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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Make me!

Make me!

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

They still suck almost blowing the game

:fighting2

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.

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.

:fighting2

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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?

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 ?

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?

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

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

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.

Keep telling yourself that numbnuts

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

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.

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

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

You're welcome and have a nice life.
.

You're welcome and have a nice life.
.

I wasn't so kind...

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

Make me!

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

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.

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.

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…

Agreed.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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...

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Worst I've seen OKC play since probably 2011.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.