OKC Thunder 2013 - 2014

[OKCisOK4me]

You're welcome and have a nice life.
.

I wasn't so kind...

[Mel]

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

[Bellaboo]

Make me!

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

[Just the facts]

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.

[warreng88]

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.

[Teo9969]

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…

[jerrywall]

Agreed.

[warreng88]

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.

[dankrutka]

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...

[warreng88]

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.

[Bellaboo]

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.

[Laramie]

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.

[dankrutka]

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.

[Teo9969]

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

[PWitty]

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.

[dankrutka]

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...

[ljbab728]

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

[dankrutka]

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.

[Teo9969]

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.

[dankrutka]

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

[Teo9969]

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.

[Dustin]

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

[Teo9969]

Worst I've seen OKC play since probably 2011.

[OKCisOK4me]

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...

[Laramie]

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.