****Official 2012/2013 Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball Thread****

[adaniel]

You tell em' KD!!!Attachment 3662

This guy is going to win a championship if it kills him. And when he does, I can't wait until all the people who are still moping around crying "wahhh James Harden left blah blah blah" get to eat a big juicy side of crow.

[workman45]

Enjoy KD's top 10 plays of the year.

New Daily Thunder.com Video: KD?s top 10 of 2012-13 | New Daily Thunder.com

[skanaly]

This guy is going to win a championship if it kills him. And when he does, I can't wait until all the people who are still moping around crying "wahhh James Harden left blah blah blah" get to eat a big juicy side of crow.

Nothing annoys me more than people on ESPN and NBATV talking about how James Harden being gone is going to effect us...were gonna get it done. Me personally, not this year...but not because we don't have Harden

[warreng88]

We have a better winning percentage this year than we did last year. 2011-2012: 47 wins in 66 games= 0.71212121212. 2012-2013: 60 wins in 82 games= 0.73170731707.

Last year with 33 home games and 33 away games, we went 26-7 at home and 21-12 on the road. That is a winning percentage of 0.78787878787 and 0.63636363636, respectively.
This year with 41 home games and 41 away games, we went 34-7 at home and 26-15 on the road. That is a winning percentage of 0.82926829268 and 0.63414634146, respectively.

KD's average minutes have stayed the same but his Field Goal %, 3 point %, Free throw % and assists per game have all gone up from last year to this year.

Westbrook's field goal % and free throw % have gone down, but his 3 point %, rebounds and assists per game have all gone up.

All of Serge's stats have gone up.

It is hard to see how people think we are doing worse.

[SoonerBoy18]

We have a better winning percentage this year than we did last year. 2011-2012: 47 wins in 66 games= 0.71212121212. 2012-2013: 60 wins in 82 games= 0.73170731707.

Last year with 33 home games and 33 away games, we went 26-7 at home and 21-12 on the road. That is a winning percentage of 0.78787878787 and 0.63636363636, respectively.
This year with 41 home games and 41 away games, we went 34-7 at home and 26-15 on the road. That is a winning percentage of 0.82926829268 and 0.63414634146, respectively.

KD's average minutes have stayed the same but his Field Goal %, 3 point %, Free throw % and assists per game have all gone up from last year to this year.

Westbrook's field goal % and free throw % have gone down, but his 3 point %, rebounds and assists per game have all gone up.

All of Serge's stats have gone up.

It is hard to see how people think we are doing worse.

Only because we didnt win the KEY game this season (Miami there and here) lol.

[Mississippi Blues]

Only because we didnt win the KEY game this season (Miami there and here) lol.

I think that was a rhetorical statement. But yeah, those Miami games leave me (& presumably every Thunder fan) with a bad taste in my mouth. I would feel a tidbit better about this season (sounding a little spoiled am I?) if we had won just one of those games, specifically the Christmas Day game.

[SoonerBoy18]

I think that was a rhetorical statement. But yeah, those Miami games leave me (& presumably every Thunder fan) with a bad taste in my mouth. I would feel a tidbit better about this season (sounding a little spoiled am I?) if we had won just one of those games, specifically the Christmas Day game.

The christmas day game for me was a loss as soon as the NBA released the schedule, but what really left me with a bad taste in my mouth was when they beast us here right before the All Star break. i was very hurt that day. Lol

[Mississippi Blues]

The christmas day game for me was a loss as soon as the NBA released the schedule, but what really left me with a bad taste in my mouth was when they beast us here right before the All Star break. i was very hurt that day. Lol

I was iffy on it. & the game that they drilled us in made me mad. We were at home & they came into our place & made us look silly. It's only fun if we go into other teams place & drill them!

[Anonymous.]

Early tip tonight (thank you schedulers). 6pm on TNT.


Houston actually sent the team home for the past couple days during the break. I feel like they have already accepted this beating.



I wonder if Harden's hindsight realizes maybe $4.5 mil was worth being on a championship team. He looks miserable out there, hardly having fun. I know I am just a common peasant in the fray of the world, but wrapping my head around that sort of greed is difficult.

[Teo9969]

Harden probably looked miserable because his team was getting blasted. I doubt that he is generally miserable in his current situation. He may or may not have been happier in OKC, but I doubt he hates being in Houston. He's probably fairly excited about the prospects of this team going forward, considering that they are way under the luxury tax and will gain more pieces in the upcoming year to actually propel them forward.

[Dustin]

Love this! Just shows how many people around the WORLD will be cheering for our little small market team!

[OKCisOK4me]

^^Good stuff^^

[Anonymous.]

Good win last night. Looked like a blast from the past in the 4th with us blowing a 15 point lead.

Sefalosha and Ibaka with the daggers. This team is really great right now.

[dankrutka]

I know I am just a common peasant in the fray of the world, but wrapping my head around that sort of greed is difficult.

How many times have you taken a 20% pay cut out of loyalty? And even if you have done so, it's a personal decision. No one would blame you for taking the higher paying job. Maybe Harden wanted the challenge of leading his own team? Is there anything wrong with that? I have absolutely no problem with Harden asking for his market value. He has definitely proven that he is worthy of his contract unlike some other max (or near max) players (e.g., Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay). Finally, everyone seems to forget that Presti pulled the plug on negotiations and traded Harden. Harden did not end them.

[dankrutka]

I don't think last night was as much about our failure to play well. I thought we mostly did a good job. Granted, not stellar like G1, but we aren't going to play like that every game.

I thought last night was a better indication of what the true capacity of the Rockets is. I can't see them really playing a better game here on out. I think we've got this series in 4.

I generally agree with you, but championship caliber teams shouldn't give up 21-2 runs like that. Hopefully it was just a perfect storm of terribleness that we got out of our system, but great teams find a way to get easy buckets or get the line in that situation. What's amazing is that OKC gave up a 21-2 run near the end of the game and still won.

The Rockets are going to make a run at some free agents this summer. If they can land Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, or another piece, they could become a headache in the near future.

[adaniel]

How many times have you taken a 20% pay cut out of loyalty? And even if you have done so, it's a personal decision. No one would blame you for taking the higher paying job. Maybe Harden wanted the challenge of leading his own team? Is there anything wrong with that? I have absolutely no problem with Harden asking for his market value. He has definitely proven that he is worthy of his contract unlike some other max (or near max) players (e.g., Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay). Finally, everyone seems to forget that Presti pulled the plug on negotiations and traded Harden. Harden did not end them.

I don't think most people had a problem with him going after a max contract. I think the issue is his perpetual bullsh*ting during the negotiations about I want to play with my brothers, I'm willing to sacrifice a little, blah blah blah. Of course, when the rubber hit the road, he conveniently forgot those things. I would have a hard time turning down $80 mil, but it just sounds very insincere on his part.

It left a very bad taste in my mouth about him, but both he and the Thunder are probably better off in the long run where he is now. No hard feelings.

[Anonymous.]

How many times have you taken a 20% pay cut out of loyalty? And even if you have done so, it's a personal decision. No one would blame you for taking the higher paying job. Maybe Harden wanted the challenge of leading his own team? Is there anything wrong with that? I have absolutely no problem with Harden asking for his market value. He has definitely proven that he is worthy of his contract unlike some other max (or near max) players (e.g., Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay). Finally, everyone seems to forget that Presti pulled the plug on negotiations and traded Harden. Harden did not end them.

20%?

It is $4.5 million total. That is 7.5% of his contracted salary.

This situation has nothing to do with anything you mentioned in your post if you assume Harden was being honest. Which is what I am assuming. Harden said long before final negotiations that he and others are willing to make sacrifices to keep this team on the path it was/is on.

Also no, Presti did not pull the plug. Harden and his agent did. When they declined the offer of 55.5 which was clearly stated to be the final offer, Harden/his agent pulled the plug. How much more "sacrificing" can you make when you won't accept 4.5 less than max?

There comes a time where you cannot give someone the benefit of the doubt, when someone lies to the public and front office about how they are willing to make sacrifices, then they go and do the exact opposite for a measily 7.5% - you see who is truly here for the large picture. I feel like this is what Presti instills this team to be, and Harden declining the offer essentially made it clear that not only could we not afford him, but we truly cannot afford him.


Harden was a no-show in the Finals, that's fine - everyone has a bad series/stretch. But to come home to OKC and lie to the fanbase/media/front office and then pack your bags for pocket change is not a person I want to root for, nor my fellow fanbase to root for.

[adaniel]

^
I see we posted at about the same time LOL. Definitely some good points here. People seem to forget that he checked out during the Finals.

[Bellaboo]

20%?

It is $4.5 million total. That is 7.5% of his contracted salary.

This situation has nothing to do with anything you mentioned in your post if you assume Harden was being honest. Which is what I am assuming. Harden said long before final negotiations that he and others are willing to make sacrifices to keep this team on the path it was/is on.

Also no, Presti did not pull the plug. Harden and his agent did. When they declined the offer of 55.5 which was clearly stated to be the final offer, Harden/his agent pulled the plug. How much more "sacrificing" can you make when you won't accept 4.5 less than max?

There comes a time where you cannot give someone the benefit of the doubt, when someone lies to the public and front office about how they are willing to make sacrifices, then they go and do the exact opposite for a measily 7.5% - you see who is truly here for the large picture. I feel like this is what Presti instills this team to be, and Harden declining the offer essentially made it clear that not only could we not afford him, but we truly cannot afford him.


Harden was a no-show in the Finals, that's fine - everyone has a bad series/stretch. But to come home to OKC and lie to the fanbase/media/front office and then pack your bags for pocket change is not a person I want to root for, nor my fellow fanbase to root for.

The way I thought I read it, was that Presti gave Harden's agent 1 hour to make a decision, and when it didn't come, he pulled the plug and traded him to Houston. Harden said he was in disbelief he only had an hour to give an answer. As far as I'm concerned, he had most of the Summer and Fall to decide.

Harden said he was at the Cheesecake Factory when he got the call that he was traded.

[adaniel]

The way I thought I read it, was that Presti gave Harden's agent 1 hour to make a decision, and when it didn't come, he pulled the plug and traded him to Houston. Harden said he was in disbelief he only had an hour to give an answer. As far as I'm concerned, he had most of the Summer and Fall to decide.

Harden said he was at the Cheesecake Factory when he got the call that he was traded.

Yeah, that's how it went down.

When Presti told him you have 1 hour to make up your mind, he was probably thinking, oh they'll never trade me, whatever Sammy. It just reeks of arrogance. Presti is as cold as ice, did he not think he was serious? I'm wondering what happened to him last summer. It's almost like his agent or somebody else grabbed his ear and started pumping up his ego. He got his money though, maybe just not the way he wanted.

I would have paid to see him get that call/text that he was traded and almost choke on his cheesecake LOL. In all seriousness, I am really not convinced he is as happy in Houston as he was in OKC.

[Anonymous.]

Exactly adaniel. I am sick of reading/hearing others talk about how it was a mistake to trade Harden... When it was clearly Harden who put himself on the trade block and pressed the button.

Presti offered Harden 55.5 million. That is 4.5 shy of what he got from Houston... Read this sentence over and over to people who complain about Presti "sending Harden away".

The kid is 23 and has a lot to learn. This series will be a great example as he watches his former team progress through the playoffs while he sits on his 4.5 million dollar couch.

[dankrutka]

First, as others have pointed out, Presti pulled the plug, not Harden or his agent. This is well documented. I agree that Harden should not have talked sacrifice if he wasn't going to do it, but I give him the benefit of the doubt just because of everything he did here. A lot of players would have complained to come off the bench when they're better than the starter and top 5 at their position, but he never complained. Because of this I'm not as hard on Harden for implying he would sacrifice salary. I wish him nothing but the best when he's not playing the Thunder. Although I still think it was a mistake on the part of the Thunder. I think we'd be even better with Harden this year, but we'll never know.

Anyway, moving on.... We've had this argument before.

The bigger question now is whether Martin will sacrifice. He's implied that he will like Harden did (maybe not too the same degree though), but will he? Should the Thunder do it? Or is Martin expendable because of Lamb?

[adaniel]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! !!!!!!!!!

from the daily thunder: Russell westbrook will undergo surgery for a meniscus tear in his right knee. No timetable announced.

[Praedura]

Yikes!!!!

[Praedura]

Goodbye any chance of championship this year.