Well Dallas pretty much lost their playoff hopes last night. Lakers blew them out in LA.

So basically the Lakers and Jazz are tied for 8th seed right now.



This is setting the stage for several things:

Scenario 1: We beat Spurs Thursday night (great chance @ #1 seed)

We then play Lakers or Jazz.


Scenario 2: We lose to the Spurs Thursday or lose some of the easier games remaining on OKC schedule (Knicks and Pacers are statistical hardest opponents remaining)

We then most likely play Houston.


I think (no, I KNOW) we want the first scenario, Harden can take over games and the Rockets have shown strength versus the Spurs. So we have a good shot at having Spurs knocked out early, and if not - at least we don't have to deal with the Rockets.

I still go back to a fear in my head that if the Lakers make the 8 spot, whoever is #1 is going to be playing against some really bad officiating.

the thunder would beat the rockets in 4 or 5 games

I think Fisher did make a difference last year and was happy to see him come back. That has since changed. I have to agree with everyone that he has brought nothing this year. Reggie needs to be on the floor those minutes.

About Maynor. I don't know if Brooks gave him enough time or not. I do know there are players in every pro sport that play really well for one team and then go to another and do nothing. And vice versa.

I think Fisher is just cheap insurance as a point guard in case (God Forbid) we lost Russell or Reggie....

Well Dallas pretty much lost their playoff hopes last night. Lakers blew them out in LA.

So basically the Lakers and Jazz are tied for 8th seed right now.



This is setting the stage for several things:

Scenario 1: We beat Spurs Thursday night (great chance @ #1 seed)

We then play Lakers or Jazz.


Scenario 2: We lose to the Spurs Thursday or lose some of the easier games remaining on OKC schedule (Knicks and Pacers are statistical hardest opponents remaining)

We then most likely play Houston.


I think (no, I KNOW) we want the first scenario, Harden can take over games and the Rockets have shown strength versus the Spurs. So we have a good shot at having Spurs knocked out early, and if not - at least we don't have to deal with the Rockets.

I still go back to a fear in my head that if the Lakers make the 8 spot, whoever is #1 is going to be playing against some really bad officiating.

Memphis is the only team that will knock out either the Spurs or the Thunder in the West...every other team will be disposed of in 6 games or less. Memphis being in the Spurs bracket is our only hope of not having to play San Antonio.

Houston would do well to keep one game with OKC to 2 scores or less. They MAY be able to beat the Spurs one time. Houston's goal should be to win at least 1 game at home...because that's probably their ceiling this post season.

The Lakers are old and can't play defense...I'd rather play LA than Utah here in 3 weeks.

I think Fisher is just cheap insurance as a point guard in case (God Forbid) we lost Russell or Reggie....

You're smoking something very potent if you think Brooks isn't going to play Fisher 15+ minutes in the playoffs. I'm fairly sure he'll get more minutes than Collison.

You're smoking something very potent if you think Brooks isn't going to play Fisher 15+ minutes in the playoffs. I'm fairly sure he'll get more minutes than Collison.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wait, that was a joke, right? You do realize that Fisher averages less minutes than Reggie Jackson, let alone Nick Collison, right?

You're smoking something very potent if you think Brooks isn't going to play Fisher 15+ minutes in the playoffs. I'm fairly sure he'll get more minutes than Collison.

I hope to god not. What a nightmare that would be, but I don't think it would happen. The team would be much better without every having given Brooks the Fisher option. Big screw up by Presti.

Memphis is the only team that will knock out either the Spurs or the Thunder in the West...every other team will be disposed of in 6 games or less. Memphis being in the Spurs bracket is our only hope of not having to play San Antonio.

Houston would do well to keep one game with OKC to 2 scores or less. They MAY be able to beat the Spurs one time. Houston's goal should be to win at least 1 game at home...because that's probably their ceiling this post season.

The Lakers are old and can't play defense...I'd rather play LA than Utah here in 3 weeks.

Thanks for enlightening us. Now I don't have to watch the first few rounds of the playoffs.

Memphis is the only team that will knock out either the Spurs or the Thunder in the West...every other team will be disposed of in 6 games or less. Memphis being in the Spurs bracket is our only hope of not having to play San Antonio.


I would rather play San Antonio than Memphis in a WCF.

Plus, the Clippers have the Grizzlies' number. And they are almsot a guarantee first round match for both. The problem with that is, the Spurs have the Clipper's number. So the Spurs will walk through round 2 easy if MEM cannot beat LAC.


For these reasons and the fact tha OKC probably need HCA m ore this season than last, I say we want #1 undoubtedly.




And if you stop discussing other team's paths through the playoffs, you get to focus on just OKC... Which we have a stubborn coach who doesn't understand changing your rotation based upon the lineups on the floor. It is a sad state, and a wasted year if Brooks costs us this playoff season.

Thanks for enlightening us. Now I don't have to watch the first few rounds of the playoffs.

You're welcome.

Tonight is the night.

8:30 on TNT, will be a late night for ticket holders as the game is starting late AND it is televised. [I have already decided that being tired @ work on Fridays is okay]

:bedtime:

Yeah, I'm already sleep deprived for the week and I'll be adding to the deficit this evening..... Hoping for a blow out so maybe I can leave the arena early. Probably not going to happen though.

If the Thunder just stays focused and takes care of business for their last few games they should finish with the number one seed in the West.

The Thunder win 100-88. More impressive, Derek Fisher went 5-7 from money land (3-point range) and scored 17 points. Kevin Martin scored a wopping 2 (2!!!) points.

The Thunder win 100-88. More impressive, Derek Fisher went 5-7 from money land (3-point range) and scored 17 points. Kevin Martin scored a wopping 2 (2!!!) points.

Hopefully Derek Fisher stays this hot, I still cant believe the Spurs biggest lead was only one.

Hopefully Derek Fisher stays this hot, I still cant believe the Spurs biggest lead was only one.

I'll end the suspense for you... He won't.

I'll end the suspense for you... He won't.

LOL!!! ...Truth

Didn't he have a game or two like this shortly before the playoffs started last year?

I'm still not convinced that he'll get much more than 5 to 10 minutes a game during the playoffs, and I lean toward the 5 (unless, of course, OKC is up huge in the 4th).

The Thunder win 100-88. More impressive, Derek Fisher went 5-7 from money land (3-point range) and scored 17 points. Kevin Martin scored a wopping 2 (2!!!) points.

Spurs bring the best outta Fisher (.4 3-pointer when he was a Laker).

The Thunder have four very tough road games left all against playoff teams battling for position. The Nuggets have only two. They are against Dallas and San Antonio. I see the Nuggets potentially winning both of those even with Gallinari going down because George Karl is a great coach. This means that the Thunder can only drop as many as 3 of their last 7 to stay in front of Denver and secure the 2nd spot. I think the Thunder could win all of their road games, however, they have to have good bench production and not fold at the end of tight games.

As confident as I am, I personally believe we will lose ALL remaining road games, maybe we will get lucky @ Portland, but @Indiana, @Golden State, and @Utah... We can forget about being the #1 seed. =(

Thunder could lose tonight, they played a very energetic game. However, I still think we are now definitely the #1 in the West from here.

Spurs are in trouble, Ginobli is hurt, Jackson is hurt, and Parker is hurt/sore. All of this just weeks away from playoffs is not a good sign for them. Add the fact that they have lost the last 3 or 4 games and are rather deflated.


If Martin starts showing up we can put together a nice momentum swing into the playoffs.




Side note on Fisher: Are you serious? He is known as a Spurs killer, but last night was just ridiculous. We will see how he does down the stretch here, but for now I am calling FLUKE!

He does zero things for 3 weeks and suddenly drops 19 on our biggest West rival at the moment.

As confident as I am, I personally believe we will lose ALL remaining road games, maybe we will get lucky @ Portland, but @Indiana, @Golden State, and @Utah... We can forget about being the #1 seed. =(

Well, we may possibly forget about being the #1 seed, but we can for sure forget about your prediction being correct.

Well, we may possibly forget about being the #1 seed, but we can for sure forget about your prediction being correct.

Hahaha yeah, I didnt think We could pull it off like that against a team like the Pacers

Hahaha yeah, I didnt think We could pull it off like that against a team like the Pacers

Out of curiosity, why?

Almost playoff time when the youngsters have an advantage over the old aching knees veterans

More worried about Memphis than anyone else

nvm

Out of curiosity, why?

Thunder seems to always struggle at their place, won in Overtime two seasons ago and got blown out last season, so I was 100% sure we were going to lose to them again since the Pacers keep getting better

Almost playoff time when the youngsters have an advantage over the old aching knees veterans

More worried about Memphis than anyone else

We beat Memphis in Game 7 before WITHOUT Rudy Gay, So they are irrelevant to me

We beat Memphis in Game 7 before WITHOUT Rudy Gay, So they are irrelevant to me

That was 2 years ago. How in the world can you use a series from 2 years ago as a justification to "I'm not worried about them". The Thunder always have a hard time with the Grizzlies. If you recall, the Thunder played the Grizzlies right after they traded Rudy Gay & the Grizzlies won that game. On a last second tip in, but still. Not saying that means that Memphis has our number, but the fact you're blowing them off because of something from 2 years ago blows my mind.

Here's to hoping I bit the trolls bait & you weren't serious. :Smiley171:Smiley051

Thunder seems to always struggle at their place, won in Overtime two seasons ago and got blown out last season, so I was 100% sure we were going to lose to them again since the Pacers keep getting better

This rationale I can understand. I didn't expect them to win either for similar reasons. I didn't watch the game due to a school event so when I checked it & saw the Thunder had won 97-75, I was pretty happy.

Huge game today with the Knicks in town.

We beat Memphis in Game 7 before WITHOUT Rudy Gay, So they are irrelevant to me

If you include the words "game 7" in your post you shouldn't also include the word "irrelevant"

Huge game today with the Knicks in town.

Gonna kick the Knicks right out of their bockers!
:)

That was 2 years ago. How in the world can you use a series from 2 years ago as a justification to "I'm not worried about them". The Thunder always have a hard time with the Grizzlies. If you recall, the Thunder played the Grizzlies right after they traded Rudy Gay & the Grizzlies won that game. On a last second tip in, but still. Not saying that means that Memphis has our number, but the fact you're blowing them off because of something from 2 years ago blows my mind.

Here's to hoping I bit the trolls bait & you weren't serious. :Smiley171:Smiley051

No.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Recap - January 31, 2013 - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400278402)

This rationale I can understand. I didn't expect them to win either for similar reasons. I didn't watch the game due to a school event so when I checked it & saw the Thunder had won 97-75, I was pretty happy.

I didnt watch it either, and I checked the score and was happy as well.

That was 2 years ago. How in the world can you use a series from 2 years ago as a justification to "I'm not worried about them". The Thunder always have a hard time with the Grizzlies. If you recall, the Thunder played the Grizzlies right after they traded Rudy Gay & the Grizzlies won that game. On a last second tip in, but still. Not saying that means that Memphis has our number, but the fact you're blowing them off because of something from 2 years ago blows my mind.


Here's to hoping I bit the trolls bait & you weren't serious. :Smiley171:Smiley051

We are #2, Will probably end up #1, and they fell to #5, We DID beat them the night after they traded him, so I am no longer having this conversation with you.

We are #2, Will probably end up #1, and they fell to #5, We DID beat them the night after they traded him, so I am no longer having this conversation with you.

Okay, I got the game mixed up. It was March 20th they beat us on a tip-in, which was also AFTER they traded away Rudy Gay. The point is the same other than I got the game mixed up. Like you said, this conversation doesn't need to go any further...

But we won't have to mess with them in the first round anyway, so I won't think much about the Grizzlies until we play them if we do.

No.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Recap - January 31, 2013 - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400278402)

Excuse me. Thank you for the correction. We play the Grizzlies so much it seems, all their games run together in my head.

Thunder gave up way too many offensive boards today. Good game by the Knicks.

The last time the Knicks scored at least 125 points in a game was on April 5th, 2011 against Toronto, only the Thunder, unbelievable!

Thunder gave up way too many offensive boards today. Good game by the Knicks.

Yep.

Durant in particular sucked on the boards. 3 Rebs in 45 minutes...

I love Carmelo Anthony. But obviously Thunder would have won with James Harden. We would be undefeated with him. *Sarcasm

Even though we lost, we still have a chance to finish #1 in the West, but it won't be easy, we would have to win the rest of our games, and Spurs would have to lose 2 more, because now they have a 1 game lead.

Spurs only need to lose 1 more...OKC owns the tie-breaker.

Yea essentially losing to the Knicks means we no longer control our own fate. Now to get #1, we depend on the Spurs to drop a game before the season is over. Which is pretty likely.

But we need to win-out from here.

Yea essentially losing to the Knicks means we no longer control our own fate. Now to get #1, we depend on the Spurs to drop a game before the season is over. Which is pretty likely.

But we need to win-out from here.

the #2 seed is a better draw for the Thunder .. it puts the spurs lakers clippers and grizz in the other half of the bracket

the #2 seed is a better draw for the Thunder .. it puts the spurs lakers clippers and grizz in the other half of the bracket

Yeah, I would rather play the Rockets first round, then the winner of the Denver-Golden State series than Memphis-Clippers.

Yeah, I would rather play the Rockets first round, then the winner of the Denver-Golden State series than Memphis-Clippers.

Agreed, this avoids some tough matchups. The West is stacked. No one is getting to the Finals easy this year.

For the people who think we aren't as good as last year, think about this: Our record was 47-19 at a much shortened season of 66 games last year. That is a winning percentage of 71%. For us to get to that same winning percentage this year, we would have to win 58.39 games. As of last night, we were 57-21 with four games left to play. Two of them are on the road against very beatable Warriors and Portland and two at home against the Kings and the Bucks. If we win out, we will have a 74% winning percentage.

Thunder only half game back of Spurs now.

Spurs play in Denver tonight, where almost nobody has won but the Nuggets. Next difficult game for the Spurs is playing in LA against the desperate Lakers.

Right now the Lakers are the 8 spot as we gave the Jazz a loss.



Spurs/Nugs game is on ESPN tonight if you want to check it out, go Nugs! :)

Go Spurs. Again, I prefer the 2 seed match ups...

I think you will change your mind in a series with the Nuggets...

I think you will change your mind in a series with the Nuggets...

That's the problem: would you rather have a seven game series against the Nuggets or the Grizzlies/Clippers winner? I guess we have pretty much owned the Clippers (3-0), but have a losing record to the Grizzlies (1-2) and Denver (1-3) this season.

That's the problem: would you rather have a seven game series against the Nuggets or the Grizzlies/Clippers winner? I guess we have pretty much owned the Clippers (3-0), but have a losing record to the Grizzlies (1-2) and Denver (1-3) this season.

But.... Denver lost Gallinaro for the season, he was their second leading scorer. That changes everything for them.

The thing is... the Clippers know how to beat the Grizz. We will know better after Saturday (Clippers going to Memphis)

So history says we would play the Clips, and we own them now.



You are right about the Nugs losing Gallinari, except Gallinari is not that good vs OKC. Nuggets are full of weapons that are known as "Thunder killers". See below:

Brewer, Miller, Chandler, even Faried's passion to win is frightening to me.

Look what these players did to us in our matchups with the Nugs and then you will see why Gallinari missing does not have that much of an impact.

Except OKC never played Denver with any sort of defensive fire this year.

I see no reason to be scared of a perfectly healthy Denver, let alone one that has injury issues.

Literally every West team that is capable of pushing OKC to 6 or 7 games is currently in the top bracket.

I'm not saying a series with the Nuggets would be easy, but just easier than vs the Clips or Griz. And I wouldn't totally rely on the regular season to predict the playoffs. It's something to look at, but not rely on.

Okay so why are we all scared of the post season all of a suden??? Where is the excitement going into the playoffs that was here last season?? And the season before that, etc? We all know Thunder turn it up in the playoffs. And btw, We NEVER Had it easy in playoffs.

First, who is scared? Just talking about preferable match ups. Second, the Thunder stumbled into the playoffs last year and a lot of people were worried. I think the Thunder can turn it up in the playoffs, but they're not head and shoulders above the field. Nothing is guaranteed. I'm ready for it to start.

So the Thunder are tied for 1st place after San Antonio's 86-96 loss at Denver tonight.

So the Thunder are tied for 1st place after San Antonio's 86-96 loss at Denver tonight.

Wouldn't it be so much more exciting to play the Lakers the 1st round and possibly the Clippers the second?