Daily Thunder.com

I didn’t have a chance to listen, but here’s five things I took from the box score:

1. Russell Westbrook wants to be a point guard and he’s proving it so far. How does 18 assists and three turnovers in two game do you?  He had just seven points on 2-8 shooting today, but eight assists in 24 minutes is dandy. The scoring will be there. I think it’s obvious that he’s doing his best to run the show rather than be the show.

2. Serge Ibaka has a chance to make this team. Twelve points on 6-10 shooting and nine rebounds gives him a leg up on Byron Mullens already. Add on two blocks and the big guy could be the back up center on the team this year. I thought he was likely Tulsa bound but with performances like today coupled with his solid Summer League, he has a shot.

3. Oklahoma City was outrebounded 50-36 today. That. Is. Not. Good. Basically, Serge Ibaka and Jeff Green rebounded the ball well (nine for Green as well). Read more…

Recap New Orleans

vs.

Oklahoma City Thunder (0-1) vs. New Orleans Hornets (0-2)

TV: None
Radio: The first hour is on 105.3 FM. The rest is on WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)
Time: 1:00 CST

View from the enemy: Hornets 24/7

Hello? Anybody here?

So who’s listening to the Thunder play a preseason game over watching OU-Baylor or the end of OSU-Texas A&M? Anybody?

Regardless, the Thunder will go ahead and play in New Orleans against the Hornets. Scott Brooks mentioned that he plans to mix up the starting lineups, so who knows what we’ll see. No word yet on Kevin Ollie, Nick Collison and James Harden’s statuses. Read more…

Preview New Orleans Hornets

I’ve always said it: I’m a sucker for mixtapes. I don’t know why, but I find myself watching them over and over again from time to time (especially Adrian Peterson’s – probably 1,500 views on this one are just from me). And when it’s a good, professional-looking mixtape? Hello favorites.

What’s makes a good mixtape you ask? Six things: 1) High quality video. 2) At least a listenable song selection. It doesn’t have to be great, just something that doesn’t make me want to ram chopsticks into my ear holes. 3) Some nice natural sound pops with an announcer jumping with things like, “Rus-sell WESTBROOK TO THE RIM!!!” 4) Reasonable length. Anything over five minutes just gets old.  5) Some fancy editing features that separate it from a routine clip show and 6) Good highlights.

And with the season (kind of) underway, let’s review the excellence of two of the Thunder’s top players via solid mixes. (Click here for Russell Westbrook’s.)

Video Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook

Go. Read. Now.

Obviously, you can read for yourself, but I found this part that had nothing to do with KD particularly interesting:

Of particular interest here is Russell Westbrook. The Thunder are very good when Westbrook’s on the court, and generally pretty bad when he’s off. (Wayne Winston says this effect is so pronounced he could build a strong case that Westbrook should have been rookie of the year over Derrick Rose.)

How does Westbrook do it?

In some ways, he’s the opposite of Durant. He is not a gaudy scorer — in fact, he’s a pretty bad shooter. He also has a high turnover rate, which is typically murder on team efficiency.

Yet Westbrook is a good defender. He draws a ridiculous number of fouls on both ends of the floor. He gets the team in the bonus, which in turn earns all of his teammates free throws. He rebounds well for his position, particularly at the offensive end, which can often lead to easy baskets.

Emphasis mine on the bold. This topic has been covered around these parts as well. Now go read it. You’ll be a better person for it. And come back ’round here and we can talk.

Commentary Kevin Durant, Plus/Minus, Russell Westbrook

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. Consider everything [sic’d].

I enjoy optimism. Because I’m shamelessly the Viscount of Optimism. (KingGondo): Thought it was interesting that he has KD fifth in the league in PER (@ 23.50), but every other Thunder player is below 15 (i.e. below the league average).

I would put good money on Westbrook making a solid leap into 18-19 territory (he was above 15 last year, and Hollinger really thinks he’ll get worse this year?). If anything, with a greater understanding for the game, improved shooting around him, and a more spaced floor, I could see Russ really becoming a much more efficient and valuable player.

Hollinger has it right when he says, “Westbrook is the Thunder’s unquestioned starter at point guard, and at this point all they can do is throw on a saddle and see where he takes them.” More than any other player, Russ’s development will determine how much the Thunder improve this year. Based on his strong work ethic, Coach Brooks’ positive feedback in training camp, and his excellent showing at USA camp, I’m very optimistic. Read more…

Smart Thoughts

Basketball Prospectus’s season preview book is out and… I honestly don’t have words to describe it. It’s essential for any NBA fan. (And it’s got a small contribution from yours truly, so that part is obviously a must-read.) We’re lucky because you can actually preview the Thunder’s player comments.

The Thunder has partnered with Race for the Cure. Per a press release: “The Oklahoma City Thunder will have a significant presence in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this Saturday in Bricktown. The 2009 NBA Mascot of the Year, Rumble the Bison, and members of the Thunder Girls will participate in the opening ceremonies of the race at Bricktown Ballpark., scheduled to begin at 8:15 a.m. More than 11,000 people have registered for the race, and 40 of those have Thunder ties. Front office staff from both the business and basketball departments will be participating, as well as family members of players and coaches.”

Kevin Durant on the replacement refs: “They did their best,” Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant said. “I think they tried to make every call. They talked to us and made us feel like we had some input and weren’t scared to talk to us. I think they did a good job and called some good calls. But nobody’s perfect.” Read more…

Bolts

(Welcome Clark Matthews, NBA writer extraordinaire from Oklahoma’s best blog, The Lost Ogle. I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with this column already. We’re going to be doing a little post exchange between our sites. We get Clark’s outstanding NBA commentary. They get some off-hand, confused rant from me. It’s all going to work out beautifully. I think. Hope you like.)

When the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City, the organization blew their whole marketing budget re-branding the team with a new name, new logo, new mascot, new player posters for the Ford Center, et cetera, et cetera.  You get the picture.

So, coupled with the fact that the team sold their entire allotment of season tickets in less time than it takes Patrick to down a Newcastle, it was unsurprising when the Thunder pinched a few pennies by not rolling out a big “Meet the Team” advertising campaign.  Personally, I felt this was a mistake considering that the team was breaking into a new market without a good understanding of the NBA product or an ingrained love of the sport.  Sure, plastering billboards and flooding the local stations with commercials was not going to sell one more ticket (unless the team convinced the Ford Center to allow them to seat fans on the catwalk), but while the National Basketball Association has been around for, what fifty years, the NBA in this market is a brand new product in many ways.  Expecting a team that was purchased for $350MM to take root by word of mouth was a pretty risky proposition.

Luckily, the franchise seems to have realized their folly as ticket sales have naturally slipped as a result of the poor economy, poorer results on the floor last season, and the wearing off of novelty.  They now know they need to connect with potential fans to convince them to support a team 41 nights a year.

Of course, the first attempt, Thunder Up!, certainly has some limitations.  After the jump, I’ll break them down for you.

Read more…

Commentary Peace Love and Thunderstanding, The Lost Ogle

Every year, Sporting News names its top sports cities. This year, Oklahoma City (it includes Norman) finished No. 37, up 42 spots from last year. OKC is right behind Toronto and San Antonio and right in front of Austin, Vancouver and Buffalo. “Jumping into the major professional sports scene with the arrival of the Thunder is a big deal for Oklahoma city when it came to our 12-month city snapshot,” Sporting News chief of correspondents Bob Hille said in a statement. Stillwater came in at No. 60 and Tulsa No. 82.

SLAM counting down the top go-to players and they have Kevin Durant at No. 15: “Durant may have more natural scoring ability than anyone — yes, anyone — in the NBA. But those skills that seem like his birthright overshadow the real reason why he’s on pace to run this League: He also has a ton of learned scoring ability. Durant couldn’t drop 25 a game with an entire defense planned around him if it was as simple as throwing a ball into a basket on instinct. He does it because he’s a student of the game, with the work ethic of a Shaolin monk.” Read more…

Bolts

BOX SCORE

(AP Photo/Lance Murphey)

First off, it’s preseason. We all know this and much like the Summer League, it’s smart to keep things in perspective. But the Thunder played a competitive game tonight where score was kept so there are definitely things to take away from it. Of course, we didn’t get to watch but going off of Matt Pinto’s scintillating call and the box score, there are a few observations to be had. It’s always better to win than lose, but I think Scott Brooks was fine coming out on the bad end in order to get a little experience for his youngest guys.

I’m honestly just relieved we made it through this thing with everyone alive. After Dez Bryant being declared ineligible today, I wondered if this sports year was just cursed in Oklahoma. What was built up to maybe be the biggest year of sports ever in this state has now seen Sam Bradford get hurt, Jermaine Gresham get hurt, Ryan Broyles get hurt, OU lose two games, OSU unexpectedly lose to Houston and now Dez Bryant out for the season potentially. I honestly feared for Kevin Durant’s life tonight. One down. 88 more to go.

Guys that did good
He may not have scored a lot (five points on 0-4 shooting), by when you look at Russell Westbrook’s name in a box score and it says 10 assists and just two turnovers, you should celebrate like it’s 1999. If that’s a sign of things to come, then we’re going to be fine. And by fine, I mean pretty good. In Orlando, it looked like he had slowed down and begun to understand the game. And by all appearances tonight, that’s carrying over to this season. Read more…

Recap Memphis Grizzlies

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Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies

TV: None : (
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)
Time: 7:00 CST

View from the enemy: 3 Shades of Blue

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. /satisfiedsigh

We have basketball again. Granted, it is the preseason and it doesn’t really matter, but alas, it’s nice to at least have something. Knowing I have a box score to look at makes me warm and fuzzy on the inside. Shame we don’t get to watch, but we’ll make do.

No sense in deconstructing anything that has to do with anything about this game because 1) It doesn’t matter 2) We don’t really know anything about these two squads yet 3) We don’t know who will be seeing most the playing time and 4) It doesn’t matter.

Injury update: Thabo Sefolosha didn’t travel with the team as he’s sitting out tonight’s game with a mild concussion. Allen Iverson isn’t playing because of a hamstring injury. We probably won’t see any Nick Collison. But good news, James Harden is set to play. Read more…

Preview Memphis Grizzlies

Thunder! Basketball! Tonight! Woo.

Reader Dylan sent along this amusing anecdote: “Fun fact: On NBA2k10, Hasheem Thabeet is a 57 overall. Taylor Griffin is a 62.” Your second overall pick everyone!

Somewhat interesting for all you wealthy Thunder fans: “The Ford Center, home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, today announced Levy Restaurants as its new premium dining and hospitality partner. The partnership includes management and operation of foodservice in premium areas including the club level bars and restaurants, suite level including the new terrace suites and lounges, courtside club and new bunker suites on the lower level.”

Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld lays out his annual 50 predictions: “1. Kevin Durant will crack the top three in scoring this season … 24. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who won only 23 games last season, will improve upon that total by 15 or more wins in 2009-10.” Read more…

Bolts

Every year, Jeff Clark of CelticsBlog rounds up the NBA blogworld and bands us together in a massive preview tour de force. Or something. The deal is we post our team preview on our day and also share previews for each division. This way you should be completely covered for every NBA team out there. So learn yourself about the Atlantic Division here today. Read more…

Other Atlantic Division, NBA Previews

Other Chat

Howdy Thunder groupies. Let’s chat amongst ourselves at 3 o’clock post meridiem. Is that something you might be interested in? Bring your questions, your comments and your silly hats. This will be fun in the sun methinks.

Other

Another excellent feature from the NYT about OKC’s three “students”: “Westbrook, a second-year guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, walked in late to a history class this summer at U.C.L.A. As the N.B.A. opens its preseason, Westbrook was among about 45 players — 10 percent of the league — who had traded gym bags for backpacks in the off-season. “The teacher just called my name out: ‘Hey, Mr. Westbrook. Nice to see you. Nice for you to show up,’ ” Westbrook said. “I had to walk all the way to the front and sit on the stage in front of the whole class the whole time. For two hours. I couldn’t go to sleep, couldn’t do nothing. For two hours.”

HoopsWorld nominates the likely Rookie of the Year candidates: “Harden comes to the Thunder after a standout career at Arizona State and should slide right in as the starting shooting guard in Oklahoma City. On a team with several proven scorers at the NBA level (Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and Nenad Krstic to name a few), Harden won’t be anything more than the fourth option on most nights but his feel for the game and ability to catch and shoot should translate into immediate dividends for the Thunder. While he likely won’t wow anyone with eye-popping numbers, Harden should have a solid rookie campaign.”

And we will all respond by saying how “he’s like a little kid out there!” and that “he has so much love for the game!”: “not sure if Im a Favre fan but that highlight where he threw the pass then sprinted to hit the 49er LB was awesome … im now motivated to hit Russ with an outlet this season then sprint down the court and just lay out the opposing pg.” (@nickcollison4) Read more…

Bolts