Perk what that is because he never does it).


Clearly the Thunder didn't listen to me.

----------


## ljbab728

> Clearly the Thunder didn't listen to me.


That seems to be a common occurrence, Kerry.   :Smile:

----------


## Jake

Embarrassing.

----------


## zookeeper

> Clearly the Thunder didn't listen to me.


But, how about Steven Adams? Six rebounds against the Spurs and seven points in his 24 minutes. What a pick he was. Everybody was right about his free-throw shooting though.

----------


## mugofbeer

Yeesh......clearly they miss Ibaka a lot more than they missed Westbrook earlier in the year.  They are looking pretty well done.

----------


## zookeeper

> Yeesh......clearly they miss Ibaka a lot more than they missed Westbrook earlier in the year.  They are looking pretty well done.


I don't think it's as much about Ibaka as it is Durant and Westbrook going 1 for 10 from three point and the team going *2 for 17*. Sometimes they fall and sometimes...

Edit - Make that *2 for 19*.

----------


## OSUMom

They dug themselves this hole when they went that huge stretch when, every time, Westbrook would take the ball down and jack a three point shot.  Every.  single.  Time.  Then Durant decided to get into the fun and HE started jacking three point shots.  Every.  Single.  Time.

----------


## OKVision4U

> They dug themselves this hole when they went that huge stretch when, every time, Westbrook would take the ball down and jack a three point shot.  Every.  single.  Time.  Then Durant decided to get into the fun and HE started jacking three point shots.  Every.  Single.  Time.


..and that is the reason you need a coach that the Thunder respect.  

Also, getting beat is one thing.  Getting run out of the gym is another.  We lost and lost heart at the same time.  THAT is where a coach should get in their grill and demonstrate to them that WE DONT LOSE LIKE THAT HERE.  35 point loss?  No excuse.

----------


## OKVision4U

Brooks was sitting on the bench in the 4th qtr....how does he do that?  ... that is accepting defeat.  

I guess they are just gonna "flip on the switch in OKC" and play better.  

Brooks, you may need put a fire under them or SA will sweep ya in 4.

----------


## s00nr1

So much to say about the worst loss in FRANCHISE HISTORY (regular or postseason). This much is for sure:

1. Presti has been given too much credit. There is simply no two-way talent behind Ibaka and that falls solely on him. This team was severely damaged during the 2012 offseason after a trip to the NBA Finals. Sure, Adams is looking like a nice pick but Presti traded away a top 10 player in the league for a "nice pick." 

2. OKC has a coach that simply cannot adjust on the fly. He inserts PJ3 into the game in the 2nd quarter and Tony Parker covers him for 8 straight possessions. Brooks didn't call for the ball to go to him ONCE....even as simply a decoy. Why even bring Perry in??

3. The type of basketball OKC plays is not going to win them a title. Period. Poor defense is not a playoff issue -- it was an issue ALL season (worst in the league in 3-pt defense, and also worst team in the league in allowing uncontested shots). Turnovers....are not a playoff issue (been a problem EVERY year under Brooks and has not improved). 

Ask yourself this question -- if Chris Bosh gets injured, does Lebron allow a game like this to happen? Do the Heat lose by 35? No chance. The "team" aspect went out the window when Presti traded an all-star away for pennies. No elite, championship-caliber team suffers double-digit deficits in 9 of its 15 playoff games. It is clear a change at the top is necessary. Plain and simple.

----------


## Mel

Didn't care for that game much at all.

----------


## SOONER8693

> Didn't care for that game much at all.


Right now you're looking at a 4 game sweep by the Spurs. And what is most irritating, the Thunder players don't seem to be bothered by all this too much.

----------


## SoonerBoy18

That Scott Brooks press conf. Done it for me. It is seriously time to fire this man. We are constantly getting EMPTY minutes from Thabo, Collison and Perkins. Smh.

----------


## zookeeper

The team's chemistry was poor, the coach has to take some blame for that as well.

For example, Russell Westbrook yelling at Durant telling him to "wake-up!" while pointing to his head. Frustration.
You can watch it here. 
https://vine.co/v/MH9H1vvO1Qe

----------


## OKCJapan

The last few posts have some validity to them.  However, I really think everyone is missing the main point.  We do not have a back-up for Ibaka.  Some sports analysts  assessed rightly when they said it was a MAJOR blow to the team.  He brings so much to both end of the floor.  Much more on the defensive end.  If he was playing, I think SA does not have as many point in the paint in game one.  Tonight's game is was just a confirmation of how much Ibaka impacts a game with the ability to score and rebound.  He could have been that third option tonight in the to help curb the tidal wave they got hit with in the third Quarter.  I think the Thunder can win these next two games at home, However, they wont win if #0 and #35 do not shoot well.  

Right now The Thunder are probably the 3rd best team in the Playoffs.  Behind Miami and San Antonio.  San Antonio just turns it up a couple of notches in the post-season.  I think everyone has come to grips with we are a post-Harden team.  For San Antonio Tim and Manu have about 2 to 3 years left.  After that, It doesn't matter what anybody says concerning Pop's offense that it is so good they don't need Tim or Manu; they will drop a couple of notches in the West.  At that point, as long as we can keep the core in tact, develop the talent already on board, maybe add a couple of valuable players from free agency, then I think we will be the favorites to win a title not just a contender.  So, we will have to be a bit more patient.  

One point mentioned in a recent post that I would tend to agree with, is that Scott Brooks can at many times can be a very poor Playoffs coach. I do not think there is a negative sentiment in the organization that would move Presti to make a coaching change though. At lest not at this point. So, I think we will have to be patient Thunder fans for at least a couple more years.  

Well, after saying all that, I hope the Thunder can find something defensively in Ibaka's absence to turn things around in games 3 and 4.  Without Home advantage, I just don't see us going back to SA and getting one there this time around.  I hope the Thunder prove me wrongs though.  Thunder UP!

----------


## venture

Hypothetical, and it might have been discussed already, say Brooks is let go. Fisher is being discussed for a coaching position somewhere. Would he be a good (or bad) choice for OKC to have some ease in the transition or would it just be awkward?

----------


## dcsooner

> Right now you're looking at a 4 game sweep by the Spurs. And what is most irritating, the Thunder players don't seem to be bothered by all this too much.


The Thunder team is not as GOOD as SA, they know it, I know it, you should know it, accept it and move on to next year where hopefully this team will get 3 more players to make this a team instead of a batman and robin show

----------


## Just the facts

> Embarrassing.


More like humiliating.  Not competitive on any level.  At one point in the 4th quarter the Spurs were shooting 80% in the second half.

----------


## Just the facts

> Hypothetical, and it might have been discussed already, say Brooks is let go. Fisher is being discussed for a coaching position somewhere. Would he be a good (or bad) choice for OKC to have some ease in the transition or would it just be awkward?


The Thunder have too much name recongnition to get a rookie coach.  OKCs next coach will need to have won an NBA championship already.  I don't see Brooks (or Perkins) being around next season.

----------


## dankrutka

> Ask yourself this question -- if Chris Bosh gets injured, does Lebron allow a game like this to happen? Do the Heat lose by 35? No chance. The "team" aspect went out the window when Presti traded an all-star away for pennies. No elite, championship-caliber team suffers double-digit deficits in 9 of its 15 playoff games. It is clear a change at the top is necessary. Plain and simple.


Yes. The Heat lost game 3 of the 2013 NBA Finals WITH BOSH 113-77 - 1 point worse than this loss.

While there are reasons to be concerned with the Thunder in this series and the future, it's important not to get carried away with sweeping reactions. The Spurs are an incredible team and we lost a really good player. It's certainly not looking like we're getting through this series, but the Thunder aren't as far off as some are making it.

----------


## dankrutka

> I don't see Brooks (or Perkins) being around next season.


Perkins almost for sure will be back. He's not getting amnestied in the last year of his deal. Besides, Perkins is probably playing the best he's played with the Thunder right now. He's the least of the team's problems.

----------


## Anonymous.

Dam... Team is straight up broken without Ibaka. Sad.

We could get swept off our own floor at this rate.


Brooks won't make any adjustments until game 4 when we are down 0-3. I was shocked to see Jones get some minutes. However, the starting lineup is a joke and he brings the same crew out everytime after halftime. We are losing these games in the bottom half of 2nd and start of the 3rd. Two games in a row without rotation adjustments other than tossing PJ in there for a test run. JOKE

Even if Brooks was coaching perfectly, I still don't think we beat the Spurs. They are at their healthiest and best right now. Green is back to torching us, as usual.


This 4 day break before Sunday's game almost seems cruel at this point. Just give us the bullet and move on!

----------


## dankrutka

Here's my two cents on the state of the Thunder. 

I don't think the Thunder as an organization are that far off from winning a title. That doesn't mean it will happen, but it could. Here are the problems in my mind. First, as much as everyone is knocking Brooks for his rotations, he's actually been really flexible in trying everything. He's throwing different lineups out there, but nothing is really working. The problem in my mind is the lack of discipline and structure. Westbrook jacked up numerous 3s last night and defended them in the post game. Great coaches don't allow their players to play undisciplined by taking low percentage shots. Why can't Brooks get his stars, particularly Westbook but KD at times too, to learn to take better shots? This is year 6. Secondly, whenever things start to break down, we just don't have enough offensive structure to get players besides KD and Russ good shots. If the Thunder decide to move past Brooks because of this I think it would be justified. However, we have to remember that while Brooks is not a great X and Os coach, he's good at a lot of other things - development, consistency, player trust - that his players and the organization value. Still, I'd be happy with a guy like Jeff Van Gundy who would have no problem telling Russell that if he's going to shoot 3s then he's going to sit on the bench (a conversation that should have happened in training camp). 

While Brooks deserves a lot of blame so do Westbrook and KD for not playing smarter. Also, I've been saying for months that I'm not even sure Thabo is an NBA-level player. His offensive regression has been so severe that I can't think of another team in the league that would give him meaningful playoff minutes. He's okay (not great) as a defensive specialist, but we need two way players. Unfortunately, the Thunder are already grooming a Thabo replacement in Andre Roberson who is even worse offensively. He has absolutely no offensive skill. The off season will be interesting. Do we re-sign Reggie? I hope we can get him for a reasonable amount. Do we let Thabo go? Probably. But who do we get? Bring back Caron? We have a lot of decent assets (e.g., PGIII, Lamb, Roberson, 2 first round draft picks), maybe we could flip them for a veteran. There's a reason championship contenders don't play young guys much. Despite the disappointment now, I still think the Thunder just need to play smarter, develop a better offensive system, and sign a veteran than can score consistently to seriously contend next year. If Adams continues to grow and Reggie improves any more than we'll be in really good shape. 

This 0-2 deficit is very unlike 2012 and I don't expect the Thunder to come back, but let's get loud at home and get a win and see if we can get some confidence.

----------


## dankrutka

> Brooks won't make any adjustments until game 4 when we are down 0-3. I was shocked to see Jones get some minutes. However, the starting lineup is a joke and he brings the same crew out everytime after halftime. We are losing these games in the bottom half of 2nd and start of the 3rd. Two games in a row without rotation adjustments other than tossing PJ in there for a test run. JOKE


Why do people keep saying this? I've seen multiple people express this sentiment. Brooks has made tons of adjustments by trying multiple lineups. Brooks' adjustments are not working, but it's completely inaccurate to say he's not making adjustments. You could actually make the case that Brooks has made *too many adjustments* with his lineups.

----------


## Of Sound Mind

The Thunder will not win a championship under Scott Brooks. He's demonstrated repeatedly that he has taken this team as far as he can take them. There has to be major changes if the Thunder hopes to ever win a title. The clock is ticking for this team, with free agency looming in a couple years and our stars begin to seriously evaluate their options. I had a lot of respect for Presti, but that is diminishing as well. How long before he pulls the trigger to make some very important changes to give this team the best chance to get a title (or two) before Durant's current contract is up? If little changes and/or if the Thunder doesn't win a title before then, I wouldn't blame KD for leaving to find the best chance for him to get a title ring (or two or three) before his career ends.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> The Thunder will not win a championship under Scott Brooks. He's demonstrated repeatedly that he has taken this team as far as he can take them. There has to be major changes if the Thunder hopes to ever win a title. The clock is ticking for this team, with free agency looming in a couple years and our stars begin to seriously evaluate their options. I had a lot of respect for Presti, but that is diminishing as well. How long before he pulls the trigger to make some very important changes to give this team the best chance to get a title (or two) before Durant's current contract is up? If little changes and/or if the Thunder doesn't win a title before then, I wouldn't blame KD for leaving to find the best chance for him to get a title ring (or two or three) before his career ends.


Major changes like having a 100% healthy team? Now you know how this team would look had we kept Harden instead of Ibaka. CLEARLY HE'S A BETTER DEFENDER OF THE INTERIOR THA MOST THINK. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## SoonerDave

> Hypothetical, and it might have been discussed already, say Brooks is let go. Fisher is being discussed for a coaching position somewhere. Would he be a good (or bad) choice for OKC to have some ease in the transition or would it just be awkward?


Don't think Fisher would be the kind of coach they need. I'm not sure about this, but was there not a defensive coach on the staff just a couple of years ago who got a head (or higher-level) gig with another team? And I don't think he was explicitly replaced? Not sure, but the point being that we may have evolved to a defense-by-committee situation. 

Hey, I have no problem admitting the Spurs are better. It would be foolish not to. Neither OKC, nor most any other team, could take the hit they've taken the last two years and expect to perform at the same level. Sucks. Rotten breaks. But that's how it goes. But that doesn't mean that you should be OK with giving up a 35-40 point loss in a division championship final. Surely pride comes into play at some point and you play some kind of defense, because a lot of what I saw last night was just the Spurs being patient until someone _didn't_ rotate and cover and offer up wide-open look after wide-open look when they weren't just driving the lane. Yeah, that's part of what Ibaka does, but good grief, there has to be the notion of defense on the whole team, not just one guy. 

That's what just scares me about how this team is structured...okay, "scares" is too strong a word, but it just seems so dad-gum _fragile._ Glass jaw. House of cards. Pull out _one_ card, and the whole thing just tumbles to the ground. 

I'm basketball stupid and I freely admit it, so that's surely a naive analysis, just what my eyeballs tell me. They brought in Perkins a few years ago to give the team some _physical_ toughness, but part of me thinks now they need something to bring in some _mental_ toughness. Thought when they were up 36-32 in the first quarter that what I'd been thinking was _finally_ happening - the bench was playing _above_ expectations - and then it all just imploded like the Hindenberg. No counterpunch. Nothing.

Frustrating, disappointing, and all that. Losing Westbrook last year the way we did, now losing Ibaka when we did, about the only thing worse would be getting all the way to a Game 7 final next year and Durant spraining his ankle during warmups...

----------


## Of Sound Mind

> Major changes like having a 100% healthy team?


Rarely, this late into the year does is a team 100% healthy. The key is DEPTH. What depth do we have? That's on Presti and Brooks. What discipline do we have? That's on Brooks. Where's the defense? That's on Brooks.

----------


## Anonymous.

> Why do people keep saying this? I've seen multiple people express this sentiment. Brooks has made tons of adjustments by trying multiple lineups. Brooks' adjustments are not working, but it's completely inaccurate to say he's not making adjustments. You could actually make the case that Brooks has made *too many adjustments* with his lineups.


Ibaka going down and forcing someone else to start does not = adjustments. If anything, Jones should be starting for Ibaka, he is the closest replacement. 

Brooks set us up for this disaster by not playing Lamb, Jones, Adams (hell even Roberson) in any regular season meaningful minutes. Lamb had that random spurt of games where he got minutes, then stopped knocking down shots. Brooks removed him and never gave him another chance. 

Brooks only makes a change when someone was hurt, that's why guys this season got minutes. Not because Brooks wanted to build these players to shine on the big stage.


Look @ Green for the Spurs. That is our Lamb. From scrub to star, but not under Brook's watch.

----------


## warreng88

> Here's my two cents on the state of the Thunder. 
> 
> I don't think the Thunder as an organization are that far off from winning a title. That doesn't mean it will happen, but it could. Here are the problems in my mind. First, as much as everyone is knocking Brooks for his rotations, he's actually been really flexible in trying everything. He's throwing different lineups out there, but nothing is really working. The problem in my mind is the lack of discipline and structure. Westbrook jacked up numerous 3s last night and defended them in the post game. Great coaches don't allow their players to play undisciplined by taking low percentage shots. Why can't Brooks get his stars, particularly Westbook but KD at times too, to learn to take better shots? This is year 6. Secondly, whenever things start to break down, we just don't have enough offensive structure to get players besides KD and Russ good shots. If the Thunder decide to move past Brooks because of this I think it would be justified. However, we have to remember that while Brooks is not a great X and Os coach, he's good at a lot of other things - development, consistency, player trust - that his players and the organization value. Still, I'd be happy with a guy like Jeff Van Gundy who would have no problem telling Russell that if he's going to shoot 3s then he's going to sit on the bench (a conversation that should have happened in training camp). 
> 
> While Brooks deserves a lot of blame so do Westbrook and KD for not playing smarter. Also, I've been saying for months that I'm not even sure Thabo is an NBA-level player. His offensive regression has been so severe that I can't think of another team in the league that would give him meaningful playoff minutes. He's okay (not great) as a defensive specialist, but we need two way players. Unfortunately, the Thunder are already grooming a Thabo replacement in Andre Roberson who is even worse offensively. He has absolutely no offensive skill. *The off season will be interesting. Do we re-sign Reggie? I hope we can get him for a reasonable amount.* Do we let Thabo go? Probably. But who do we get? Bring back Caron? We have a lot of decent assets (e.g., PGIII, Lamb, Roberson, 2 first round draft picks), maybe we could flip them for a veteran. There's a reason championship contenders don't play young guys much. Despite the disappointment now, I still think the Thunder just need to play smarter, develop a better offensive system, and sign a veteran than can score consistently to seriously contend next year. If Adams continues to grow and Reggie improves any more than we'll be in really good shape. 
> 
> This 0-2 deficit is very unlike 2012 and I don't expect the Thunder to come back, but let's get loud at home and get a win and see if we can get some confidence.


Just a quick point of clarification of this one: we have Reggie signed through the end of next season and then he becomes a RFA.

The only players who are up at the end of this season are Thabo, Fish, Caron and the other lower paid players like Reggie Williams, Royal, Mustafa Shakur and Grant Jerrett. Thabeet is on a team option and with his lack of playing time, I don't see us resigning him for $1.25 million.

----------


## dankrutka

> Just a quick point of clarification of this one: we have Reggie signed through the end of next season and then he becomes a RFA.


Yes, but Reggie is eligible for an extension THIS offseason. This is same point in Harden's career - with one year left on his rookie deal - when we traded him.

----------


## trousers

You can win in the regular season playing street ball which is what we generally play.
The first two game agains the Spurs show that a less talented team that plays with a real game plan will win.  If you took our team and applied 1/3 of the Spurs structure we would be a pretty amazing team.
The Spurs apply basic b-ball fundamentals that we sorely lack.

----------


## Just the facts

> If you took our team and applied 1/3 of the Spurs structure we would be a pretty amazing team.
> The Spurs apply basic b-ball fundamentals that we sorely lack.

----------


## Urbanized

Right after he invented the pass he invented the flop.

----------


## warreng88

> Yes, but Reggie is eligible for an extension THIS offseason. This is same point in Harden's career - with one year left on his rookie deal - when we traded him.


According to Hoopshype, he is not eligible for a qualifying offer until after the 2014-2015 season. Here is the direct link:

HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Oklahoma City Thunder

And according to Realgm.com basketball, he is a RFA in 2015.

Reggie Jackson Player Profile, Oklahoma City Thunder, News, Rumors, NBA Stats, NCAA Stats, D-League Stats, Game Logs, Bests, Awards - RealGM

----------


## warreng88

My mistake, you are saying they can extend him an offer this season, got it.

----------


## trousers

The Spurs consistently apply basketball principles that you are taught in junior high which we rarely, much less consistently, use.
--block out  
--it's faster to pass the ball down the court than dribble it.  This is why the Spurs set up their offence so much faster than we do.
--in the half court...stay spaced.  We have some of the worst spacing I have ever seen...which is what happens when you don't run plays and people are just standing around
--we throw temper tantrums like little kids

----------


## Laramie

We have several players (Collison, Sefolosha, Perkins) of late who are hesitate about their shots; that may factor into why they miss.  When they are wide open; they need to go ahead with the shot--instead they look to see if someone else is open.  Opponents lay off these players; they know they're a non factor.

Individual players need to rely on their own confidence.  Durant & Westbrook are targeted; once they become  non factors, the game becomes academic.   Glad Brooks threw in the white flag; Durant and Westbrook will need rest until the team can adjust without Ibaka.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Bill Robertson

> Brooks was sitting on the bench in the 4th qtr....how does he do that?  ... that is accepting defeat.  
> 
> I guess they are just gonna "flip on the switch in OKC" and play better.  
> 
> Brooks, you may need put a fire under them or SA will sweep ya in 4.


Not just the 4th quarter. I went ballistic in the 3rd quarter when the Thunder were down by 20 or so. They showed Popovich for a few seconds and then went right to Brooks for a few seconds. Popovich was on his feet, waving his arms and screaming at someone. You would have thought SA was down by 20. Brooks was in his seat looking lost. I've been a Brooks defender but I'm beginning to think he really is lost.

----------


## Bellaboo

Still Thunder, different topic. Mods, please move if this doesn't apply to this thread -



THNDRUP: License plates to support NBA team generate $47,000 annually, The Journal Record

----------


## AP

Serge is listed as day-to-day now.

----------


## dankrutka

> Serge is listed as day-to-day now.


That's crazy. I didn't think there was anyway he'd even be close to playing in this series. Very glad I was wrong. The big question is, how much will it hurt his athleticism if he can play?

----------


## Anonymous.

DAM! I knew it!

This large break between Game 2 and 3 could make this a series.

In Ibaka we trust.

----------


## AP

Royce Young says might be as soon as Game 3. That would be huge.

----------


## Just the facts

> The Spurs consistently apply basketball principles that you are taught in junior high which we rarely, much less consistently, use.
> --block out  
> --it's faster to pass the ball down the court than dribble it.  This is why the Spurs set up their offence so much faster than we do.
> --in the half court...stay spaced.  We have some of the worst spacing I have ever seen...which is what happens when you don't run plays and people are just standing around
> --we throw temper tantrums like little kids


All 4 points are spot on.  For item 2, we do the exact opposite by letting Durant bring the ball up the court and when we do the ball travels more vertically than it does horizontally.  It is amazing how fast the Spurs get back on offense (usually why RW is still on the other baseline arguing about a no-call).

----------


## Laramie

> 


'Pass the ball' (sounding like a damsel in distress)...

Come on State Farm; this  sequel 'byproduct' on Chris & Cliff is just plain stale.  There are only so many commercials that you can produce with this individual 'looking stupid' at himself...




> Right after he invented the pass he invented the flop.


Looked like on the Ibaka injury; Chris Paul attempted one of his infamous flops when his legs got tangled with those of Serge.  Not to put the blame on Paul, but if that was the play in which Ibaka was injured--it sure looked as though Paul wanted the official's attention.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nb...ka-injury.nba/

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## trousers

> All 4 points are spot on.  For item 2, we do the exact opposite by letting Durant bring the ball up the court and when we do the ball travels more vertically than it does horizontally.  It is amazing how fast the Spurs get back on offense (usually why RW is still on the other baseline arguing about a no-call).


It takes us forever to get the ball down the court. It's either a full fast break or a slow stroll down the court. We give every defense time to set up. 
Get the ball down the floor, if no opening then set up your play. The quick movement down the floor is what creates mismatches.

----------


## Urbanized

It's because the Thunder always moves the ball up the court with the dribble. The ball moves faster via pass than it does via dribble. It's why the Spurs - as slow as they are - catch the Thunder on their heels on defense. The Spurs pass. The Thunder doesn't. It's as simple as that.

----------


## Urbanized

And by the way, the Thunder doesn't pass, not because of "selfishness," but because the scorers have no options to pass TO. Guys don't hit their spots, they don't move without the ball, they stand around, and usually 3 of the 5 guys on the floor are zero threat to score. It's why KD and Russ are always playing "hero ball"; they have no other options. The other team's defense doesn't have to account for anyone other than the two All-Stars. When KD is blanketed via double-team or elite defender - or simply in a funk or pouting - Russ has one option: Russ.

The team often (usually?) doesn't have discipline, offensive sets OR the right guys on the floor. Recipe for disaster.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> And by the way, the Thunder doesn't pass, not because of "selfishness," but because the scorers have no options to pass TO. Guys don't hit their spots, they don't move without the ball, they stand around, and usually 3 of the 5 guys on the floor are zero threat to score. It's why KD and Russ are always playing "hero ball"; they have no other options. The other team's defense doesn't have to account for anyone other than the two All-Stars. When KD is blanketed via double-team or elite defender - or simply in a funk or pouting - Russ has one option: Russ.
> 
> The team often (usually?) doesn't have discipline, offensive sets OR the right guys on the floor. Recipe for disaster.


and they have had a top 2 O in the league in both of the last 2 years ... and they were top 7 this year even with out russ ..

----------


## Urbanized

The scoring ability of Russ and especially KD usually covers for the lack of offense from the rest of the team. USUALLY. It leads to teammates and coaches becoming complacent. "Hey, we've got KD. He'll bail us out..."

The only player on that team who NEVER slips into complacency is Russ.

----------


## Jake

Starting lineup is awful offensively, even with Ibaka. Ibaka can only score when someone feeds him the ball and when he has an open jumper. He's not a back to the basket kind of scorer. (if he was, it'd help a lot) Perkins obviously isn't good offensively and Sefolosha is probably the worst offensive SG I have ever seen. The starting 5 basically has 2.5 people who can score.

This needs to be fixed this offseason. If this team can have a top 10 offense with 2 offensive liabilities in the starting lineup, imagine if all 5 players could make some shots.

----------


## ljbab728

This doesn't win anyone any games but it's fun.

----------


## Laramie

> *Ibaka going down and forcing someone else to start does not = adjustments.* If anything, Jones should be starting for Ibaka, he is the closest replacement. 
> 
> Brooks set us up for this disaster by not playing Lamb, Jones, Adams (hell even Roberson) in any regular season meaningful minutes. Lamb had that random spurt of games where he got minutes, then stopped knocking down shots. Brooks removed him and never gave him another chance. 
> 
> *Brooks only makes a change when someone was hurt*, that's why guys this season got minutes. Not because Brooks wanted to build these players to shine on the big stage.
> 
> Look @ Green for the Spurs. That is our Lamb. From scrub to star, but not under Brook's watch.


Let's look at this situation from another perspective.

When someone goes down, whatever replacement you make is an adjustment; as to whether or not it is effective is another question.  Would someone like to make a suggestion?   Why would you make changes when you're successful with what works?   

Development of players like Lamb depends on Lamb who needs to continue to improve to earn those minutes.  Scott Brooks has done a good job with what he has.  How many teams lose a key player like Ibaka and open the conference finals on the road against a veteran (full roster) team like the Spurs with success?   

Some of the players acquired by the Spurs occurred when Sam Presti was on their staff.  Small market teams build primarily through the draft.  It's takes time for small markets like OKC to build through the draft and acquire an occasional pick up (Caron Butler); you can't turn a player like Lamb into a Danny Green (4-year veteran) overnight and come anywhere close to a 60 win season.




> Starting lineup is awful offensively, even with Ibaka. Ibaka can only score when someone feeds him the ball and when he has an open jumper. He's not a back to the basket kind of scorer. (if he was, it'd help a lot) Perkins obviously isn't good offensively and Sefolosha is probably the worst offensive SG I have ever seen. The starting 5 basically has 2.5 people who can score.
> 
> This needs to be fixed this offseason. If this team can have a top 10 offense with 2 offensive liabilities in the starting lineup, imagine if all 5 players could make some shots.


They do need to explore some future strategy to give them some offensive fire power for next season.

Our lineup is venerable at this stage because despite beating the Spurs four straight in the regular season; Coach Popovich has tweaked his lineup and focused the pressure on Durant and Westbrook; they know we have nothing else to offer from our starting five.  They (Spurs) have exploited the loss of Ibaka whether Popovich wants to admit it or not.

Our bench has been competitive; two scorers among the starters are not going to beat the weapon-laced Spurs team. 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Mel

Coach has got to dial in to this team. We have played them twice and it's time for a change. Pops knows how to play us. Time for Brooks to do some changing.

----------


## Dustin

Serge is back and is perfect so far!

4/4

----------


## ljbab728

A ray of sunshine for the Thunder tonight which will put a little doubt in the minds of the Spurs.

----------


## Pete

Back in business!

Different team with Ibaka.

If we can win the next one, I really like our chances.

----------


## AFCM

I was unable to watch the game.  Was Ibaka really the difference, or did the Spurs just happen to have an off-night (or the Thunder just happen to have an on-night) while Serge was on the court?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## ljbab728

> I was unable to watch the game.  Was Ibaka really the difference, or did the Spurs just happen to have an off-night (or the Thunder just happen to have an on-night) while Serge was on the court?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Serge wasn't totally THE difference but he had a major affect on the outcome.  The Thunder caused the Spurs to have an off-night just like they have for eight games in a row at the Peak.

----------


## DavidD_NorthOKC

I think Popovich telling the Spurs "you know Serge is coming" in a time out huddle says a lot about Ibaka's impact.

----------


## Laramie

*Welcome back,*

*Serge Ibaka!!!*


San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - May 25, 2014 - ESPN

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## AFCM

> Serge wasn't totally THE difference but he had a major affect on the outcome.  The Thunder caused the Spurs to have an off-night just like they have for eight games in a row at the Peak.


Awesome.  Thank you for the feedback.  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## soonerguru

> I was unable to watch the game.  Was Ibaka really the difference, or did the Spurs just happen to have an off-night (or the Thunder just happen to have an on-night) while Serge was on the court?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Without him, we probably would have lost, so yes. We need his presence in the paint and his deadeye shooting inside the arc.

----------


## Just the facts

> I was unable to watch the game.  Was Ibaka really the difference, or did the Spurs just happen to have an off-night (or the Thunder just happen to have an on-night) while Serge was on the court?


Serge was 100% the difference.  Durant and Westbrook were turnover machines with no offence in the first quarter, while Ibaka was nailing down jumpers, rebounding, blocking shots, and getting lose balls.  At one point RW was 1-8 and Ibaka was 5-5.

----------


## BrettM2

We are now 1-0 when I return for a game.  #you'rewelcomeOKC

----------


## AFCM

Thanks for the info everyone.  I don't get TNT at my work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## ljbab728

> Serge was 100% the difference.  Durant and Westbrook were turnover machines with no offence in the first quarter, while Ibaka was nailing down jumpers, rebounding, blocking shots, and getting lose balls.  At one point RW was 1-8 and Ibaka was 5-5.


I'm certainly not downplaying the impact of Serge but he was not 100% of the difference.  There are a few other players on the team besides KD and Russell that stepped up big time tonight.

----------


## soonerguru

> I'm certainly not downplaying the impact of Serge but he was not 100% of the difference.  There are a few other players on the team besides KD and Russell that stepped up big time tonight.


OK, so he was probably 87.4% of the difference. 

 :Smile:

----------


## Just the facts

...and all those 'other' players were in the previous 2 games as well.

----------


## ljbab728

> ...and all those 'other' players were in the previous 2 games as well.


What is your point, Kerry?  That has nothing to do with what I said.  And I'm not the only person who appreciates Serge and don't think he was the only reason they won.

Serge Ibaka's heroics complemented by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook | News OK




> Yet on a night that Ibaka was the headliner, the Thunder wouldn’t have defeated the Spurs 106-97 and breathed life back into its playoff hopes without its superstars.

----------


## dankrutka

Reggie and Adams both played great games also. But, yes, Serge was fantastic.

----------


## Easy180

> I was unable to watch the game.  Was Ibaka really the difference, or did the Spurs just happen to have an off-night (or the Thunder just happen to have an on-night) while Serge was on the court?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Too lazy to Google it but I think we are now 5-0 against the Spurs this year with Ibaka and 0-2 without.

----------


## Urbanized

I'm probably as big a Serge fan as you will find. Within a few weeks of his arrival in OKC, I was telling people he would eventually be a star (and received blank stares for my effort), and for some time now I have professed that he is my favorite player on the team.

That said, although he probably had the most individual impact last night, the biggest overall change went virtually unnoticed by casual fans in all of the Serge hubbub. The biggest difference was the fact that Sefalosha never saw the floor. Brooks started Jackson in place of Sef and put in Lamb for meaningful minutes in which he shined.

Brooks sold out defensive ability for offensive threats (and of course Serge's return helped on both ends), spread the floor and gave Russ and KD more to work with offensively. Even as they struggled there were other scorers to pick up the slack. The team stepped up by showing more defensive intensity AND by moving without the ball. He did a similar thing - substituting Caron for Thabo - during the Grizzlies series with the same success. Why it took him so long to do it in this series is troubling. It was fundamental change that a Pee Wee coach should have seen the need to make two games ago.

----------


## Jim Kyle

> ...and all those 'other' players were in the previous 2 games as well.


They were? I don't remember seeing Jeremy Lamb on the floor in either game down Texas way, but he certainly had some impact last night...

----------


## Laramie

Scott Brooks really put this game in the hands of the whole team; my compliments to the coaching staff for their trust in the players.  The players for their team effort and hustle which showed.  



*Ibaka is the Spurs' Kryptonite.*
It was refreshing to see our Oklahoma City Thunder disrupt the Spurs' confidence, then take them to task.

Duplicate our efforts for the next home game, we can take this back to San Antonio and the Spurs will be thinking *'Dj vu'* from 2012. 

Manu Ginobili had a stellar game for the Spurs.


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OSUMom

Serge had a huge impact, but I do have to say in the first two games, and especially that stinker of a game 2, the rest of the team just gave up.  And not giving up going down the stretch, they gave up, in game 2 at least, in the 2nd quarter.  The play that stands out to me, and made my mind almost explode, was at one point Thabo stole the ball.  Ran down the court and ended up all by himself with the entire spurs team.  Then the camera panned over just a bit to where our team was coming.  Walking.  WALKING.  Some were maybe jogging.  Thabo had no one to pass to so he finally tried to get to the basket by himself.  Didn't work.  That wasn't Ibaka not being there that caused that.  It was them not trying.  I call BS on the thought that the rest of the team (including the MVP) can't work up the energy to run on a fast break unless Ibaka is there.  If they TRY we got a chance to win this series, even though they dug themselves this hole.  If they had TRIED maybe we could have eked out a steal of one of the first games.

----------


## Mel

I have been reading up a bit on Ibaka's background. The man knows how to overcome adversity. The Spurs have a little bit of a jinx at the 'peake too. The crowd looked great in those blur t-shirts and the energy from the arena flowed through the broadcast. I know my Wife and I screamed and jumped and fist bumped through the whole thing.

----------


## Anonymous.

Just got back to internet and TV world.

Sounds like Brooks made some adjustments and Ibaka's return was obviously huge. The feel is very 2012-esque. We have to take care of business tonight, though. Spurs will be on the ropes in game 5 if we take this 2-2. 

Thunder UP!

----------


## DavidD_NorthOKC

Best line of Game 4 so far - "We needed slow motion to see what Westbrook did" (TNT announcer after one of Russ' steals)

----------


## jn1780

Tied up! Whole new series now!  Amazing how one man coming back can rejuvenate the whole team.

----------


## Laramie

> Tied up! Whole new series now!  Amazing how one man coming back can rejuvenate the whole team.


Great overall team effort by the Thunder.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - May 27, 2014 - ESPN

Good mix combination of players to counter the Spurs by Scott Brooks and coaches.  Outstanding defensive play by the Thunder on the veteran Spurs.   Wish Reggie Jackson a speedy recovery.  Now with Ibaka back in the line-up; we can shake the Spurs for game 5 in San Antonio.

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## AFCM

How cool is this photo?  The clouds are so ominous, and the top of Devon slightly fades into them.  Coming down from the clouds is the word "Thunder."  I love it.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/417235...61847323835663




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Just the facts

One thing we know for sure, having 2 bigs protecting the paint is a huge problem for the Spurs.  It takes away their threat to drive for an easy basket or kick it out for a 3.  With protection in the paint the other defenders can guard against the 3.

I also wasn't happy to see a 27 point lead evaporate with the Spurs bench vs. the OKC starters.

----------


## SoonerDave

> One thing we know for sure, having 2 bigs protecting the paint is a huge problem for the Spurs.  It takes away their threat to drive for an easy basket or kick it out for a 3.  With protection in the paint the other defenders can guard against the 3.
> 
> I also wasn't happy to see a 27 point lead evaporate with the Spurs bench vs. the OKC starters.


Agreed, it was even more tense-making sitting there watching it happen. I mean, not "oh, no, we're going to lose," but more of "uhm, they're getting a little bit close, guys..."

That said, however, the Thunder were playing at this _incredible_ level that you just knew they couldn't possibly maintain. When Popovich put in the bench, I think that led to an inevitable "relaxation" on the part of the Thunder who saw it as a white flag of sorts. What I did like, however, was that even when those bench guys made the run, and even when you could tell the Thunder offense was just about out of gas late in the 4th, they still executed a pretty decent half-court offense, kept things under control without going dormant, and never let SA get closer than 12 while RW hit his freethrows. Late going, there, you could tell KD's shot just had almost nothing on it.

Gotta *love* their chances going into SA Thursday night. if they pull that out, the Peake will be rockin' and rollin' Saturday night with a chance to win the series. Amazing. 

Great game. No huge basketball expert here, but that game last night was something to behold. When Westbrook is on, he is an _amazing_ athlete. SA had nothing even remotely resembling an answer for him offensively or defensively.

----------


## betts

> Tied up! Whole new series now!  Amazing how one man coming back can rejuvenate the whole team.


It's not only what he brings to the team but the psychic lift it gave the players I believe.

----------


## SoonerDave

When SA's bench came in and caught the Thunder coming off that huge roll, cutting the lead to 12, the guy sitting next to me pointed out it would be a great time for Popovich to put his starters back in. Think there's a decent case to be made it would have been worth a try - a rested SA bench might have come in and really pushed the issue down the stretch. Thankful he didn't  :Smile:

----------


## Pete

Cool shot from last night from Bellaboo:

----------


## Laramie

> When SA's bench came in and caught the Thunder coming off that huge roll, cutting the lead to 12, the guy sitting next to me pointed out it would be a great time for Popovich to put his starters back in. Think there's a decent case to be made it would have been worth a try - a rested SA bench might have come in and really pushed the issue down the stretch. Thankful he didn't


Coach Popovich is methodical; he knew it wasn't worth the risk.  His starters did not have the energy to finish off the Thunder; once he sets them, they are through for the night.  Pops knew that if he attempted to take this game with reinserting his starters that he would be taking a risk--a failed attempt would doom their chances of a win in game five.  

Give Coach Popovich credit; he knows his team's weaknesses and limitations.

The Thunder have the Spurs on the ropes; let's finish them off and put them down...

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

> Coach Popovich is methodical; he knew it wasn't worth the risk.  His starters did not have the energy to finish off the Thunder; once he sets them, they are through for the night.  Pops knew that if he attempted to take this game with reinserting his starters that he would be taking a risk--*a failed attempt would doom their chances of a win in game five*.  
> 
> Give Coach Popovich credit; he knows his team's weaknesses and limitations.
> 
> The Thunder have the Spurs on the ropes; let's finish them off and put them down...


Oh, yeah, I figured that was the "mental calculation" he was making - if he put them back in, and the Thunder got a second wind and won _anyway_ (which, in all honesty, was pretty likely), you've taken that many minutes off the tank for Thursday. Think it also goes to show, as you point out, how he knows his team's limits. And it also, to an extent, shows just how "on the edge" SA is as a team in terms of living beyond its age - they _have_ to rely on their system, their discipline, their ball movement, all of that, so as not to _allow_ issues of fatigue and comparative athleticism to become an issue unless they can control that tempo. 

The normally controlled Duncan getting into it with Popovich was _really_ telling. It was like, "okay, coach, we hear you, but it isn't working." Kinda like he had as much of the "coaching" he could take under the circumstances and he'd just had enough. 

Thunder have an awesome opportunity to get a win down there Thursday. If they get that done, I have to believe they close it out Sat.

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Oh, yeah, I figured that was the "mental calculation" he was making - if he put them back in, and the Thunder got a second wind and won _anyway_ (which, in all honesty, was pretty likely), you've taken that many minutes off the tank for Thursday. Think it also goes to show, as you point out, how he knows his team's limits. And it also, to an extent, shows just how "on the edge" SA is as a team in terms of living beyond its age - they _have_ to rely on their system, their discipline, their ball movement, all of that, so as not to _allow_ issues of fatigue and comparative athleticism to become an issue unless they can control that tempo. 
> 
> The normally controlled Duncan getting into it with Popovich was _really_ telling. It was like, "okay, coach, we hear you, but it isn't working." Kinda like he had as much of the "coaching" he could take under the circumstances and he'd just had enough.


Very cool Popovich story from the NY Times: 

 Spurs-leader-remembers-his-california-roots

----------


## ljbab728

It was certainly nice of Indiana to beat the Heat tonight to force a game seven.  At least the Heat won't get as much rest as they hoped for before the finals.   :Smile:

----------


## Snowman

> It was certainly nice of Indiana to beat the Heat tonight to force a game seven.  At least the Heat won't get as much rest as they hoped for before the finals.


Is Miami just conceding game six that was to be played on Friday.

----------


## ljbab728

> Is Miami just conceding game six that was to be played on Friday.


I have no idea what that is supposed to mean.  If Miami had won tonight that series would have been over and Miami could have rested for a week until the finals start.

----------


## dankrutka

> I have no idea what that is supposed to mean.  If Miami had won tonight that series would have been over and Miami could have rested for a week until the finals start.


The Pacers forced a game 6, not a game 7.

----------


## ljbab728

> The Pacers forced a game 6, not a game 7.


I totally understand that and it has no bearing on what I said.   My post was referring to the fact that if the Pacers had won tonight Miami would get more rest before the finals.  It was a tongue in check reference to the fact that I still think Miami will win but it will take them a little longer. (hence the smiley face)

----------


## OKCisOK4me

I went out on a limb and picked the Pacers to beat Miami so I was happy with last night's outcome. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## dankrutka

Good Zach Lowe article on the Thunder "choosing" Ibaka over Harden: Ibaka?s Return Fuels More ?What If? Questions About James Harden 

I've been saying basically the same thing since the trade. We could have kept both. I think we'd be the heavy title favorites, instead of one of many contenders, if we had... But anyway, that's probably a better discussion for the offseason. Enormous game tonight.

----------


## Just the facts

> When SA's bench came in and caught the Thunder coming off that huge roll, cutting the lead to 12, the guy sitting next to me pointed out it would be a great time for Popovich to put his starters back in. Think there's a decent case to be made it would have been worth a try - a rested SA bench might have come in and really pushed the issue down the stretch. Thankful he didn't


Personally I think Popovich screwed that up.  With 5 minutes to go he should have put the starters back in.  OKC was out of gas and we would have had to play our second string against their first string for 5 hard minutes.  When OKC built the big league and SA put in all the reserves the announcers asked, where is the SA scoring going to come from, and then SA went on to outscore OKC by about 15 over the next few minutes.

----------


## Urbanized

> Good Zach Lowe article on the Thunder "choosing" Ibaka over Harden: Ibaka?s Return Fuels More ?What If? Questions About James Harden 
> 
> I've been saying basically the same thing since the trade. We could have kept both. I think we'd be the heavy title favorites, instead of one of many contenders, if we had... But anyway, that's probably a better discussion for the offseason. Enormous game tonight.


Great article. It's mind-blowing how fast the cap is escalating, but hindsight is 20/20. He makes great points about 4 stars and a bare cupboard vs. 3 stars and a roster full of promise.

----------


## dankrutka

> Great article. It's mind-blowing how fast the cap is escalating, but hindsight is 20/20. He makes great points about 4 stars and a bare cupboard vs. 3 stars and a roster full of promise.


Yep. There's no definitive answer. I take the 4 stars and little financial flexibility over 3 stars with flexibility because I think veterans who are chasing titles (see Ray Allen) would play for the Thunder particularly if we had ANOTHER star. Anyway, that's just my guess. 

My hope for next season is that we can get a veteran like Paul Pierce to play for the minimum in the hopes of getting a title. He'd basically replace Caron Butler, we could promise him a nice role, and he'd be reunited with Perk.

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Yep. There's no definitive answer. I take the 4 stars and little financial flexibility over 3 stars with flexibility because I think veterans who are chasing titles (see Ray Allen) would play for the Thunder particularly if we had ANOTHER star. Anyway, that's just my guess. 
> 
> My hope for next season is that we can get a veteran like Paul Pierce to play for the minimum in the hopes of getting a title. He'd basically replace Caron Butler, we could promise him a nice role, and he'd be reunited with Perk.


In college, did Paul Pierce ever play with Nick Collison, or did their times at Kansas not coincide?

----------


## dankrutka

> In college, did Paul Pierce ever play with Nick Collison, or did their times at Kansas not coincide?


Pierce left KU in 1998, Collison arrived in 1999. So, there was one season between their KU careers.

----------


## Prunepicker

I watched an entire Thunder game last month with some friends.

Since then I've subscribed to MLB.tv.  I don't believe I'll ever watch 
another basketball game.

----------


## Urbanized

Congrats! Does that mean you'll stop posting in basketball threads too?

----------


## jn1780

> I watched an entire Thunder game last month with some friends.
> 
> Since then I've subscribed to MLB.tv.  I don't believe I'll ever watch 
> another basketball game.


That's cool. Basketball can be too exciting to some people. :P

----------


## Anonymous.

Couldn't get it done last night. Team looked awful on defense. Bench stayed in OKC.

Hopefully we can at least win tomorrow and take a shot that the Spurs don't shoot complete fire in game 7.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Do or die tomorrow night. 

Don't forget that the game tips at 7:30pm!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## Laramie

The Spurs were hitting on all cylinders last night; especially from the three-point line.   They were home, the Spurs took care of business.   We've got to do the same come Saturday.

San Antonio was 13 of 26 (50%) on three point shots:

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs - Box Score - May 29, 2014 - ESPN 

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKCJapan

I hope for a miracle Game 7 like Dallas pulled off at San Antonio in 2006.  With that being said.  I watched the post game interviews of the Heat.  Every question posed seemed to puff them up for getting to the finals 4 straight years.  I was hoping that one person would have had some guts to ask them a question related to their easy road to the finals.  Spolstra even said after the Charlotte Series that our team needs to be challenged or hit a little bit.  While I did not watch every game.  but from the highlights, The Heat were not challenged, except for a couple of games from David West.  Vogal said that the reason why got beat 3 series in a row is because they are Playing Jordan and the Bulls of the modern era.  He further said that they are not able to play up to the Heat's level yet.  I would say the most likely reason is because the EC does not have enough quality talent to match.  And it will continue to be so as long as the 3 stay in Miami, or CP3, Griffin and Howard, etc. get tired of being eliminated every year in the playoffs and want an easier rode to get a shot at the finals.  

So, As much as I hope the Thunder can win a game 7, If they cannot, then as much as I am on the opposite side against the Spurs.  I will root for them against the Heat.

----------


## Klop

I'm sure this has probably already been discussed, but it sure would be nice to see James Harden starting tonight for the Thunder. Makes ya wonder.

----------


## Just the facts

The Harden led Rockets folded their tents in round 1.

Anyhow, that was some crappy basketball in the second half and OT for the Thunder.  KD seems to have regressed about 2 years in the last month.

----------


## Jake

Spurs deserved to win this game and win the series.

Can't get mad. They had the better team.

----------


## Just the facts

> Spurs deserved to win this game and win the series.
> 
> Can't get mad. They had the better team.


The thing that is so frustrating is that the thunder players just kept making bad decisions, poor ball handling, and really bad shot selection.  None of those had anything to do with the Spurs.  What the Spurs did do was make OKC pay for those mistakes.

----------


## SOONER8693

Thunder will never win a championship with a 2 man team. And coaching, good grief. At crunch time Duncan is eating Ibaka alive and Perkins sits.

----------


## Just the facts

I think we saw our last game with Brooks.

----------


## Mel

That was disappointing. KD and Russ got played out. The bench didn't step up. Coach needs to change his way of thinking. You have to adapt, improvise and over come. We got out coached and out played. Next step. Go Spurs. beat the heat.

----------


## jn1780

So who wants to have the honor of starting the "What do Thunder need to change during the summer" Thread?

----------


## Anonymous.

Weak bench. Durant not a killer. Coach slow to adjust.

Beat the Heat!

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Spurs deserved to win this game and win the series.
> 
> Can't get mad. They had the better team.


Really?  Thunder is up 2 with 19 seconds and Duncan fouls the crap out of Fish with no call and Genobli hits a 3?  If the refs gets the call right and Fish hits the FTs we are up by 4 with 19 seconds and probably are going to SA for game 7.  Tell me again how SA DESERVED to win this game.

----------


## Pete

Spurs were the best team all season, so no shame in losing a tough series.

We'll be better next season, even without substantial changes.  Steven Adams will iimprove, as will almost everyone else.



Great season Thunder!   We are so lucky to have them.

----------


## catcherinthewry

> I think we saw our last game with Brooks.


If that were true I'd be OK with this season, but unfortunately, Brooks will be back next year. :Mad:

----------


## jn1780

> Really?  Thunder is up 2 with 19 seconds and Duncan fouls the crap out of Fish with no call and Genobli hits a 3?  If the refs gets the call right and Fish hits the FTs we are up by 4 with 19 seconds and probably are going to SA for game 7.  Tell me again how SA DESERVED to win this game.


They also let a goal tending foul by the Thunder pass.  Granted it would have been a silly foul since that ball had no chance of actually going in. 

It is what it is.  Do you know how to not let fouls determine the outcome of the game? Don't play lousy the first three quarters. If SA played *a little* bit better which they did in the third quarter, it would have been a blowout by the Spurs.

----------


## catcherinthewry

> Don't play lousy the first three quarters. If SA played *a little* bit better which they did in the third quarter, it would have been a blowout by the Spurs.


They didn't play lousy the first 3 quarters, they were ahead by 7 at halftime.  And how could've SA played "a little better" better in the 3rd quarter, they outscored us by 17?  

*Do you know how to not let fouls determine the outcome of a game?* 

Don't let Fish play the entire 4th quarter and OT and switch on every PR so he is guarding Duncan or Diaw.

----------


## Jake

Bench Points

SA-51
OKC-5

Yeah, they were the better team. When Derek Fisher is your only source of offense of the bench, things aren't good.

----------


## zookeeper

> Really?  Thunder is up 2 with 19 seconds and Duncan fouls the crap out of Fish with no call and Genobli hits a 3?  If the refs gets the call right and Fish hits the FTs we are up by 4 with 19 seconds and probably are going to SA for game 7.  Tell me again how SA DESERVED to win this game.


Westbrook and Durant were 1 of 12 in overtime. There is your defeat. 

We could cherry pick calls all through the game favoring one side or the other, but I have to agree with others that the Spurs deserved the win. Pop is a great playoff coach.

The Thunder had a great season and I imagine many more are ahead of this team.

----------


## jn1780

> They didn't play lousy the first 3 quarters, they were ahead by 7 at halftime.  And how could've SA played "a little better" better in the 3rd quarter, they outscored us by 17?  
> 
> *Do you know how to not let fouls determine the outcome of a game?* 
> 
> Don't let Fish play the entire 4th quarter and OT and switch on every PR so he is guarding Duncan or Diaw.


Both teams played lousy the first half. The Spurs missed a lot open shots(and they had a lot of opportunities since the Thunder couldnt rebound tonight). If the same SA team showed up that played games 1,2, and 5 it would have been a blowout.

The Thunder didnt play any worse the 3rd quarter. Sa just finally starting making baskets. Thats what I meant by a little better.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

> I think we saw our last game with Brooks.


You really think that Durant will let that happen? I agree that something needs to be done but I just don't see KD allowing Brooks to be thrown under the bus. I also think that Westbrook is just playing out his contract and then he's a Laker, unless something dramatic happens.

----------


## Easy180

> I think we saw our last game with Brooks.


Nah. He was out coached by the best in the business. No shame in that.

----------


## Jim Kyle

Perhaps, had he put Lamb, PJ3, Fish, and Butler into the game during the first half and given his top four a chance to rest, then those top four might not have run out of gas during the OT...

But hindsight is usually 20/20, and it's much easier to coach from the crowd than from the bench. The question is "What did he learn from this?" or maybe "Did he learn at all?"

----------


## betts

I think that Presti and the owners see what we see.  The question is, is there something they see that we don't?  I actually think Brooks will be fired.  I know KD loves him, but I suspect KD also wants to win and if Brooks isn't getting it done, the players know that as well.  They see it from a different vantage point than us, but they also know a lot more about basketball than we do too and they watch a hell of a lot of tape.  If management doesn't fire Brooks, it's not about the money, which I've heard some people say.  It's either because they can't find anyone they think will do a better job or they see/know something we don't.

----------


## s00nr1

I was thinking KD's relationship with Brooks would keep Scotty around until for the first time I saw KD forcefully lash out at him late in the 4th quarter for calling a timeout. That, to me, was telling and makes me think KD has become frustrated with Brooks' coaching.

----------


## Anonymous.

> I was thinking KD's relationship with Brooks would keep Scotty around until for the first time I saw KD forcefully lash out at him late in the 4th quarter for calling a timeout. That, to me, was telling and makes me think KD has become frustrated with Brooks' coaching.


I agree. That was the first time on public display that Durant was PISSED at Brooks. And I agree that we should not have called a TO during that moment. We had a chance to go up in the game with the momentum.

----------


## BlackmoreRulz

Another one was when KD had to tell Brooks to get Ibaka out of the game at the end of game 4.

----------


## dagnyt

I don't say much.  Last night I got really disgusted with the announcers when they kept saying there was no contribution from "the bench".  I saw some of this in the conversation this morning.  I would like to point out that the "bench" can't score when the "bench" is sitting on their behinds on the bench and not allowed to play by their coach.  Give the "bench" a break.

----------


## Laramie

*Congratulations to the Oklahoma City Thunder



 for a competitive NBA season.*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

> I think that Presti and the owners see what we see.  The question is, is there something they see that we don't?  I actually think Brooks will be fired.  I know KD loves him, but I suspect KD also wants to win and if Brooks isn't getting it done, the players know that as well.  They see it from a different vantage point than us, but they also know a lot more about basketball than we do too and they watch a hell of a lot of tape.  If management doesn't fire Brooks, it's not about the money, which I've heard some people say.  It's either because they can't find anyone they think will do a better job or they see/know something we don't.


I don't think they'll fire a coach who won 58 games. And that's 58 games with three of the starters missing close to 75 games. I do think they'll request Brooks get an assistant who is savvy on the motion/passing offense and insist that Brooks turn over the offensive game planning to this guy. I also think they'll go about beefing up the bench and maybe bust the salary cap a bit. 

There is one coach in the league who is in love with Perkins and Sefalosha and that's Thibideux at Chicago. I think it's possible if Thibs thinks Derrick Rose can come back he'll trade Hinrich and maybe even Carlos Boozer for Perkins, Sef and either Caron Butler or a draft pick. Sefalosha is good friends with Noah and Perkins has always been a Thibs favorite. Boozer's relationship in Chicago is a little strained. Could be a possibility.

----------


## s00nr1

Although I think Boozer would be a nice fit (moving Serge to the 5) there are a couple of holes in your theory:

1. Butler is a FA as of this morning.
2. Sefolosha is a FA as of this morning.
3. Perkins is a C and the Bulls have no need for both Perkins and Noah.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

> I don't say much.  Last night I got really disgusted with the announcers when they kept saying there was no contribution from "the bench".  I saw some of this in the conversation this morning.  I would like to point out that the "bench" can't score when the "bench" is sitting on their behinds on the bench and not allowed to play by their coach.  Give the "bench" a break.


Idk whether to LOL or ask SERIOUSLY? 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## Tritone

I'm no basketball expert; there are certainly many on this thread that know a lot more than I do (meant sincerely, not sarcastically).  What pleases me is NOT seeing on the news today cars being overturned and burning, windows smashed, etc.  I hope and pray you never turn into that kind of a "big league" city.

----------


## jn1780

> I'm no basketball expert; there are certainly many on this thread that know a lot more than I do (meant sincerely, not sarcastically).  *What pleases me is NOT seeing on the news today cars being overturned and burning, windows smashed, etc.  I hope and pray you never turn into that kind of a "big league" city*.


Really? How often does that happen in "Big League" city besides LA? Those people are looking for any reason to riot.

----------


## clz46

Just as a small reminder that one of our "bench" players, Jackson, was playing on the first team this round. He usually does score a few points as the 2nd team PG.

----------


## boitoirich

San Antonio definitely trusted their bench to get the job done, whereas we threw guys in sheepishly. Role players for the Spurs knew exactly what was expected of them in their time on the court and played accordingly. We put in guys and just kind of said, "Try to make something happen, will you?" That's where not having any kind of half-court offense really hurts us. Superstars like KD and Russ can get off on any given night and win you some games; role players need exactly that -- a role to play.

----------


## Laramie

> Although I think Boozer would be a nice fit (moving Serge to the 5) there are a couple of holes in your theory:
> 
> 1. Butler is a FA as of this morning.
> 2. Sefolosha is a FA as of this morning.
> *3. Perkins is a C and the Bulls have no need for both Perkins and Noah.*


Good point!

Perkins wouldn't be welcome in Chicago.

You recall when Sefolosha brought  Joakim Noah into the Thunder's locker room: 

Joakim Noah and Kendrick Perkins exchanged words in Thunder locker room.

They just let anybody in the locker room? Perkins asked Noah, according to The Oklahoman. After Noah volunteered to leave if his presence was unwanted, Perkins replied: Get your a up out of here.

Kendrick Perkins tells Joakim Noah to 'get your a-- up out' of Thunder locker room | The Point Forward - SI.com


* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Good point!
> 
> Perkins wouldn't be welcome in Chicago.
> 
> You recall when Sefolosha brought  Joakim Noah into the Thunder's locker room: 
> 
> Joakim Noah and Kendrick Perkins exchanged words in Thunder locker room.
> 
> They just let anybody in the locker room?” Perkins asked Noah, according to The Oklahoman. After Noah volunteered to leave if his presence was unwanted, Perkins replied: “Get your a– up out of here.”
> ...


Thibs was crazy about Perkins in Boston. I think that little dust up was just for show.

----------


## Urbanized

I don't know if it was as much for show as it was an old-school move. Perkins works hard to cultivate the us-against-them team mentality and doesn't go for the new-age buddy-buddy hugs after games and say-sweet-things-in-post-game-interviews stuff that's so pervasive in the league these days. He's not in it to make friends. I didn't take that as anything personal with Noah or Chicago; it was just snarling protect-this-house attitude.

I should be paid by the hyphen for that post.

----------


## BoulderSooner

There is almost no chance that brooks gets fired.    It is not his fault that we didn't box out and that we had too many turnovers against the best team in the league.  

Perk will also be back.  

We have the full mid level to offer as well as the bi annual and 2 draft picks.

----------


## SoonerDave

The bench for OKC will necessarily look a lot different next year. 

The most telling stat I saw regarding game 6 was bench points: SA 51, OKC 5. 

Yikes. 

I think the way the OKC bench was constructed is reflective of the way OKC's offense is designed - its very much oriented to getting KD and RW their looks, getting into gaps and spacing, with someone like an Ibaka as an "extra option." I don't know enough about bkb to say that's bad or good, it's just the way it is as best I can tell. Since there is really no formal system, eg they don't really run the "XYZ" offense, you get a bench of role players. And that's zactly what OKC has.

I think, in contrast, SA _relies_ on their system. Ball movement. Structure. Move the ball around enough times with enough speed because you trust that system, and you know _someone_ is going to get open, _someone_ will blow a defensive assignment.  It's a system that has allowed a bunch of guys to contend for an NBA title/division for a lot of years. Their reliance on the structure of their system is one of the reasons Pop didn't even bother trying to recompete in Game 4 when OKC got on a roll and out-everything SA - Popovich wasn't going to waste energy or minutes trying to get his athletes to "out-athlete" OKC's best. He didn't need to. He was willing to live or die by his system, and he won. 

I don't know how much formal offensive structure you can insinuate into what OKC does. I heard someone mention whether KD should develop some sort of low-post presence, but if he does, does that take away opportunities for those little off-the-key floaters he tosses up? Is RW really still RW if he's following a more heavily structured offensive system? Don't know. Others who know bkb better than I do will have to answer that one. 

Best I can see is that we try to get at least one more solid, two-way player, someone hopefully with some post presence to give what OKC does run some additional options. I, personally, am hoping against hope SA wins the whole thing now, because I think if they do, a lot of their senior players will hang it up  :Smile: 

Just have to see how next year unfolds, I s'pose.

----------


## Stan Silliman

> The bench for OKC will necessarily look a lot different next year. 
> 
> The most telling stat I saw regarding game 6 was bench points: SA 51, OKC 5. 
> 
> Yikes. 
> 
> I think the way the OKC bench was constructed is reflective of the way OKC's offense is designed - its very much oriented to getting KD and RW their looks, getting into gaps and spacing, with someone like an Ibaka as an "extra option." I don't know enough about bkb to say that's bad or good, it's just the way it is as best I can tell. Since there is really no formal system, eg they don't really run the "XYZ" offense, you get a bench of role players. And that's zactly what OKC has.
> 
> I think, in contrast, SA _relies_ on their system. Ball movement. Structure. Move the ball around enough times with enough speed because you trust that system, and you know _someone_ is going to get open, _someone_ will blow a defensive assignment.  It's a system that has allowed a bunch of guys to contend for an NBA title/division for a lot of years. Their reliance on the structure of their system is one of the reasons Pop didn't even bother trying to recompete in Game 4 when OKC got on a roll and out-everything SA - Popovich wasn't going to waste energy or minutes trying to get his athletes to "out-athlete" OKC's best. He didn't need to. He was willing to live or die by his system, and he won. 
> ...


This is a very well reasoned reply. 
We are not a back to the basket or run an offense through the center team. 
Memphis is, the Clippers are, Trailblazers are, and somewhat the Spurs are. 
The Heat, for most of their plays are not and we are not. 
We take advantage of the mobility and the special skills of our superstars. 

With that comes the exposure of our weaknesses, which is mainly Durant has
certain strength issues and at times, our offense, because the players are not
in constant motion, becomes stagnant.  

If Durant developed a low post presence like LeBron or Carmelo, they'd quit guarding
him with little guys and he'd quit getting the ball stripped.  

Russell Westbrook is a fantastic point guard. Three triple doubles in the playoffs? And, 
he's still learning. If Russ had a reliable non-Perk center and/or a JJ Redick outside shooter
he'd average 11 assists per game. Hopefully, Steven Adams will develop like I think to be 
the "Lob City" equivalent of DeAndre Jordan. Adams is already a better passer.

----------


## dankrutka

I think Mark Stein is right on most of his points: Summer Scoop: Thunder's road ahead - Marc Stein Blog - ESPN

I don't see the Thunder making any big moves, but you never know with Presti. The Thunder have a decent number of okay assets (PJ3, Lamb, Roberson, two 1st round picks), but I really think the team just needs to add a more consistent two-way bench player that can hit 3s and space the floor. Ideally, the Thunder can land a vet chasing a ring on a minimum deal. They could just re-sign Caron Butler who was good in the regular season, but largely disappeared in the playoffs. However, any vet takes away minutes from any of the young guys getting the experience needed to develop. It's very possible the Thunder stand pat until the trade deadline in the spring and make a move then if necessary.

----------


## s00nr1

Aaron Afflalo.

----------


## dankrutka

> Aaron Afflalo.


He would be ideal. He's a great 3 point shooter and a pretty good all around player. But... he doesn't fit in financially unless (a) we trade/don't re-sign someone like Reggie or (b) plan on going way over the tax (not happening), right? Or is the tax line rising enough that we could get creative and get under it with him? Orlando's GM is Rob Hennigan, who came up in the Thunder organization. Maybe he'd take a young player (PJ3 or Lamb) and a 2-3 draft picks for him. He has 7.3 million due to him next season with a player option for the season after. He might choose to turn down his player option because he's underpaid currently. He's on a relatively cheap contract considering his production. Man, he could be the missing piece. I'd love to see it.

----------


## dankrutka

> I'm no basketball expert; there are certainly many on this thread that know a lot more than I do (meant sincerely, not sarcastically).  What pleases me is NOT seeing on the news today cars being overturned and burning, windows smashed, etc.  I hope and pray you never turn into that kind of a "big league" city.


Is this a joke or serious? Honestly asking because I can't remember one time an NBA team was eliminated from the playoffs resulted in anything close to what you're describing. Do you have even one example?

----------


## Laramie

> I'm no basketball expert; there are certainly many on this thread that know a lot more than I do (meant sincerely, not sarcastically).  What pleases me is NOT seeing on the news today cars being overturned and burning, windows smashed, etc.  I hope and pray you never turn into that kind of a "big league" city.



We're in the infancy stages of a 'Big League City'.  

One of the finder qualities that brought me back to Oklahoma City was the sincere heart and hospitality of her people (true friendships).  Oklahoma City is a jewel of a city; *she doesn't attempt to attract attention nor does she act a fool.*  OKC doesn't tolerate foolishness!

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Anonymous.

> Is this a joke or serious? Honestly asking because I can't remember one time an NBA team was eliminated from the playoffs resulted in anything close to what you're describing. Do you have even one example?


He must think every city is full of Vancouver hockey fans.

----------


## Laramie

> *Thibs was crazy about Perkins in Boston.* I think that little dust up was just for show.


Seriously Stan, Who in the 'hell' is Thibs?

You know that Perkins sometimes comes off as somewhat of a bully.  Must admit, he has yet to back down or blink!

His opponents probably will never know and they are not to testy to challenge him to find out.   Perkins has learned how to play 'big bad wolf with his opponents.'  His bark is probably more lethal than his bite.  _If looks could kill ; then you don't want to mess with Kendrick Perkins._  He stared down Memphis' Mighty Jo Z-Bo and sent Tayshaun Prince walking in the other direction.

The Thunder needed an 'enforcer' on the team and Kendrick Perkins is the perfect mold for that role character.  He does need to step up his game and become more of a threat under the basket.  Since his injury, it doesn't appear that he can jump 6 inches off the ground.

Trending:  Fisher to coach Knicks or Lakers?

Sources: Lakers cool on Derek Fisher, who is Knicks' top head-coaching target

Y! SPORTS

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

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## dankrutka

Thibs = Tom Thibodeau, coach of the Bulls and former Celtics assistant

----------


## Bellaboo

> I'm no basketball expert; there are certainly many on this thread that know a lot more than I do (meant sincerely, not sarcastically).  What pleases me is NOT seeing on the news today cars being overturned and burning, windows smashed, etc.  I hope and pray you never turn into that kind of a "big league" city.


Please tell when this has happened in an NBA series loss ? I can think of some college students going nuts and acting this way during the NCAA Playoffs (usually with a little liquid courage), but not in the NBA ???

----------


## Stan Silliman

> Seriously Stan, Who in the 'hell' is Thibs?
> 
> You know that Perkins sometimes comes off as somewhat of a bully.  Must admit, he has yet to back down or blink!
> 
> His opponents probably will never know and they are not to testy to challenge him to find out.   Perkins has learned how to play 'big bad wolf with his opponents.'  His bark is probably more lethal than his bite.  _If looks could kill ; then you don't want to mess with Kendrick Perkins._  He stared down Memphis' Mighty Jo Z-Bo and sent Tayshaun Prince walking in the other direction.
> 
> The Thunder needed an 'enforcer' on the team and Kendrick Perkins is the perfect mold for that role character.  He does need to step up his game and become more of a threat under the basket.  Since his injury, it doesn't appear that he can jump 6 inches off the ground.
> 
> Trending:  Fisher to coach Knicks or Lakers?
> ...


Against back to the basket players, Perkins has value. But not what we're playing, on a minutes basis.  If we could somehow trade Perkins for Boozer we'd have an enforcer with offensive moves.

----------


## Laramie

> Against back to the basket players, Perkins has value. But not what we're playing, on a minutes basis.  If we could somehow trade Perkins for Boozer we'd have an enforcer with offensive moves.


Boozer?  Nah!

You're going to need something stronger than coffee to get that deal done.  Boozer is making more than Ibaka...

Kendrick Perkins ($8,727,437)  Oklahoma City Thunder 2014 Team Roster - ESPN
Carlos Boozer ($15,300,000)  Chicago Bulls 2014 Team Roster - ESPN

Greivis Vasquez ($2,150,188 - Toronto)?    Would make a good backup point guard.  Move Westbrook over to the 2 (Shooting guard).  He is familiar with Kevin Durant (both played for Montrose Christian School, D.C. area).



* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

Boozer makes $16.3 million next season... No thanks. That's just an absolutely awful contract for a player that's really deteriorated.

----------


## Stan Silliman

Would you trade him for the son of a pro boxer - Marcin Gortat - who makes $ 7.7 million? Or do you think Gortat lacks the enforcer type physique?

----------


## BoulderSooner

Stop trying to move Russ to the 2. He is close to being the best pg in the league

----------


## Urbanized

Geez no kidding. Enough already.

----------


## Teo9969

> He would be ideal. He's a great 3 point shooter and a pretty good all around player. But... he doesn't fit in financially unless (a) we trade/don't re-sign someone like Reggie or (b) plan on going way over the tax (not happening), right? Or is the tax line rising enough that we could get creative and get under it with him? Orlando's GM is Rob Hennigan, who came up in the Thunder organization. Maybe he'd take a young player (PJ3 or Lamb) and a 2-3 draft picks for him. He has 7.3 million due to him next season with a player option for the season after. He might choose to turn down his player option because he's underpaid currently. He's on a relatively cheap contract considering his production. Man, he could be the missing piece. I'd love to see it.


Would rather push for Avery Bradley. He just finished his Rookie contract with Boston, and they're looking to totally revamp the team. I bet they'll let him walk if they don't get a really good deal on him. The dude plays great defense and can also create his own shot. Literally exactly what we need at the 2…and he's young.

Only down-side is his injury history.

----------


## Laramie

> Stop trying to move Russ to the 2. He is close to being the best pg in the league


He's my favorite Thunder player; however he doesn't play like a true point guard.  The advantage you would have moving Westbrook to the shooting guard (two); he can attack from the left or the right side of the court.  He and K. D. can give you that balance from any side of the court.  Russell is a great passer, he doesn't like to distribute.  His biggest weakness is driving into a trap and then trying to pass the ball back out or cross zone; this results in wild shots or turnovers which  allows the opponents to fast break. 

Thabo *[$3.9 million*]* played great defense; but let's face it, he's not a two.

If Russ maintains consistent play; yes, he would be the best point guard in the league.   Russell Westbrook sometimes can be as *'bull headed'* as any player can  get (unpredictable).  When Russell Westbrook is hitting on all cylinders; the Thunder looks great--when Westbrook is out-of-control; the Thunder looks bad.


*[*$2.2 million]*?  Greivis Vasquez *(Age 27) 6'6" 211lbs*.,  would make a good point guard/shooting guard or back up.
2014 Toronto - Stats:  9.6 PPG, 85% Free Throws, 2.2 Rebounds, 4.5 Assists Per Game.

Greivis Vasquez Stats - Toronto Raptors - ESPN

Toronto Raptors 2014 Team Roster - ESPN

Vasquez (6'6") is not afraid to shoot or drive the ball to the basket.  You could probably sign this guy for $2.5 - $3.0 million.   Get this guy while he is available.  

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

If Russ were going to move the 2, which he's not, why wouldn't Reggie just play PG? Tony Parker isn't a traditional PG. Is everyone complaining about him? Russ is actually a pretty solid passer and his assist numbers back it up. And, Thabo is definitely a 2. Just not a very good one. 

I could see us running a system where Reggie and Russ have somewhat interchangeable roles to take advantage of what the defense gives. Our offensive system needs improvement, but Russ doesn't need to move positions in my opinion. He has probably been the second best player in the playoffs behind LeBron all while playing PG.

----------


## Stan Silliman

I like Greivis Vasquez. He was a high school teammate of Durant's. Then try for Aaron Affalo, college teammate of Westbrook's. If you get those two the second team becomes better and they can mix in with the first team as needed. I don't know who we'd trade to Orlando for Affalo unless they'd want Pleiss and PJ and a draft pick.

----------


## dankrutka

Afflalo wouldn't fit in our trade exception so we'd have to trade back some contracts... Who else besides Perk? I just don't see how that deal happens. I'd love to have Afflalo though. He'd really help space the floor.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

What's this Latvian talk I'm hearing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## jn1780

Here is an early congrats to the San Antonio Spurs! Thanks for finally ending Miami's streak! 

But, Thunder will win it all next season! lol

----------


## Mel

Congrats to the Spurs. You earned it. Hope the damage from the riots don't cause too much damage.

----------


## OKCDrummer77

For the 4th time in 5 years, the team that eliminated the Thunder won the title.

----------


## ljbab728

After watching the Spurs destroy the Heat in the finals I think it would be fair to say that the Thunder were the second best team this year.

----------


## Pete

> After watching the Spurs destroy the Heat in the finals I think it would be fair to say that the Thunder were the second best team this year.


Yep!

And they are getting older, while we are maturing.

It also demonstrated how much better the teams in the west were vs. those in the east.

Bodes well for next season and beyond.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Spurs will still be a beast next playoffs season. Regular season doesn't apply when it comes to them. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## Soonerman

As long as Greg Popovich is coaching the Spurs, They will be contenders.

----------


## JoninATX

The Spurs deserve it! As for the rioting in San Antonio, that's something we Texans don't resort to unless it's needed.  :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

2014 NBA Champions! 
Give it up to the San Antonio Spurs!  

Coach Greg Popovich guarded their minutes; inserted the best match-ups as Erik Spoelstra & Miami blew a gasket trying to counter the Spurs' moves.  The Ray Allen move killed the Heat's bench.

Coach Popovich mastered his teams' strengths.  He did not have three franchise players (James, Wade & Bosh) to bring home a well-deserved championship.

Thunder fans, our day will come sooner than you think...

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## JoninATX

The Thunder will have it's moment to shine oneday, and when that time comes this Texan will be joining ya'll in the OKC!

----------


## dankrutka

> The Thunder will have it's moment to shine oneday, and when that time comes this Texan will be joining ya'll in the OKC!


There are lot of great teams (see the early-2000 Kings, mid-2000 Suns as recent examples) that never got a title when it seemed likely. Nothing is inevitable, but the Thunder are still in a great position to compete. And that's all you can ask for sometimes.

----------


## Laramie

*2014 NBA Draft*
June 26, 6:30 p.m.  Barclays Center, Brooklyn - ESPN 

We have the 21st & 29th picks in the NBA draft.  Are there some possible 'diamonds-in-the-rough' in this upcoming draft?  We will have to replace Fisher.  Sefolosha & Butler are to be determined...

What are our needs(?):

1.  Consistency and depth at the center position 5.
Steven Adams was a great find.  We need back up; another big man like Adams, who attacks and shoots with confidence.  Ibaka can be used as a 4 or 5.
2.  Good back up guards, 1-2 (Fisher's gone).
Will Reggie Jackson be resigned?  We need an insurance backup to Westbrook & Jackson.
3.  Two-three additional bench players, 2-3-4 who aren't afraid to attack the paint and shoot.
Development of Perry Jones?   PJIII needs increased playing time to gain confidence and develop his skills; his potential hasn't been challenged.
Build through the draft, pick up a few veterans...

NBA Orlando Summer League, July 5-11 NBA-TV

Ten Participants:  Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.

Orlando Magic to Host Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League | Orlando Magic

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

If Russ were going to move the 2, which he's not, why wouldn't Reggie just play PG? Tony Parker isn't a traditional PG. Is everyone complaining about him? Russ is actually a pretty solid passer and his assist numbers back it up. And, Thabo is definitely a 2. Just not a very good one. 

I could see us running a system where Reggie and Russ have somewhat interchangeable roles to take advantage of what the defense gives. Our offensive system needs improvement, but Russ doesn't need to move positions in my opinion. He has probably been the second best player in the playoffs behind LeBron all while playing PG.

----------


## Stan Silliman

I like Greivis Vasquez. He was a high school teammate of Durant's. Then try for Aaron Affalo, college teammate of Westbrook's. If you get those two the second team becomes better and they can mix in with the first team as needed. I don't know who we'd trade to Orlando for Affalo unless they'd want Pleiss and PJ and a draft pick.

----------


## dankrutka

Afflalo wouldn't fit in our trade exception so we'd have to trade back some contracts... Who else besides Perk? I just don't see how that deal happens. I'd love to have Afflalo though. He'd really help space the floor.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

What's this Latvian talk I'm hearing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## jn1780

Here is an early congrats to the San Antonio Spurs! Thanks for finally ending Miami's streak! 

But, Thunder will win it all next season! lol

----------


## Mel

Congrats to the Spurs. You earned it. Hope the damage from the riots don't cause too much damage.

----------


## OKCDrummer77

For the 4th time in 5 years, the team that eliminated the Thunder won the title.

----------


## ljbab728

After watching the Spurs destroy the Heat in the finals I think it would be fair to say that the Thunder were the second best team this year.

----------


## Pete

> After watching the Spurs destroy the Heat in the finals I think it would be fair to say that the Thunder were the second best team this year.


Yep!

And they are getting older, while we are maturing.

It also demonstrated how much better the teams in the west were vs. those in the east.

Bodes well for next season and beyond.

----------


## OKCisOK4me

Spurs will still be a beast next playoffs season. Regular season doesn't apply when it comes to them. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

----------


## Soonerman

As long as Greg Popovich is coaching the Spurs, They will be contenders.

----------


## JoninATX

The Spurs deserve it! As for the rioting in San Antonio, that's something we Texans don't resort to unless it's needed.  :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

2014 NBA Champions! 
Give it up to the San Antonio Spurs!  

Coach Greg Popovich guarded their minutes; inserted the best match-ups as Erik Spoelstra & Miami blew a gasket trying to counter the Spurs' moves.  The Ray Allen move killed the Heat's bench.

Coach Popovich mastered his teams' strengths.  He did not have three franchise players (James, Wade & Bosh) to bring home a well-deserved championship.

Thunder fans, our day will come sooner than you think...

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## JoninATX

The Thunder will have it's moment to shine oneday, and when that time comes this Texan will be joining ya'll in the OKC!

----------


## dankrutka

> The Thunder will have it's moment to shine oneday, and when that time comes this Texan will be joining ya'll in the OKC!


There are lot of great teams (see the early-2000 Kings, mid-2000 Suns as recent examples) that never got a title when it seemed likely. Nothing is inevitable, but the Thunder are still in a great position to compete. And that's all you can ask for sometimes.

----------


## Laramie

*2014 NBA Draft*
June 26, 6:30 p.m.  Barclays Center, Brooklyn - ESPN 

We have the 21st & 29th picks in the NBA draft.  Are there some possible 'diamonds-in-the-rough' in this upcoming draft?  We will have to replace Fisher.  Sefolosha & Butler are to be determined...

What are our needs(?):

1.  Consistency and depth at the center position 5.
Steven Adams was a great find.  We need back up; another big man like Adams, who attacks and shoots with confidence.  Ibaka can be used as a 4 or 5.
2.  Good back up guards, 1-2 (Fisher's gone).
Will Reggie Jackson be resigned?  We need an insurance backup to Westbrook & Jackson.
3.  Two-three additional bench players, 2-3-4 who aren't afraid to attack the paint and shoot.
Development of Perry Jones?   PJIII needs increased playing time to gain confidence and develop his skills; his potential hasn't been challenged.
Build through the draft, pick up a few veterans...

NBA Orlando Summer League, July 5-11 NBA-TV

Ten Participants:  Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.

Orlando Magic to Host Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League | Orlando Magic

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------

