OKC Thunder 2013 - 2014

[Mississippi Blues]

It seems like, for the most part, the ESPN folks think the Clippers will win the series.

[Snowman]

It seems like, for the most part, the ESPN folks think the Clippers will win the series.

A fair number of their media personalities have a tendency to spin stories as positively as possible to the major media markets as possible, others with be more balance. Remember how good a chance LA Lakers had of beating us two years ago in the playoffs, oh wait they were out in five and they barely won game three. Another thing is they have a radio station in LA, so when their games come up the local broadcast pieces tend to get stuffed with the normal analysis.

[Stan Silliman]

Here's my column for this week:

Silliman on Sports
By Stan Silliman

2014 NBA 1st ROUND PLAYOFFS: THINGS LEARNED

This time of year much of what I do is influenced by the NBA. I wear tennis shoes with Velcro straps. I’m prepared should I ever be lined up next to J.R. Smith. I broke out my NBA dinnerware. Not surprisingly, when I turned it over, it only said “Silver.” The word, “Sterling,” had been magically rubbed out. I’ve got to get a V. Stiviano welder’s mask. I never know when the paparazzi is stalking me.

The Spurs Have More Players Than Other Teams – Do you ever look at the Spurs and think “My gosh, their bench goes on forever.” Coach Pop can rest his elderly starters like Duncan, Parker and Ginobili and still be competitive against the league’s best teams. Do you ever think that? Then it shouldn’t be any surprise that at the end of game six, the Spurs had six guys on the floor compared to the Mavs’ five. An investigation needs to be made to see how often the Spurs get away with this.

Old Guys Can Advance, Too – Many of the teams advancing to the second round had elderly, experienced old guys playing key roles. Check these oldsters – Paul Pierce, 36, Kevin Garnett, 37 (18 years in league), Ray Allen, 38, Tim Duncan, 38, Manu Ginobili, 36, Derek Fisher, 39. There’s a lesson, here. If you’re going to have seven game series, have a few guys who have been there before.

Mr. Unreliable – More like Mr. Undeniable. Yes, stupid was the original headline tagged to Kevin Durant which he responded with 36 and 33 while leading all playoff scorers at 33 per game. How someone at the Oklahoman could describe the Most Valuable Player this way just because he missed a free throw is beyond us. Lesson to self: Write own headline. Lesson two: Pass advice on to Barry Tramel.

Overtime Games and Four Point Plays Become Ho Hum – Some say this has been the most exciting first round in NBA history, most overtime games – 8 --, most games decided by five or fewer points, 18, most game sevens – 5 --, most four point plays, eleventy-dozen, it seems like. Westbrook, Durant, Lillard, Curry, Korver all had four pointers. Some of them ridiculous like Durant being fouled at the end of the game while falling out of bounds. We must have left a few people out, like Jamal Crawford, who holds the NBA record, 43, for four point plays.

Kia Believes You Can’t Promote Too Many Cars During the Playoffs – You get a lot of car ads during playoffs. Not all of them Kia, but enough so, they’ve drowned out all other carmakers. Too bad there’s not an NBA team in the playoffs from Detroit. The K900 has Lawrence Fishburne’s Morphus offering two different colored keys to luxury. You’d think some of the money spent on luxury could go to closing the gap in Morphus’s teeth, a gap wide enough to drive a Kia Soul through. Even the Kia Soul hamsters have tighter teeth than Morphus. Of course Blake Griffin and Jack McBryer’s Griffin Force pushes the Optima. I want to see one commercial where Morphus offers the red pill to the Griffins which makes them morph into hamsters, just once.

Steven Adams Can Get You Suspended – Ask Zach Randolph. Not sure what it is, whether it’s his quirky New Zealand “Flight of the Concords” accent, his rugby background, his scrambling feistiness from struggling with seventeen brothers and sisters, or what. Whatever it is, Steve is able to get in your head and then after you punch him, he doesn’t retaliate. He walks away like your punch was a love tap. This takes a bit of skill but this year Zach Randolph, Nate Robinson, Larry Sanders, Jordan Hamilton and Vince Carter were all ejected, fined or suspended for striking Adams.

[OSUMom]

Who Will Punch Steven Adams in the Face Power Rankings «

As for walking away from a hit like it was a love tap, just like he told the reporter a few months ago "Have you seen my sister?" I would think a two time Olympic gold medalist in the shot put would have a nasty punch.

[Mel]

Adams is a tough guy and doesn't let the physicality of the game bother him one bit. I got ants in my pants waiting for tonights game to start. 2 more hours!

[OSUMom]

That was ugly.

[Of Sound Mind]

It seems like, for the most part, the ESPN folks think the Clippers will win the series.

Seems like the Thunder does too.

[OKVision4U]

Another little coaching note to Brooks... When C. Paul hits 4 3's in the first quarter, you may want to stop that from being a huge part of the "rest of the game". Brooks, you don't have to wait until game 2 to stop him. ...this would be called a "game-time" adjustment. It can be done during the game. You don't have to wait until tomorrw, you don't have to wait until halftime to make that adjustment.

You can call a time-out and tell Westbrook / KD / Thabo that from THIS MOMENT ON, Paul WILL NOT GET ANOTHER 3. Paul finished the game w/ 8-9 from the 3 point line. That is 24 points. That is a lot of momentum during a game. The other team FEEDS of that momentum when CP3 is hitting 3's. ... fyi.

[OSUMom]

That would require them playing some defense.

[OKVision4U]

Is it me or does our team look bored? ...the Thunder play w/ greater intensity when they are on the road, but when they get home, they are too relaxed. Yes, the home court advantage is key, but not when you are down 24.

Thunder, here is a key to winning this series..... Don't let the other team win the first quarter. Hold them to 20. Get in their face. Don't let them have 3's. In the 2nd quarter, put Perry / Roberson on Jordan and "foul him early" if needed. Yes, I know you wanted Jordan away from the basket to create lanes for KD / Westbrook, but that leaves us in a ( one n done ) in the 2nd chance rebounds. Get Jordan in early foul trouble all series, it is the key.

[Just the facts]

That was hard to watch. Every facet of the Thunder game needs to be improved. Dribbling/ball control - sucks. Shooting/shot selection - sucks. Loose ball hustle - sucks. Rebounding - sucks. Passing - sucks. Free throwing shooting - sucks. Finishing at the rim - sucks. Having the entire arena wear the same color shirt as the opposing team - sucks.

[Snowman]

That was hard to watch. Every facet of the Thunder game needs to be improved. Dribbling/ball control - sucks. Shooting/shot selection - sucks. Loose ball hustle - sucks. Rebounding - sucks. Passing - sucks. Free throwing shooting - sucks. Finishing at the rim - sucks. Having the entire arena wear the same color shirt as the opposing team - sucks.

The color matching was not nearly as bad as one of the Dallas playoff games, the entire shirt was literately their shade of blue, not just the highlight

[SoonerDave]

I guess one of the frustrating things for me is our propensity for digging ourselves into a hole. Slow starts. Deficits. Lack of interest and intensity. Then, maybe, at some point, someone gets a sense of urgency, and steps up. What's really bothersome is that while we certain played to form in starting slow, I never got the impression we had any notion of getting the intensity necessary to even consider a run to catch up.

I'm naive: I keep thinking that the last game where that happened, or the last series where that happened, a light would go on and someone would say "Hey, we need to learn from this, come out firing from the opening tip," and I keep finding out I'm wrong. We continue to come out blah and somewhat disinterested. The Clips are good, obviously, but heavens, last night just makes you scratch your head and say "Whaaaat???"

Not throwing in the towel or giving up, but this game two tomorrow night is monstrous. Don't show up for that one and it may be the last home game of the season.

[OKVision4U]

Why have we, for the past 2 months, decided to get down by 10 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 24 and then try to make a run back for the win at the last second? ...and we do this at home !?!? ( take out game 7 w/ the Grizzlies, that was a different setting)

..so why does Brooks allow the guys to get behind greater than 10 ? ...how does that happen at home?

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^
I agree 100% about digging a hole early. They have done that this entire season, in case nobody has been paying attention. There has been a lackadaisical approach, almost lazy, and then they kick it into gear, ratchet up their intensity, get the crowd behind them, and win. Might be survivable during the season, but the playoffs are different. Especially when playing the best offense in the league.

[Anonymous.]

Last night was one of those nights. You can't stop a team shooting 55+% and a POINT GUARD torching everyone while shooting career playoff high numbers.

We are good when we get our butts kicked. Tomorrow should be the return favor.

[Just the facts]

Last night was one of those nights. You can't stop a team shooting 55+% and a POINT GUARD torching everyone while shooting career playoff high numbers.

We are good when we get our butts kicked. Tomorrow should be the return favor.

They weren't even trying to stop Chris Paul though. They were literally daring him to shoot - and he did.

[Anonymous.]

This is true. Terrible switching on D and Russell gambling for steals/blocks.

[Of Sound Mind]

It's really sad that the year KD finally wins MVP, his team is stinkin' it up and embarrassing themselves in the playoffs...

[Pete]

Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City Thunder wins MVP award for first time - ESPN

[Anonymous.]

The best part is KD doesn't really care. He wants to WIN.

Tomorrow night beast mode activation required.

[OKVision4U]

Congrats KD !!!!!!

Now get your team going w/ a sense-of-urgency and get to the finals again. You deserve it !

[s00nr1]

Careless turnovers and a total lack of motivation on the defensive side of the ball (esp the perimeter).

This has been the story since the all star break.



(And congrats to KD)

[Bellaboo]

From DailyThunder -

Kevin Durant officially named 2013-14 MVP | Daily Thunder.com

[Mel]

Big congrats to K.D. Rally for him is at 3:30. I know 4 will have live coverage. Probably all the other stations too.