DT Getting Ready for NBA Playoffs

[OklahomaNick]

There was NO REASON for OKC to lose against CLE.

HotRod, you speak as if you were not an NBA fan before 2008, like MOST OKC new NBA Fans. Bad nights happen to even professionals.. You can't tell me that you have never had a bad day at work, or a day where you were not motivated. Just please don't be such an irrational fan that you EXPECT to win EVERY game. Yes they should have beat Cleveland, but they didnt. Now move on..

[Just the facts]

only 1 of the 3 ever played a HOME game in OKC

You're right, my mistake - Blake Griffin is from OKC but he attended high school in Edmond.

[BDP]

The same way that Michael Jordan and the Bulls didn't win every single game they played.

In fact, the Chicago Bulls team with the most wins EVER did not win every game (72) and one of those losses came against the Toronto Raptors who finished with THE WORST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE that year.

Yes, many here do need to begin to realize the difference between professional and college sports, especially the difference between it and college football, which is really the biggest anomaly in all of sports in that it plays the smallest ratio of games to the number of teams in the league, and the teams get to intentionally schedule games against inferior competition and do not have to play multiple games against the very best teams in order to win a championship. There is no form of competition that should ever be compared to college football in terms of competitive structure. It's really ridiculous when you think about it.

Also, this schedule is crazy and I have no idea how these guys can even want to play every game they do. Talk about burn out.

[SoonerBoy18]

HotRod, you speak as if you were not an NBA fan before 2008, like MOST OKC new NBA Fans. Bad nights happen to even professionals.. You can't tell me that you have never had a bad day at work, or a day where you were not motivated. Just please don't be such an irrational fan that you EXPECT to win EVERY game. Yes they should have beat Cleveland, but they didnt. Now move on..

I am guilty, I was not a die hard NBA fan before 2008, My favorite team was the Lakers because my dad is a Laker fan as well, but when we got the Thunder, thats when I became an nba fan, so yes its hard to see the Thunder lose to teams like Cleveland, like many other Thunder fans, we dont take losing to well because we are use to winning. Like how OU fans gets ticked off once the sooners lose a game in football

[SoonerBoy18]

Why is that impossible? It is my understanding that it will be able to stuff like that on the crowns. No?

I dont know how they would be able to pul it off but hopefully they can

[SoonerBoy18]

Even though we were not the first nba franchise to do the "blue outs, white outs, etc" but ever since we played the lakers in the 1st round, lots of nba teams started doing what OKC did by putting the same shirts in the seats, and I even notice the Atlanta fans were "copying" thunder fans by standing until the hawks make their first basket. So is it true when I say, No other NBA city supports their team more than Oklahoma City?

[Lafferty Daniel]

Even though we were not the first nba franchise to do the "blue outs, white outs, etc" but ever since we played the lakers in the 1st round, lots of nba teams started doing what OKC did by putting the same shirts in the seats, and I even notice the Atlanta fans were "copying" thunder fans by standing until the hawks make their first basket. So is it true when I say, No other NBA city supports their team more than Oklahoma City?

I'm guessing you're pretty young. There are tons of teams who stand until the first basket is made. We did it when I was at OSU, which was before the Thunder got here, and they did it long before I was there.

[BDP]

I'm guessing you're pretty young. There are tons of teams who stand until the first basket is made. We did it when I was at OSU, which was before the Thunder got here, and they did it long before I was there.

If you're talking college sports, then there are many teams who stand the whole game for much of the season. This generally depends on where the school seats their students and what kind of tradition they have.

Now, in the NBA, not so much.

[jn1780]

Not impossible at all. pretty probable actually. The LED systems in buildings these days are able to scroll messages and graphics. two different buildings in Downtown Dallas do this for Mavs Games. So cross your fingers.

I don't really see how they can spell something out when all the LED's are lined up vertically in the "fins" sticking out from the cladding.

[BlackmoreRulz]

Have these LED's been illuminated yet? Are there any pics of them? I looked at the Tower thread but gave up after about 50 pages or so...

[jn1780]

Have these LED's been illuminated yet? Are there any pics of them? I looked at the Tower thread but gave up after about 50 pages or so...

Yeah, there has been low power light tests several times over the past few months on various parts of the building.

[Bellaboo]

I don't really see how they can spell something out when all the LED's are lined up vertically in the "fins" sticking out from the cladding.

The 3 triangles at the top are supposed to be 'LED' lit.

[SoonerBoy18]

I'm guessing you're pretty young. There are tons of teams who stand until the first basket is made. We did it when I was at OSU, which was before the Thunder got here, and they did it long before I was there.

Yes, I'm 18 & No I was talking about NBA teams not college

[Lafferty Daniel]

Yes, I'm 18 & No I was talking about NBA teams not college

Same thing really. Standing until the first basket is made is the same tradition no matter what level. Just because the Thunder do it doesn't mean we're the first fan base to do something.

[HOT ROD]

all of you who are defending the Thunder are missing my point. I have been an NBA fan longer than probably most everyone on this forum, because I have lived in an NBA city longer. And I am speaking of basketball fundamentals, something the Thunder lacks - and is constantly mentioned as a fault by Charles Barkley and others - and probably the ONLY thing I actually agree with him.

I know teams have an off night, but the Thunder seems to be quite consistent at it. Win big for a two-three game stretch then lose horribly to a low hanging team that they shouldn't, and at home. ... And as I said, even most games we win - it is by luck of talent (hot hand of the night) because our lack of fundamentals (lack of rotation, turnovers, ball-hogging, irresponsible passing, NO-floor spacing, catch-and-jack with 20 seconds left on the playclock, and can't rebound for the life of me-if my name is not Durant) is the ONLY thing holding this team back.

But it goes to show, that OKC settles for complacency; 2nd best. Just like my opinion of all of you defending how the Thunder play. Why try for better, when 'look at what we have'. There is a reason teams like boston, LA, and Chicago get press and it isn't the same reason that MIAMI does - it is because teams in those cities strive to be the best AT BASKETBALL from a fundamental level. OKC and MIAMI have the most talent by far; and MIAMI is getting the press because of its market and the 'annointment of King James'.

My being an OU fan has nothing to do with my constructive take on the Thunder, I am as die hard for both but absolutely hate it when the Thunder consistently self destruct relying on their only offense (isolation to the hot hand), which teams have figured out how to snuff out (by simply watching Thunder film). This is why OKC loses to teams they shouldn't and it is frustrating to me because if they had a rotation like that of Boston, they would be unbeatable given their talent and youth.

We should have learned from last year, that we need fundamentals and if we combine that with our talent and youth; we are unbeatable. See the Dallas series from the WEstern Playoffs if you need a refresher. (Dallas beat OKC because of our lack of fundamentals, likely attributed to youth. Once they figured out how to beat OKC's isolation - it was lights out, the party's over, no matter who had the hot hand of the night.)

I'd like to see us learn from the past and develop offense and defense plays (emphasis on plural) to at least work the freaking clock once we discover our players aren't hitting their jumpers.

[BoulderSooner]

your grasp of "basketball fundamentals" is clearly lacking .... and living in an NBA city doesn't make you a fan ... i have been a huge nba fan my entire life sometimes living in or near nba cities (LA Boston DC Orlando Denver) and sometimes not ..

the Thunder have the second best O in the NBA Miami is first ... why? because we attack the rim and get to the line ....... we are in the top half on D ... what the thunder needs to improve on is effort on D we can be a top 5 D team (and are in the 4th Q fyi) but we don't always lock in early .....

do we turn it over a little to much ... of course .. but I (and Brooks) wants his team to be on the attack mode 100% of the time ... that is when the Thunder are at their best ..

[Bullbear]

all of you who are defending the Thunder are missing my point. I have been an NBA fan longer than probably most everyone on this forum, because I have lived in an NBA city longer. And I am speaking of basketball fundamentals, something the Thunder lacks - and is constantly mentioned as a fault by Charles Barkley and others - and probably the ONLY thing I actually agree with him.

I know teams have an off night, but the Thunder seems to be quite consistent at it. Win big for a two-three game stretch then lose horribly to a low hanging team that they shouldn't, and at home. ... And as I said, even most games we win - it is by luck of talent (hot hand of the night) because our lack of fundamentals (lack of rotation, turnovers, ball-hogging, irresponsible passing, NO-floor spacing, catch-and-jack with 20 seconds left on the playclock, and can't rebound for the life of me-if my name is not Durant) is the ONLY thing holding this team back.

But it goes to show, that OKC settles for complacency; 2nd best. Just like my opinion of all of you defending how the Thunder play. Why try for better, when 'look at what we have'. There is a reason teams like boston, LA, and Chicago get press and it isn't the same reason that MIAMI does - it is because teams in those cities strive to be the best AT BASKETBALL from a fundamental level. OKC and MIAMI have the most talent by far; and MIAMI is getting the press because of its market and the 'annointment of King James'.

My being an OU fan has nothing to do with my constructive take on the Thunder, I am as die hard for both but absolutely hate it when the Thunder consistently self destruct relying on their only offense (isolation to the hot hand), which teams have figured out how to snuff out (by simply watching Thunder film). This is why OKC loses to teams they shouldn't and it is frustrating to me because if they had a rotation like that of Boston, they would be unbeatable given their talent and youth.

We should have learned from last year, that we need fundamentals and if we combine that with our talent and youth; we are unbeatable. See the Dallas series from the WEstern Playoffs if you need a refresher. (Dallas beat OKC because of our lack of fundamentals, likely attributed to youth. Once they figured out how to beat OKC's isolation - it was lights out, the party's over, no matter who had the hot hand of the night.)

I'd like to see us learn from the past and develop offense and defense plays (emphasis on plural) to at least work the freaking clock once we discover our players aren't hitting their jumpers.

a bit off topic for the reason this thread was developed.

[BDP]

But it goes to show, that OKC settles for complacency; 2nd best.

Over reaction.

2nd best in NBA and currently best in the west only three years removed from a 23 win season. That's not complacency, it's the exact opposite. Appreciating that is not settling, it's 100% warranted.

Win big for a two-three game stretch then lose horribly to a low hanging team that they shouldn't, and at home.

This just isn't true. They have lost only twice at home and Portland is not a low hanging team.

Dallas beat OKC because of our lack of fundamentals, likely attributed to youth. Once they figured out how to beat OKC's isolation - it was lights out, the party's over, no matter who had the hot hand of the night.

Dallas must have forgotten what they figured out.

Why try for better, when 'look at what we have'.

Who do you think isn't trying for better? That's all the team and the organization talk about, despite being amongst the leagues top 2 teams most of the year. If you can't see that they HAVE gotten better, then it's a lost cause. As for the fans or "the city", if you think that appreciating one of the best turnarounds in sports history isn't trying for better, then you will never be satisfied save for a true sports miracle like the 2000 Sooners. Good luck with that.

The reality is that if and when they do stop improving, then some bellyaching might be justified. Or maybe if they plateau for years without a championship, Dallas Mavericks style, then it will make sense to start questioning what they need to do differently to get better. But they ARE getting better and it's too bad that it seems the number of bitchers are growing in a positive relationship to their success. Thankfully, they are still vastly outnumber at the actual games.

[Rover]

your grasp of "basketball fundamentals" is clearly lacking .... and living in an NBA city doesn't make you a fan ... i have been a huge nba fan my entire life sometimes living in or near nba cities (LA Boston DC Orlando Denver) and sometimes not ..

the Thunder have the second best O in the NBA Miami is first ... why? because we attack the rim and get to the line ....... we are in the top half on D ... what the thunder needs to improve on is effort on D we can be a top 5 D team (and are in the 4th Q fyi) but we don't always lock in early .....

do we turn it over a little to much ... of course .. but I (and Brooks) wants his team to be on the attack mode 100% of the time ... that is when the Thunder are at their best ..

Plus, our 4th Q and "crunch time" defense stats are either best or second best in NBA. Not time for panic yet. Our pups are growing up, but still are pubs. But, they are figuring it out. Understanding what they are today and what they are growing into does not imply we are happy with their current deficiencies, btw.

[Lafferty Daniel]

Oh Hot Rod, you'll never get it. And yes, you being an OU football fan does have everything to do with it. You're overreacting after one loss just like OU fans do. It's one game. Chill. We've lost TWO games this year at home. TWO.

Once again, we are missing two very important players for us right now. Unfortunately, we will only get one of those back this season. So we are not even at full strength. And our four best players are all under the age of 23. They would all be rookies (roughly)if they had played four years of college ball.

[Bellaboo]

Hot Rod -

How long have you been a fan ? I have been following for a long long time, before Lew Alcindor was drafted into the league.

[SoonerBoy18]

I hope they will do a "Orange out" during playoffs

[BoulderSooner]

I hope they will do a "Orange out" during playoffs

lets hope not

[OKCisOK4me]

I hope they will do a "Orange out" during playoffs

I'm an OSU fan and I hope they don't. No "Orange Out", no "Crimson OUt"...blue, white, OR yellow ONLY.

[BDP]

You're overreacting after one loss just like OU fans do.

I'm an OU fan and I am not overreacting.

Also, if you're talking about college football, one loss IS a big deal. OSU fans should know that now. Where OU fans overreact is when they complain about "how" they won or by how much.