Greetings Thunder junkies. It’s the slow time of the season so I thought I would spice up the doldrums with a challenge to the faithful Thunder news mongers. You’ve been reading Royce’s daily bolts for quite some time now, you are informed on everything Thunder. You know that B.J. Byron Mullins has a tat on both forearms and is from somewhere in Ohio; you know that Kyle Weaver is from Wisconsin and that Nick Collison is the sweatiest Jayhawk in the league. You know that Kevin Durant is dropping big points in Barry Farms pickup games and that Sam Presti is a great drummer. What do you do with these useless little nuggets of Thunder knowledge and trivia? Simple, you try your hand at the first ever of it’s kind Thunder preseason crossword challenge.
I took all sorts of unbelievably useless and behind the scenes Thunder trivia and information from the last two seasons and plugged it into crossword puzzle generator and created a headache in the making. If you’re up for the challenge give it a go. Take your time, I don’t think it will be a breeze.
Here’s the framework: I used only clues and answers relating to the Thunder franchise from the time of the ’07 draft forward (the Durant/Green draft). The clues and answers will be team related obviously. Many of the players are on there and some who just had a cup of coffee with the team. Some draft picks, some coaches , some trivia and a surprising stat or two. Who knows what you will find? Read more…
A great story from the NYT about Tim James, a former NBA player serving in Iraq: “Tim James apologized for being late. A rough day at work, said the Miami Heat’s 1999 first-round draft pick. Vehicles broke down, problems flared up, and he simply fell behind. ”It happens,” James said. ”Even here.” Even on the front line of the Iraq war. A former NBA player who often wondered about his true calling, Tim James is now a U.S. Army soldier, a transformation that even many of the people closest to him never saw coming.
Kevin Durant will return to the Goodman a third time this Friday. Is he playing too much?: “Kevin Durant has taken the “for the love of the game” clause to new levels this summer, with two spectacular showings recently in The Goodman League at Barry Farms, in which he scored 62 and 55 points, respectively. He also dropped 40 points in a charity game last weekend at Georgetown (before which, by the way, he said he never heard anything about a rumored showdown game against Gilbert Arenas, who made one appearance there two weeks ago). But with yet another expected appearance Friday night, is the third-year Oklahoma City Thunder superstar taking his offseason showcase too far? As one member of the Washington Wizards’ staff reminded The Examiner this week, there are some players at Barry Farms who “have nothing to lose.”
(Buenos dias my good associates. Here’s to a fantastic Saturday where you accomplish none of the things you told yourself all week that you were going to do.)
I have no idea why, but this is one of the best Youtube videos I’ve seen this year. I just ate it up. Basically, it’s just a slideshow of NBA players when they were young. Sadly, no Thunder players are involved, but regardless this is top notch. It is just very cool to me to see these titans of athleticism in these small bodies with no muscle. And I really like the ones where they look EXACTLY the same – Dwyane Wade (he even dressed the same!), Antwan Jamison, Bruce Bowen and Dirk among others. Be warned though: I would advise against taking a sip of water/coffee when Andrew Bogut’s, Steve Nash’s or Kevin Garnett’s picture pops up. Also, I think Jason Kidd’s two pictures may help settle the white/black debate that’s torn this country apart for years. Am I allowed to say that?
Throughout the week some of you drop some brilliant or at least somewhat thoughtful comments and so this is a try at highlighting some of them. Disclaimer: It’s not that I necessarily agree with all of them, but they were interesting and for the most part, well put. Everything sic’d.
More good additions to the defining of success for the season. (Greg Evans): Personally, I’d like to see Jeff Green play better against “big name” PFs. I know Uncle Jeff isn’t a natural PF, but the Dirks and Boshs of the world just had their way with him last season. Kevin Durant needs to limit his turn overs. If Harden is the scorer OKC wants him to be, this will be a lot easier. I’d like to see that number fall closer to two per game. Lastly, if Westbrook could play a little less reckless (I know that defines him, but it would be nice) and just find some control. Many of his turnovers (or poor shot attempts) were because he attacked the paint when he should have been looking for the open man.
I like the optimism and the realisticness (word?), because I share it as well. (Brett): I think the 30-35 wins is going to be more realistic this year than 40+. We’re starting to mature, but we did get younger this year. Even though Harden is supposed to be the most NBA-ready rookie this year and did look good in Summer League, we still have to expect some kind of learning curve from him (even if only a month or two). The key for us will be what Royce discussed in the schedule post a few weeks ago… not stumbling out of the gate. Even though that will be a tough stretch, it will be important in setting the tone for the season. The roster sans Wilkins, Wilcox, and Watson will be stronger. Prestiand Brooks gave them their chance and they obviously didn’t take advantage. Other than our rookies, we’ve got players who we can know can, and will, contribute.
If we can get 40+ wins and compete for a #8 all year long, I think this team is poised to do great things a lot sooner than people realize. Outsiders can hate all they want. Three years and we’ll be making deep runs in the playoffs. Read more…
Russell Westbrook checks in at No. 14 on PBN’s top 20 point guards: “He’ll get better at creating shots for himself and teammates as he matures, but the turnover issue and inconsistent jumper are correctable flaws that don’t detract from the total package. The 20-year-old is as sleek and dynamic as your dream sports car, relishes playing defense and might be the top athlete at a position filled with them. He’s got a long way to go, but it’s a safe bet he’ll be climbing this list for years to come.”
The Thunder were second (behind the Wizards) in ESPN’s “team turnaround” category: “In Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the Thunder have arguably the best young squad in the NBA. But if the Thunder are to be Team Turnaround, it begins and ends with Durant’s continuing his ascension to superstardom. If he makes the leap, the Thunder very well could jump up the standings.”
Mike Baldwin says don’t look at the price tag on the new practice facility: ”For some reason people are enamored with how much something costs. A few years from now you might hear about another NBA team building a $20 million to $25 million practice facility. Don’t put too much stock in the dollar figure. The Thunder’s new facility will stack up… for about half the price. Similar to purchasing something on sale, the Thunder’s new $13 million practice facility, which broke ground on Thursday and is scheduled to be completed in 12 months, is the $20 million facility that’s been proposed for more than a year. It’s simply a buyer’s market. Ask anyone who has purchased a new car or bought a home the past six months. That’s why the Thunder’s new development center, which will rival any in the NBA, costs only $13 million.” Read more…
There’s lots of reasons why. First, he’s said it multipletimes. I know, I know. You can’t take what athletes say to heart. It’s just regurgitated fluff that is said only to please fans. But I don’t know man… he’s been pretty adamant about it. Second, financially he’s going to be fine in OKC. It’s not like he won’t get paid. Third, the “spotlight” and draw of a major market is overrated. In this age of media everywhere, if you’re good, you’re going to get the endorsement and you’re going to get seen.
So yeah, I was going to write all of that out in an overly wordy column, but Clark at The Lost Ogle took care of it today and said it much better than I possibly could. Read the whole excellent thing, but here’s a great excerpt:
Of course, the D.C. rumors are expecting Durant to be even harder core. They say he will refuse to sign any contract (including an offer during his restricted free agency in 2011 that Oklahoma City could match) and risk more than $80MM that could be wiped away by an injury or car accident during the 2011/2012 season. And why? Assuming the Washington Wizards, the team closest to the town he grew up in, will have max money to offer him in the summer of ‘12.
Let’s assume the Wizards manage to avoid the awful contracts they love to offer over the next two years and keep only Gilbert Arenas and whoever they draft so they can afford Durant: Why would anyone think Durant wants to go home so badly? He was an unrestricted free agent coming out of high school and could have attended any college he wanted. If he loved his hometown so much, why wasn’t he playing for Georgetown? Or Maryland?
Also, here is the other thing. If Durant is lying and really wants out of this small market so badly that he would be willing to give up a guaranteed $20MM, he will lose out on more than money. As LeBron is learning as he gears up for his free agent extravaganza, the only teams who can even remotely compete with his current team when it comes to dollars are only able to do so because they have entirely stripped themselves of talent. When the Knicks come knocking on his door next Summer, they will have only Eddy Curry, Jared Jeffries, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari under contract. Then, should they sign King James, they will only have enough salary cap space leftover to surround him with minimum salaried players.
Durant, on the other hand, is the member of a young corp destined for greatness while working for the “it” general manager in a city that adores him. Yeah, I can see why he’d want out.
Nick Collison loves us!: “Good day in okc.Good workout @ practice facility w/ByronMullens &Serge Ibaka then had successful day o house hunting.Btw weather is flawless.”
HoopsWorld’s second list of most influential in basketball: “Sam Presti, General Manager, Oklahoma City Thunder – Presti has become the model for the next generation of basketball executive. There is not anyone in the industry who does not want to do business with Presti; he is honest and he takes extreme care of his players and staff. Presti has an eye for talent that is almost unmatched. If he can turn Oklahoma City into a perennial playoff contender, he may be able to write his own ticket for the next 15 years.”
Investors in Tulsa get more time to explore WNBA possibilities: “Oklahoma City businessmen Bill Cameron and David Box looked at ease during a Wednesday afternoon press conference despite the task that is ahead of them – landing a deal to bring a WNBA team to Tulsa. The Women’s National Basketball Association extended the Sept. 1 deadline, giving the investment group several more weeks to secure funding to bring a WNBA team to Tulsa in time for the 2010 season. Though the duo seemed pleased with the deadline extension, Cameron said there are still hurdles to clear. Currently the investment group has made 75 percent of its goal to score a WNBA team for Tulsa.” Read more…
Alex quickly found that a scorekeeper is given broad discretion over two categories: assists and blocks (steals and rebounds are also open to some interpretation, though not a lot). “In the NBA, an assist is a pass leading directly to a basket,” he says. “That’s inherently subjective. What does that really mean in practice? The definition is massively variable according to who you talk to. The Jazz guys were pretty open about their liberalities. … John Stockton averaged 10 assists. Is that legit? It’s legit because they entered it. If he’s another guy, would he get 10? Probably not.”
The piece goes on to mention specific examples including Nick Van Exel’s 23 assist game for Los Angeles and Hakeem Olajuwon’s triple double back in 1995. Those box scores were inflated. The Olajuwon game was mandated from a higher authority, Alex said. It was just something that kind of happened it seemed. Read more…
Sports Business Journal looks at the affect of the Thunder on OKC’s minor league franchises: ”Oklahoma City, No. 3 in SportsBusiness Journal’s ranking of minor league markets in 2007, didn’t qualify for this year’s list. The reason? The arrival of the NBA Thunder in town last year put the city into the category of major league markets. Economically, there are many statistics in Oklahoma City’s favor. The local unemployment rate is lower than the national average, population has increased at double the rate of the increase seen in the minor league markets in our survey, and the amount of total personal income in the market has risen about 30 percent over five years, nearly double the national average. The past year, however, also brought the departure from Oklahoma City of the CHL Blazers. Despite being among the attendance leaders in all of minor league hockey for years, the team closed its doors this summer after a 17-year run, citing the economic downtown. Attendance for the AF2 Yard Dawgz was down this year, and the Class AAA RedHawks are posting lower numbers at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark this summer, as well.”
An EXCELLENT account from Barry Farms (h/t Martz): ”All summer long, I’ve heard rumors that Kevin Durant’s been playing down at Barry Farms. I’ve spent the previous 5 or 6 years talking about making a trip down there to see the legendary league for myself, but until this summer, I’d never been. Kevin Durant’s presence changed that. We’re talking about one of the 5 or 6 best basketball players on the planet, and the only person in the NBA with enough talent to perhaps lay claim to the throne that “King James” has occupied in such douchetastic fashion to this point. That a player of Durant’s stature would play in a summer league in his hometown says a lot about his character. Or more specifically, why he’s so awesome.”
Kyle Weaver is returning home to do a little work: “Oklahoma City Thunder guard and Beloit native Kyle Weaver is returning home to provide a special day for children and families in Beloit. On Saturday, August 29th Weaver will kick off Weaver of Dreams Day by providing a free basketball camp for 100 boys and girls from the area at Beloit Memorial High School’s Barkin Arena from 9 AM until noon. When camp breaks Weaver will head over to distribute a box of food and personal care items to 400 children and families from the Beloit area.” Read more…
Kevin Durant returned to Barry Farms Monday night to play in the Goodman League. That’s the second time this year (that I know of) and third time he’s been in D.C. playing in a prominent league (he played at Georgetown Sunday). Denver Nugget rookie Ty Lawson joined him and for some reason they were on the same team. As if that’s fair. For those scoring at home, in three games at Barry Farms, KD is averaging 52.3 points per game. That’s pretty good methinks. From Dan Steinberg: “The one white person there files this report: ‘It looks like Kevin Durant has decided to dunk on everyone. On every possession.’”
I don’t know if you know this, but there’s this thing called “Twitter” and some people use it. It has connected the world and become one of the biggest tools in social media. It’s all very meta.
Nick Collison is extremely witty and funny. He also likes nice weather.
Kevin Durant likes movies, enjoys chatting with fans and at times, actually acts his age.
Russell Westbrook does not enjoy proper English, nor complete sentences.
James Harden tweets at extremely random times and tweets extremely random things.
I think Byron Mullens forgot about his.
Thabo’s is… let’s just say boring.
But what could we really know about each player from their Twitter? Is there more to it? Well, there’s this little website called TweetPsych and it does just that – it analyzes tweets and tells you what they really mean. Let’s investigate. Read more…
The Traber/Simmons war has reached its absolute boiling point, as it made Deadspin yesterday. Hopefully if things don’t fall through, I’ll have more on this (and hopefully the last word, at least from me) later today.
Kevin Durant returned to DC again, this time dropping 40 against Washington’s Andray Blatche and Sacto’s Donte Greene. Oh, and Jeff Green scored 28. They played this one at Georgetown though, not on the playground. Video!
(Let’s get back to basketball for a minute, shall we?)
What makes a good year? Well, depends on who you ask.
Ask a Laker fan and he’ll say another title. Ask a Celtic fan and he’d say the same. Ask a Bobcat fan and he’ll say playoffs. Ask a Blazer fans and he’d say Western Conference Finals or bust. Or ask a Maverick fan and he’d give you a list.
Which is exactly what I’m going to do. This upcoming season for the Thunder is quite a conundrum. The team has been hyped, de-hyped and then re-hyped all offseason. Expectations are beginning to soar, even though realistically they shouldn’t be as high as they are. Nevertheless, success must be defined in some way for this year. Some might have playoff hopes, which I think are a bit aggressive. Some might just want improvement from last year. I guess I’m somewhere in between.
I think we can add to this list as we go along too. Maybe the team goes 25-10 before Christmas. I think goals will change a bit, but while the season will inevitably be a success, aspirations for the year may evolve.
Win at least 30 games. That doesn’t sound like all that high of an expectation, does it? The Thunder won 23 last year and that’s after winning just four in 2008. So adding seven wins shouldn’t be that big of a deal, right? Well, I’d love to see more than 30. I’d love to be in the 35-40 range. But I think that’s getting ahead of ourselves. We’re trying to define a successful season and I think improving on last year’s win total and getting into the 30′s is a nice step for a team with an average age under 24. I want more, but if OKC wins at least 30, I feel OK.
Kevin Durant is an All-Star. I think we all know he should have been one last year. And with the buzz around him right now with all the LeBron or KD talk and the Team USA camp, he’s almost a lock if he performs at all similar to last year. But I don’t think he’ll do that. I think he’s going to blow last year’s season out of the water. He needs to be an All-Star to raise his profile and also that of his team. Read more…
While bloggers maybe don’t love the Thunder, OKC tied for fifth in a SportsNation poll vote. The Raptors somehow pulled down almost 20 percent of 20,000 votes. But we all know that everybody actually just voted for their first favorite team in that poll to make it look better.
This was on TrueHoop Friday – Basketball Reference says Desmond Mason was not good last year: “In other words, if there’s a statistical category out there (at least in terms of the box score), odds are that it showed Desmond Mason to be a really bad player last season. Not just mediocre, not just below-average, but legitimately terrible. All of which begs the question, on what planet does Desmond Mason deserve a multi-year contract “in the neighborhood of” $5+ million per? To be honest, he’s lucky anybody is still interested in him at all after his last four seasons. Because four years of purely awful basketball is not an aberration. It’s a trend. And it’s only getting worse.” Read more…
(Happy sunrise DTers. Have some coffee and instead of reading the paper, how about watching some moving pictures on the Internet? Soooooooound good?)
Is there anyone better in the league that can take an ordinary, ho-hum dunk and turn it into an impressive finish than Russell Westbrook. As you watch this top 10 dunks from this season, notice how plain and simple some of these are, but how cool they look because he cocked his arm back just a little farther or maybe yanked on the rim real hard after he flushed it through the net. And landing in a squat with your arms out is always a nice touch.
teammates as he matures, but the turnover issue and inconsistent jumper are correctable flaws that don’t detract from the total package. The 20-year-old is as sleek and dynamic as your dream sports car, relishes playing defense and might be the top athlete at a position filled with them. He’s got a long way to go, but it’s a safe bet he’ll be climbing this list for years to come.”
successful day o house hunting.Btw weather is flawless.”
the category of major league markets. Economically, there are many statistics in Oklahoma City’s favor. The local unemployment rate is lower than the national average, population has increased at double the rate of the increase seen in the minor league markets in our survey, and the amount of total personal income in the market has risen about 30 percent over five years, nearly double the national average. The past year, however, also brought the departure from Oklahoma City of the CHL Blazers. Despite being among the attendance leaders in all of minor league hockey for years, the team closed its doors this summer after a 17-year run, citing the economic downtown. Attendance for the AF2 Yard Dawgz was down this year, and the Class AAA RedHawks are posting lower numbers at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark this summer, as well.”
ask a Maverick fan and 
my surprise there were a lot of Warriors supporters. I expected quite a few to select the Oklahoma City Thunder, but no one did.”
