Thunder star Russell Westbrook to have knee surgery

[Just the facts]

well clearly the Thunder are still looking for answers. When is the last time the Thunder scored on a fast break?

[Stew]

well clearly the Thunder are still looking for answers. When is the last time the Thunder scored on a fast break?

Last night.

[G.Walker]

The reason he was on fire last night is because he only took 16 shots. He was smart and effecient with his offensive game. He wont sustain that if he put up 30 shots like game 3.

Dont look at the number of shots as a barometer of how the offense is doing. Game 3: Durant had 41pts on 30 shots. Game 4: 38pts on 16 shots. His level of offensive efficiency last night was downright stupid. Its pretty obvious that we should hope for another performance of game 4 from him, rather than his game 3 performance.

Lastly, Reggie is filling in for a guy that shot a lot, its only natural that he will be called upon to shoot. All those extra shots Westbrook took cant automatically go to Durant.

Um yea, and we won Game 3 and not Game 4, nuff said....

[G.Walker]

Durant averaged 51% FG this season, we NEED him to take more shots. If he had of shot the ball 30 times last night he probably would have scored 50pts and we would have one the game. I don't care how you slice it, you can't justify the argument 2nd best basketball player in the world doesn't need to take more shots. Thats like saying you like pizza without cheese on it, lol.....

[kevinpate]

though it isn't my thing, lots of folks eat pizza without cheese. jus' sayin'.

[dankrutka]

Durant averaged 51% FG this season, we NEED him to take more shots. If he had of shot the ball 30 times last night he probably would have scored 50pts and we would have one the game. I don't care how you slice it, you can't justify the argument 2nd best basketball player in the world doesn't need to take more shots. Thats like saying you like pizza without cheese on it, lol.....

A huge reason KD's % was high is because he was selective in his shots. I'm fine with KD taking more shots, but they still need to be good ones. There is way too much standing around on the offensive end right now. Other players need to move. If KD takes more shots just because everyone is relying on him than it's not going to work. He can shoot more, but it needs to be within the context of some kind of offensive flow.

I'd really like to see Serge take advantage of mismatches, but he's only got 2 moves offensively - jump shot and slow motion drive to the right. Harden was guarding Ibaka and he couldn't take advantage of the mismatch.

I really think this playoffs will rest on Kevin Martin's shoulders. He's the one guy who is capable of upping his offensive production consistently, but, unfortunately, he has not been a consistent scorer this year. I like that Reggie was aggressive in the last game. He is one of the few players on the team that can get into the defense. We'll see...

[Bill Robertson]

Since when does Reggie Jackson take more shots than KD, really coach Brooks? KD was on fire last night, he only shot the ball 16 times? He needs to be taking at least 20 shots a game.

I could see the possibility that, since the Thunder only had to win 1 of 4, that Brooks might have used game 4 to try some different things. Like having Jackson shoot a lot. And Fisher playing a lot more. (BTW, Fisher actually played some decent defense, not usual for him). With Durant not as much as an offensive weapon as usual we still had a chance to tie at the buzzer. Makes me feel a bit better about a Thunder without Westbrook.

[BoulderSooner]

I could see the possibility that, since the Thunder only had to win 1 of 4, that Brooks might have used game 4 to try some different things. Like having Jackson shoot a lot. And Fisher playing a lot more. (BTW, Fisher actually played some decent defense, not usual for him). With Durant not as much as an offensive weapon as usual we still had a chance to tie at the buzzer. Makes me feel a bit better about a Thunder without Westbrook.

we lost because we had 22 turnovers .... and in spite of that we still almost won the game ..

[Bill Robertson]

we lost because we had 22 turnovers .... and in spite of that we still almost won the game ..

That was a wash. They also had 22 turnovers.

[BoulderSooner]

That was a wash. They also had 22 turnovers.

not a wash .. we averaged over a turnover less a game then Houston this season and 1.5 less than them in the playoffs

[Teo9969]

Houston had 31 points off turnovers to OKC's 26. That's not exactly a wash, and a pretty major reason for losing a game.

Also, Reggie *logged* more shots than Kevin. He didn't take more.

[Bill Robertson]

A 5 POT difference didn't lose the game any more than Ibaka, Sefolosha and Perkins not showing up. Besides, my point was that I think Jackson shooting, or logging more shots, than Durant in game 4 was on purpose in order to make Jackson feel more comfortable shooting. I had no intention of debating why we lost.

[BoulderSooner]

A 5 POT difference didn't lose the game any more than Ibaka, Sefolosha and Perkins not showing up. Besides, my point was that I think Jackson shooting, or logging more shots, than Durant in game 4 was on purpose in order to make Jackson feel more comfortable shooting. I had no intention of debating why we lost.

again he didn't shoot more

[Teo9969]

A 5 POT difference didn't lose the game any more than Ibaka, Sefolosha and Perkins not showing up. Besides, my point was that I think Jackson shooting, or logging more shots, than Durant in game 4 was on purpose in order to make Jackson feel more comfortable shooting. I had no intention of debating why we lost.

My comments (and I would bet Boulder's) were not necessarily directed at you, but more at the conversation at hand.

That being said...5 POTs was exactly the reason OKC lost the game, we would have won by 3 if that were a wash.

[Bill Robertson]

My comments (and I would bet Boulder's) were not necessarily directed at you, but more at the conversation at hand.

That being said...5 POTs was exactly the reason OKC lost the game, we would have won by 3 if that were a wash.

But we should have won by more than 3 if Ibaka, Sefolosha, Perkins and Durant would have had "normal" games. Maybe the 5 POT difference isn't a moot point but it would be if those 4 had had decent games. But that's what makes NBA playoff basketball great! And again, my point isn't why they lost but that I think the game plan was intentional to give Jackson some quick experience under playoff pressure.

[dankrutka]

I'll go ahead and end the suspense... there's never a single reason a team wins or loses a game. There are such a multitude of factors that go into a single game that isolating one variable and saying, "this is why we lost," is a always an oversimplification... even if you identify an important reason.

I've already said this, but Kevin Martin is likely going to have to be more consistent for this team to do much in the playoffs. He can't put up 0 and 2 points in the second half and the Thunder win consistently. Of course, that's unless a bunch of other variables break the Thunder's way...

[Bill Robertson]

I'll go ahead and end the suspense... there's never a single reason a team wins or loses a game. There are such a multitude of factors that go into a single game that isolating one variable and saying, "this is why we lost," is a always an oversimplification... even if you identify an important reason.

I've already said this, but Kevin Martin is likely going to have to be more consistent for this team to do much in the playoffs. He can't put up 0 and 2 points in the second half and the Thunder win consistently. Of course, that's unless a bunch of other variables break the Thunder's way...

Thank you. I agree completely.

[Teo9969]

I'll go ahead and end the suspense... there's never a single reason a team wins or loses a game. There are such a multitude of factors that go into a single game that isolating one variable and saying, "this is why we lost," is a always an oversimplification... even if you identify an important reason.

I've already said this, but Kevin Martin is likely going to have to be more consistent for this team to do much in the playoffs. He can't put up 0 and 2 points in the second half and the Thunder win consistently. Of course, that's unless a bunch of other variables break the Thunder's way...

The Thunder will go as far as Ibaka and Martin take them. Both are capable of the type of production that could easily get OKC back to the finals if not win it all, but they have to consistently play at their highest levels.

[dankrutka]

The Thunder will go as far as Ibaka and Martin take them. Both are capable of the type of production that could easily get OKC back to the finals if not win it all, but they have to consistently play at their highest levels.

Which neither has shown the ability to do over the course of the season. Both have been good in spots, but neither is consistently good offensively (especially Martin).

[Teo9969]

Which neither has shown the ability to do over the course of the season. Both have been good in spots, but neither is consistently good offensively (especially Martin).

Yeah, I'm afraid that Scott Brooks refusal to institute an offense that, you know, occasionally draws up shots for these guys specifically will be the undoing of this team this year.

This injury is very interesting for the development of this team as a whole. I think a lot of the players will benefit from it, especially if they can make this a deep run in the playoffs, but I'm afraid it's going to hinder Scott Brooks development as a strategist. I'm almost sure that next year we're going to see the same thing, different roster, rather than seeing the same roster, better product. The odds that OKC wins it all are nearly non-existent w/o Westbrook, but they weren't good with Westbrook either, because they can't get players involved to open things up for Durant and Westbrook during more difficult stretches, and so much of that seems to have to do with lack of an offensive system.

I understood the Iso system in the first two playoff years...even last year for the most part. But I was hoping to see at least a revamping of the "system" this year...That never happened.

[Sonny_Crockett]

Get ready for game 7 Sunday. If they win tonight in Houston I'd be surprised. Charles Barkley has said numerous times that OKC is never gonna win and they should just go back to Seattle. That guy is a first class f*cktard.

[Anonymous.]

Man, these "analysts" in the big papers and TV are really smart, who would have thought the Thunder's playoff future is immensely more difficult without our allstar PG?

[Bellaboo]

He's just being 'Charles'........they have to have a little controversy to spice up the conversation. Ratings are involved you know.

[dcsooner]

Get ready for game 7 Sunday. If they win tonight in Houston I'd be surprised. Charles Barkley has said numerous times that OKC is never gonna win and they should just go back to Seattle. That guy is a first class f*cktard.

When did he last say that? and what he may have been referring to is the inability to pay luxury tax and keep star players (already seen that) and the lack of desire of some stars to play in OKC a small market. I cannot really argue with that can you?

[bhawes]

Don't let the thunder ownership fool you by saiding they can't afford the luxury tax. They own oil and natural gas companies.