Great game, until the forth quarter. They had them. Then they just handed them to the game.

Pathetic

Dam, they had a chance to really put a nail in the coffin.

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.

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 (http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?id=400556257)


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

We're still "on serve". Just need to win two of the last three and of course two of those are at home.

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.

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.


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

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.

Yeah, seriously. There was plenty of poor coaching in that 4th quarter.

Awful loss. Could potentially change the trajectory of the series.

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.

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.

Hey, it's playoff time! As someone said here the other night - it's the Globetrotters versus the Generals.

Awful loss. Could potentially change the trajectory of the series.

Overreact much?

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.

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.

Big Mo is definitely in the Clippers corner now.

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.

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.

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.

Overreact much?

How was that post an overreaction? It could POTENTIALLY change the series. Is that even in dispute?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 (http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?id=400556257)

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.


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

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.


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

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.

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.

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.

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...' https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608031545212667976&pid=15.1

You should know me by now; everything happens for a reason. True, this was an ugly & painful NBA loss.


Stay tuned, stay positive... http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif Thunder up!

http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

Et tu, Brute? :Smiley063

LMAO--Gotta love it! You meant, 'Jump off the cliff...' https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608031545212667976&pid=15.1

You should know me by now; everything happens for a reason. True, this was an ugly & painful NBA loss.


Stay tuned, stay positive...


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

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 "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And the rest, as they say, is history. :( (hehehe)

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.

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.

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.

Portland finally played basketball last night. Amazing.

Still gonna get blown out tomorrow night...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Most likely, but still less rest days for those old guys.

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......

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...

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.

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.

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! :D

OMG, do the Thunder enjoy living on the edge of disaster or what?

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!

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!

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!

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.

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."

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 (http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400556258)

Thunder has to protect home court. We have them back on the ropes again--know knock them out!



http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

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!!


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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/2014/05/12/upshot/basketball-map.html?smid=tw-upshotnyt&_r=0#6,35.258,-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 Thunder’s fans stand alone – or, possibly, with Chicagoans and their Bulls.

Clippers should blame themselves for collapse (http://mweb.cbssports.com/nba/writer/ken-berger/24562263/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..."

Are the Clippers just overshadowed by Lakers or something?

Clippers should blame themselves for collapse (http://mweb.cbssports.com/nba/writer/ken-berger/24562263/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.