OKC Thunder 2013 - 2014

[Anonymous.]

I am nervous/excited about the game this Thursday. I think KD will get his 25, Westbrook will get his if his shots are falling (he got six points in the first game against the Spurs) and Serge will get a double-double. Manu and Tony Parker are always the dark horses who could come out on fire or just suck it up until the end. Could be a good preview for the WCF.

They will also be on their 2nd game of a back2back against the Warriors.

[catcherinthewry]

I am nervous/excited about the game this Thursday. I think KD will get his 25, Westbrook will get his if his shots are falling (he got six points in the first game against the Spurs) and Serge will get a double-double. Manu and Tony Parker are always the dark horses who could come out on fire or just suck it up until the end. Could be a good preview for the WCF.

It would be nice to have Reggie back for the Spurs. He has had two of his best games against them this year.

[Anonymous.]

Tony Parker playing out of his mind right now. Hopefully the Spurs have peaked too early. They stomped the Pacers last night.

Going to need help from Golden State if we want #1 seed.

[warreng88]

They will also be on their 2nd game of a back2back against the Warriors.

Didn't know that. Good catch. Home game, I assume?

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Thunder's nine remaining scheduled April games:

Records as of April 1, 2014: 2013-2014 NBA Regular Season Conference Standings - National Basketball Association - ESPN

Includes three sets of <back-to-back> games: April <3,4> -- <8,9> -- <13,14>

San Antonio Spurs . . . . (58-16) Home (4) Away (4) 74 games played.

Oklahoma City Thunder. . . . . (54-19) Home (3) Away (6) 73 games played.

<Thursday, April 3 vs. San Antonio (58-16) 7:00 PM, Chesapeake Energy Arena
>Friday, April 4 @ Houston (49-23) 8:30 PM Thunder advantage 2-1

Sunday, April 6 @ Phoenix 9:00 PM Thunder-Suns 1-1

<Tuesday, April 8 @ Sacramento (26-48) 9:00 PM Thunder advantage 2-0
>Wednesday, April 9 @ L. A. Clippers (53-22) 9:30 PM Clippers advantage 2-1

Friday, April 11 vs. New Orleans 7:00 PM, Chesapeake Energy Arena Thunder 1-0 advantage; Two games remain*.

<Sunday, April 13 @ Indiana 12:00 Noon Thunder advantage 1-0; One game remaining.
>Monday, April 14 @ New Orleans 7:00 PM*

Wednesday, April 16 vs. Detroit 7:00 PM, Chesapeake Energy Arena Thunder advantage 1-0; One game remaining.

Against potential Western Conference seeds:

Dallas: Mavericks win series 2-1
Golden State: Thunder win series 2-1
Memphis: Thunder win series 3-1
Phoenix: Thunder-Suns 1-1 with one game remaining in Phoenix
Portland: Thunder-Trailblazers tied series 2-2
San Antonio: Thunder advantage 3-0; one game remaining in Oklahoma City.

San Antonio Spurs could win the conference playoff format with the better regular season record.
Oklahoma City Thunder could win the conference format with a tied regular season record.

NBA Playoff Tiebreakers: How Do They Work?

Two-Team Tiebreaker for the NBA Playoffs:

1. Division winner (this criteria is applied regardless of the division assignment of each NBA team)
2. Better record in head-to-head games
3. Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
4. Higher winning percentage in conference games

IMO: Westbrook's limited playing time probably won't change. Thunder have a 3 - 0 (head-to-head) advantage over the Spurs as of April 1 with one game remaining in Oklahoma City. Our next home game against the Spurs is crucial because a win will determine whether or not Westbrook's playing time is increased and the Thunder close in on the Spurs' lead.



Source: NBA Playoff Tiebreakers | Interbasket.net

Please feel free to comment on the way you understand this playoff format.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[OKCisOK4me]

OKC and SA are both their respective division winners. Thunder are 3-0 against Spurs so regardless of Thursday's outcome, we've got that one covered. Each team is in a different divsion so that's out. Number 4, I have no clue as to conference percentages.

[dankrutka]

Number 4, I have no clue as to conference percentages.

Spurs are 34-10. Thunder are 32-13. But, as was pointed out, the Thunder would win tiebreaker number 2 regardless.

There's a decent chance the Spurs don't play a bunch of their stars on Thursday as they've sat guys on back-to-backs. They might just concede that game... except that their bench is capable of beating anyone in the league as they've shown in the past.

Basically, the Thunder need to hope the Warriors win and then the Thunder beat the Spurs to even get a shot at getting back to even and winning the tie breaker.

[OKCisOK4me]

Well, we can forget the Warriors winning theory ;-)

Sent from my BNTV600 using Tapatalk

[Anonymous.]

The big question tonight is will the Spurs go all-out or rest tonight?

Pop seems pretty confident in the #1 seed that he may just rest them and not show OKC what he has.


OKC cannot drop a game and take care of business, and maybe the Spurs will cool off with Dallas and Houston on their remaining schedule.

[Mel]

This is a hard game to watch after some cardio tinkering yesterday. I am trying so hard not to yell or jump. Not succeeding. No pain no gain.

[ljbab728]

This is a hard game to watch after some cardio tinkering yesterday. I am trying so hard not to yell or jump. Not succeeding. No pain no gain.

So is your heart still OK?

[Mel]

Not as much blockage as feared. Still feels like I've been stabbed in the crotch. They did some kind of camera and dye and something else thingy. I've really got to get back in shape. Thank you for your concern. I just didn't realize how much yelling and pumping your fist in the air affects other areas of your body. Thunder Rolled tonight! Worth a little discomfort.

[ljbab728]

Not as much blockage as feared. Still feels like I've been stabbed in the crotch. They did some kind of camera and dye and something else thingy. I've really got to get back in shape. Thank you for your concern. I just didn't realize how much yelling and pumping your fist in the air affects other areas of your body. Thunder Rolled tonight! Worth a little discomfort.

I had a heart attack a number of years ago so I'm always concerned about anyone's heart issues.

[Bellaboo]

I had a heart attack a number of years ago so I'm always concerned about anyone's heart issues.

I had a double bypass 10 years 3 months and 3 days ago..... Jan 1 2004.

Mel, that's an angiogram you had, and they are a little uncomfortable.... good luck.

[Jim Kyle]

Not as much blockage as feared. Still feels like I've been stabbed in the crotch. They did some kind of camera and dye and something else thingy. I've really got to get back in shape. Thank you for your concern. I just didn't realize how much yelling and pumping your fist in the air affects other areas of your body. Thunder Rolled tonight! Worth a little discomfort.

BT, DT -- twice! Very good to hear that your blockage wasn't as great as was feared. I'm now looking at getting my third defibrillator implanted; when the battery dies the gadget has to be replaced and each one lasts for about five years. Current battery is right at its limit line so I go back for a check of it every 30 days until it drops below...

My second angiogram went much easier than the first, when a rather large nurse had to keep pressure on the incision for a full 10 minutes to make sure it didn't spring a leak. Second time they inserted some sort of plug that sealed the blood vessel and no great discomfort resulted. I can still feel that heat inside my skull from the dye, though, even after 14 years!

[Anonymous.]

Time to sweep the other TX team tonight. Rockets are on a 3 game losing streak, will try and end that tonight in Houston.

Another national TV game.

ESPN @ 8:30pm

[Laramie]

Time to sweep the other TX team tonight. Rockets are on a 3 game losing streak, will try and end that tonight in Houston.

Another national TV game.

ESPN @ 8:30pm

Great win against the Spurs. Kudos to Patty Mills, he really torched us; Reggie Jackson was outstanding. Coach Popovich continues to play his games (rested Manu Ginobili); didn't want to risk the possibility of getting the 19-game streak snapped by the Thunder with a full roster. Really miss Thabo's defensive efforts, he's a spark plug for our team--we need him back ASAP!

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Box Score - April 03, 2014 - ESPN

Durant & Westbrook duo were awesome (55 points) outscored the Spurs' starters (52 points.).

You could see the Thunder draining the life from the Spurs as the game progressed. Steven Adams & Andre Roberson are really maturing--great performance.

Anyone notice the Thunder's slow start after two-three days rest? OKC does great on the second game of a back-to-back; we need to carry this performance into Houstonia.

We are 1-2 vs. Dallas, 4-0 vs. San Antonio and 3-0 against Houston. A win tonight against the Rockets will complete a Texas two-step'?

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[Laramie]

Great and exciting game! We could have used Perkins again tonight. Would be great to at least get back to 80% of the starting line-up. Great balance in team scoring...

Houston got the home team benefit of the fouls called. Rockets shot 32-37 free throws; Thunder were 18 of 20.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets - Box Score - April 04, 2014 - ESPN

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[OSUMom]

And Durant FINALLY got his 25 right at the end (then 3 more for good measure).

[Anonymous.]

Good game last night. Joey Crawford calling those ticky tack 3 point shot fouls at the end of the 4th really killed the feel. Oh well. I like the way we are playing right now. BRING ON PLAYOFFS!

[s00nr1]

Since the All Star Break, the Thunder have lost 5 games in which they have scored 110 points or more. Some seriously bad defense taking place right now and they are trending the wrong way heading into the playoffs.

[Anonymous.]

Well we are definitely going to be the 2 seed. Unless we keep dropping games, we could actually be the 3 seed. Clips are 1 game behind and could take the #2 seed from us on Wednesday and win the series against us.

Obviously the #1 spot is not happening now. So if we pick it up and stay #2, as of right now we could be matching up against Dallas or Phoenix. If the Clips take the #2, we are looking at Golden State or Portland.

[Laramie]

The return of players who have been out with injury does cause some disruption as the team adjusts back into the flow. As time allows these players return to the line-up, the Thunder will get their rhythm and swagger back.

San Antonio is the least of the Thunder's concerns especially since we've uncorked them four times. The Spurs are seeing stars from the Thunder and have "Oklahoma City on their minds."

Teams who would cause us matchup problems (without Thabo and/or Kendrick) in the playoffs will be Memphis, Dallas (1-2) & Phoenix (1-2). Memphis is at full strength, Dallas beat us once here and Phoenix took us out twice in their place.

Missing one critical piece has thrown our defense off balance. We need to rehabilitate Thabo back into the lineup because he does give the team a defensive charge.

As a 2nd seed our point differential numbers are balanced vs. San Antonio @ home mirror those on the road. As Coach Brooks says, 'that it one game at a time.'

San Antonio 94-88 (+6)
@San Antonio 113-100 (+13)
@San Antonio 111-105 (+6)
San Antonio 106-94 (+12)

We have outscored them by +18 at home and +19 on the road. We're equally as potent on the road as we are at home.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[OKCJapan]

The Thunder have lost to both Clippers and Suns now. Putting them at 21 losses on the season. They still have to play the Clippers and the Pacers on the road. The Clippers and Rockets have easier schedules than OKC. The Thunder potentially could fall to fourth seed. West Coast teams seen to shoot the lights out when they play the Thunder.

[s00nr1]

Thanks for the analysis Laramie but I'm afraid at this rate we won't make it long enough to play the Spurs.