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.