****Official 2012/2013 Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball Thread****

[Teo9969]

This thread is an excellent tool to determine who on this board knows absolutely nothing about basketball and how it's played. (e.g., those saying Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Martin aren't good players).

Perkins haters always make me laugh. Dude is the only reason we have a chance against teams with front courts like Memphis and LA. If we manage to catch the Lakers, Clips, and Grizz consecutively in the playoffs, Perkins will be about $10M underpaid on the season.

[Bill Robertson]

Perkins haters always make me laugh. Dude is the only reason we have a chance against teams with front courts like Memphis and LA. If we manage to catch the Lakers, Clips, and Grizz consecutively in the playoffs, Perkins will be about $10M underpaid on the season.

My son-in-law is one of those Perkins haters. Every time the Thunder come up he complains about Perkins low stats. I'll never get him to understand that as mainly a low-post defender the numbers that stats show isn't what he's here for. And he's very good at what he's here for.

[kevinpate]

I admit to knowing little of the game, but isn't Perkins' primarily role to muss up the stats of the guys in the other shirts?

[Bill Robertson]

I admit to knowing little of the game, but isn't Perkins' primarily role to muss up the stats of the guys in the other shirts?

That is exactly his job.

[TaoMaas]

Perkins haters always make me laugh. Dude is the only reason we have a chance against teams with front courts like Memphis and LA. If we manage to catch the Lakers, Clips, and Grizz consecutively in the playoffs, Perkins will be about $10M underpaid on the season.

Thank you! Perk plays his role well. People who are down on Perk must not have been watching the games before we traded for him. Pre-Perk, we were the Denver Nuggets...a good team, but not really a serious contender. Post-Perk, we've been in the Western Conference finals twice and the NBA championship once. That probably wouldn't have happened if we were still playing Nenad at center and Uncle Jeff at PF.

[Bellaboo]

BTW, ZBo was fined $25,000 for the Perkins incident after they were ejected the other night. He's living up to his past......

[OKCisOK4me]

^^^That's .25 cents in my pocket.

[Stan Silliman]

Two games in a row, Perkins has spent time defending the point guard. In each case, it was sight to behold
and yet, it did disturb what the PG was trying to do. I doubt he'll accomplish much trying this against Chris
Paul. But against New Orleans and Golden State, he disrupted their passing lanes. Watch for it.

[Teo9969]

Two games in a row, Perkins has spent time defending the point guard. In each case, it was sight to behold
and yet, it did disturb what the PG was trying to do. I doubt he'll accomplish much trying this against Chris
Paul. But against New Orleans and Golden State, he disrupted their passing lanes. Watch for it.

The point is that he's a good enough defender to even deal with the idea that he guard a point guard. I'll never forget him begging Tony Parker to come at him at the top of the key in Game 3 of the '12 WCF. He slapped the ball away when Parker advanced and then I think Parker passed it off after corralling the ball.

Perkins is the impetus for the defense on this team, because he brings it mostly in the low-post, but can stretch it to the perimeter if he has to. Sefolosha is a great defender, but he's made even better by having a Perkins/Ibaka tandem in the front-court.

[TaoMaas]

Two games in a row, Perkins has spent time defending the point guard. In each case, it was sight to behold
and yet, it did disturb what the PG was trying to do.

Heck, it freaked me out...didn't it, you? lol Gotta imagine it had a similar effect on the opposing PG.

[Bill Robertson]

Heck, it freaked me out...didn't it, you? lol Gotta imagine it had a similar effect on the opposing PG.

I would have liked a close up face shot of the first PG that saw Perkins waiting for him around half court. I don't remember who it was but I bet he was freaked out.

[Bellaboo]

Heck, it freaked me out...didn't it, you? lol Gotta imagine it had a similar effect on the opposing PG.

Perkins says he does that to get him 'fired up'. He says he will only do it when he's playing an opposing center who is not real mobile.

[dankrutka]

I'm sorry, but all statistical models show Perkins to be an average center at best. I appreciate his toughness and what he brings, but his offensive game is pretty bad and his defense is often overhyped. The other problem is that Brooks often uses him wrong. Playing Perkins significant minutes in the Finals was a huge mistake. Because the Heat went small, he brought almost nothing to the game as his greatest strength was negated. However, there are not very many true centers anymore so he happens to be about average at the weakest position in the NBA.

Martin's efficiency has been off the charts this season (much like Harden before leaving). He's definitely benefitting from playing with KD and Russ. He'll never make his teammates better like Harden did, but I'm very happy with what he's bringing.

My biggest problem right now with the team is Brooks inability to develop young players. While KD, Russ, and Harden all played heavy minutes and grew (through mistakes) as NBA players, all our recent draft picks get no opportunities for growth and seem to gradually lose confidence. Aldrich and Jackson are 2 1st round picks that have never developed, and the same is now happening with Jones III and Lamb. How valuable are the draft picks from the trade if they never play or grow?

[OKCisOK4me]

You should go fill out an application KT. I'm sure they could use your insight on saving them big bucks in the long term.

[dankrutka]

You should go fill out an application KT. I'm sure they could use your insight on saving them big bucks in the long term.

First, the NBA is littered with terrible contracts. Second, this is a message board. Therefore, it's okay to have an opinion about sports on a message board in the section about sports.

Let me know when you have something of substance to say, not just childish snide remarks.

[TaoMaas]

Aldrich and Jackson are 2 1st round picks that have never developed, and the same is now happening with Jones III and Lamb. How valuable are the draft picks from the trade if they never play or grow?

In order to get significant playing time for Lamb and Jones, somebody has to sit. Jones is KD's back-up, so do we sit KD more just to develop a rookie? We could move Lamb or KD to the 4, but that bumps out Collison, unless we move him to center. But that would bump out Thabeet, who has probably been the most improved player on the roster. Do we give up significant progress in a #2 pick in order to maybe develop a much lower draft pick? Then, to get Lamb some minutes, we either have to bump Thabo or Kmart...or shuffle things around, same as with PJIII. Frankly, I like what Brooks has been doing so far in the season. He's been finding some time for the rooks (granted...Jones, more than Lamb) in the rotations in comfortable games and giving them (and Reggie) extended minutes in blow-outs. Cracking the rotations of the Thunder right now is a very tough thing simply because they are one of the 2 or 3 best teams in the NBA.

[Bellaboo]

Actually, they do a very good job of development, but it takes time. Very few rookies, especially on a stacked team, get much playing time their first few months of the season. Jackson was unfortunate to be our rookie last season during the lockout and did not have the summer league and only 2 weeks pre-season to develop. I think you'll see Lamb and Jones come along as the season goes along. Harden's rookie year wasn't so great after all either.

Look at Thabeet compared to what he's done the previous 3 years. Last night he looked as if could be somewhat dominant against any teams 2's.

[betts]

Darnell Mayberry thinks Maynor is gone and Reggie is our backup point guard of the future. I have a lot of faith in Darnell's opinions. A draft pick is a lot like an interview. You sometimes can't tell how the person will perform when on the job. If the Thunder don't develop a player, it's likely that circumstances suggest to Presti that the player is ultimately going to be on another team. It's way too early to tell anything about Jones and Lamb however.

[dankrutka]

First, PJIII is NOT KD's back up. If he got the 8-10 minutes a game that KD didn't play is I'd be satisfied. He doesn't. Second, I'm not saying that we have to play young guys, but then why make a trade for a bunch of young players?!? There seems to be no point in even getting young players if they'll never play. The staff has done a terrible job of developing young players since the team has been a playoff team. Mullens, Aldrich, and Jackson are 3 first round picks that never even helped the team. It's either awful drafting or terrible development. You shouldn't get nothing out of 3 consecutive 1st round picks (with 2 more doing nothing right now). If you're not going to play young guys then trade them for something else. They're valuable assets before the Thunder kills their value.

[MonkeesFan]

Just bought Magic-Thunder ticket for March 15th, I hope Magic will upset the Thunder but I doubt it, the Magic never wins here

[TaoMaas]

First, PJIII is NOT KD's back up.

That's not my determination...that's exactly what Coach Brooks has said. Doesn't matter what you or I think, but it DOES matter what the guy coaching the game thinks.

[TaoMaas]

Mullens, Aldrich, and Jackson are 3 first round picks that never even helped the team. It's either awful drafting or terrible development. You shouldn't get nothing out of 3 consecutive 1st round picks (with 2 more doing nothing right now). If you're not going to play young guys then trade them for something else. They're valuable assets before the Thunder kills their value.

What makes you think they weren't developed? Because they didn't play much? Mullens and Aldrich were trying to replace proven players with championship rings. Mullens has been playing well for Charlotte, but the Bobcats are no Thunder. They're the historically worst team in the history of the NBA! He may have done okay for the Thunder...but who knows? And do we want offense or defense from our center? Mullens has been scoring, but nobody is singing the praises of his defense. I haven't been following Cole, but I think he was on track for Nazr's job before the trade...so I'm not sure it's safe to say he never made progress. This year, there's a debate as to whether Reggie ought to be playing instead of Maynor. I'm a big Maynor fan, so to even being asking the question says a lot about Reggie, to my mind. Getting minutes with the Thunder is not a good indication of the worth or development of a player. Anyone who has followed OU football has seen this many, many times before.

[Bellaboo]

Darnell Mayberry thinks Maynor is gone and Reggie is our backup point guard of the future. I have a lot of faith in Darnell's opinions. A draft pick is a lot like an interview. You sometimes can't tell how the person will perform when on the job. If the Thunder don't develop a player, it's likely that circumstances suggest to Presti that the player is ultimately going to be on another team. It's way too early to tell anything about Jones and Lamb however.

It's also a matter of money between Reggie and Eric. Reggie is on the rookie scale for another season while Maynor is an RFA come July 1. Jackson is also more athletic than Maynor, just needs more experience.

[Teo9969]

First, PJIII is NOT KD's back up. If he got the 8-10 minutes a game that KD didn't play is I'd be satisfied. He doesn't. Second, I'm not saying that we have to play young guys, but then why make a trade for a bunch of young players?!? There seems to be no point in even getting young players if they'll never play. The staff has done a terrible job of developing young players since the team has been a playoff team. Mullens, Aldrich, and Jackson are 3 first round picks that never even helped the team. It's either awful drafting or terrible development. You shouldn't get nothing out of 3 consecutive 1st round picks (with 2 more doing nothing right now). If you're not going to play young guys then trade them for something else. They're valuable assets before the Thunder kills their value.

If you didn't use language that suggested that the Thunder staff is doing an awful job, it might be easier to lend your points some credibility.

Here's the problem with the idea that any of these young players contribute: Perkins, Ibaka, Sefolosha, Durant, Westbrook, Martin, Maynor, Collison. Those 8 players right there will routinely count for 225+/240 minutes in any game that really matters. That leaves 15 minutes or less for 4 guys to make contributions.

Those 4 guys are Thabeet, Jones, Lamb, and Jackson. Thabeet is averaging 12.5 minutes/game in every game he's been healthy enough to play in. He's progressing really quickly for a guy who many have already labeled as a bust. Him taking 75%+ of the leftover minutes seems to be good coaching to me, seeings how he's the #1 position at which we need to develop our depth.

In the meantime, this team has seen what amounts to a partial "overhaul" to it's roster bringing in Thabeet and Martin, losing Harden, and reincorporating Maynor into the offense. The team has needed and may still need for a few more weeks to solidify the lineups that Scott is going to run with his 8/9 most important players. Sometime between now and the trade deadline, I would like to see more play from Lamb/Jones/Jackson and even Maynor (who is only averaging only 18 more seconds than Thabeet), but not at the detriment of making sure that Martin is integrated into the team, and that the bigger things that need to be done (like installing an offense) are done effectively, so that the post-season run does not fall on its face.

You lament the development of Lamb/Jones/Jackson but you're not admitting that developing those 3 will stunt the much needed development of Ibaka/Westbrook/Durant, all of whom are no where near where they will eventually be. They need the playing time just as much so that they can gel with Martin, and continue to learn how to play with each other on both sides of the floor.

It's almost as if you want to see 12 guys make significant contributions. That simply not realistic.

[Bellaboo]

I've got 2 tickets and a parking pass for Monday night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats for $170, which is the season ticket holder face value for the tickets and parking pass.

Club Level, Section 219, Row G, Seats 11 & 12.

I have other games if interested.

PM me if you are interested.