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I didn't get to really focus on the game b/c I was at a party, but I'm watching now and and Westbrook is flying around, trying to create something (ANYTHING) and everyone is either deferring or reluctantly shooting the ball. Thabo looked completely flat with his jumper and if my man, Green, could have drained that 3 near the end I have no doubt that we finish this game and mark an ugly W in our column. I know we are a culture that loves to lay the blame on someone but how about laying some of the blame on the coaching staff that plays these guys 40+ minutes. That doesn't affect our guys? Because, Jet Zero was giving people inside looks, outside, midrange, everything and no one else had the legs.

But....we'll get 'em next time and THE DON et al. will be worshiping at the altar of Westbrook only to be forgot the next time our 21 year old PG makes a mistake in a clutch moment, rendering our least favorite poster into a cataclysmic frenzy not yet experienced by any franchise faithful.

Same ol' Dai, just a new image and moniker.

I can not believe we lost that game.

You know some actually had some nerve to call into the radio aftershow and blame the loss on Westbrook.

Well that sucked. KD played great. Russell was decent. Everybody else could use a good yelling at (not that it would help anything, but I would certainly feel better). The refs were down-right unkind in the 4th period, but our guys own that loss. Anybody know what the shooting percentages were in the first half? It felt like we couldn't hit anything beyond 3ft out. Ugly night that I hope to forget soon.

B-RY :Brooks looked a little miffed at RW for letting Davis get that shot off. It’s a valid criticism to say that RW screwed up and that he had a rough time guarding Davis in general.
But, rather than pick on your favorite boogy man, look at the game AS A WHOLE. Westbrook’s play down the stretch is not even an issue if other players are making their shots. The Thunder had plenty of open looks but didn’t have the legs to get it done. They also got beat in the paint WAY too much and let the Clippers get way too many second chances and third (and I’m pretty sure fourth) chances to make buckets.

There was other bad play (Jeff Green, looking at you) for sure, but our star player kept us in the game and gave us an opportunity to close it out at home. Jeff Green tied up the game at 85 with about 6.5 minutes left in the game. From that point on, Russell Westbrook was 1-5 from the field (four points) with zero assists and one turnover. Aside from the desperation threes to end the game, the whole rest of the team was 2-4 from the field in this same span of time. Do you see what's wrong with that picture?

And the bench got out scored too....

Zach :
So all I have heard in the last 15 minutes is bickering about our offense. Frankly, the offense did pretty good. Fastbreak points weren’t high, 3s stunk, but our defense…what the heck man. Let’s talk about defense please. Before this game we were third in the league and first in 4th quarter defense, which the Clippers did explode in the 4th. What happened?

I haven't looked to be sure, but I think this is only the team's first or second back-to-back. As is always said, tired legs from back-to-back games usually diminishes jump shooting percentages and defensive effort - the two things the Thunder lacked most down the stretch.

Brooks looked a little miffed at RW for letting Davis get that shot off. It's a valid criticism to say that RW screwed up and that he had a rough time guarding Davis in general.

But, rather than pick on your favorite boogy man, look at the game AS A WHOLE. Westbrook's play down the stretch is not even an issue if other players are making their shots. The Thunder had plenty of open looks but didn't have the legs to get it done. They also got beat in the paint WAY too much and let the Clippers get way too many second chances and third (and I'm pretty sure fourth) chances to make buckets.

@grant phillips

I am going to watch it again here soon but I'm pretty sure it was not as the commentators mentioned the poor defense as I was watching (not OKC broadcast).

he didnt just let him shoot

westbrooks hand was in his face justin... like i said before... if your gonna comment, actually pay attention to the game...

So all I have heard in the last 15 minutes is bickering about our offense. Frankly, the offense did pretty good. Fastbreak points weren't high, 3s stunk, but our defense...what the heck man. Let's talk about defense please. Before this game we were third in the league and first in 4th quarter defense, which the Clippers did explode in the 4th. What happened?

grant phillips :@justin
your an idiot… along with The Don…
pay attention to the game… westbrook was helping off on kaman because they were doing a pick and roll… id rather have baron davis shoot that than have kaman make a layup… PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAME OF YOU ARE GOING TO COMMENT!!!!!

Excuse me but I don't think there's any need to call me an 'idiot' just because you disagree with my opinion.

Russell Westbrook was in good position to challenge that shot by Davis toward the end of the game. He backed off and just let him shoot that ball. You don't give up an open three in that situation no matter what because it makes it a two possession game. Yes, if it's a choice between and open three or a contested layup you take the contested layup in that situation. There were defenders there to challenge Kaman if it came to that, Westbrook just backed off Davis and gave a half hearted effort to challenge.

Westbrook took 5 shots in the last six minutes of the game and made one of them. Three of them were heavily contested. It doesn't matter how everyone else is shooting, RW had the worst FG% of all our players last season (Thabo included); he is not the guy you want calling his own number in those situations.

Take a look at Kev's post in one of the earlier threads and check out how Russell Westbrook was defending on the perimeter, especially when picked off. He's lazy and ineffective. Really, there's no excuse for that when other guys are at least trying.

Good teams excecute their offense and defense down the stretch and don't allow the other team to take them out of their game. If KD is being denied the ball, get it to someone else. Westbrook is an inefficient scorer and should not be shooting to win games. Period.

@dylan

haha... i dont get them. they expect the team to be perfect everytime... im a yankees fan so you know there are some real idiots there if they dont win every game. you have your highs and your lows... especially with a young team... and hell westbrook nearly had a triple double tonight btw

Easy everybody. Let's not get too loud in here.

@grant phillips
yeah, every fanbase has people like that are not exactly fans of the team as much as they are fans of being miserable when things don't go their way. I'm a Cubs fan, I'm used to it, haha.

@dylan

Remember when The Don was crucifying Durant earlier in the year?? haha thats why no one can take The Don seriously

justin :

B-RY :

dylan :@The
DON
hahah, were you saying that last night? of course not.

Right? We all know RW has issues sometimes, but he was NOT the problem.
The front court sucked on the defensive end and on the defensive glass. Green, Harden and Sef were not hitting their shots… and Don want’s to blame Westbrook?

Fact was that the game was close at the end and RW basically did nothing right as the floor general that’s supposed to lead the team. He wasn’t helping the team at all when he’s supposed to be the guy. Almost any shot is better than a RW jumper, the guy shot under 40% last year. He was terrible to close the game.

Other than Durant... nobody was shooting the ball worth a darn. And the Clips denied him the ball late. RW took what he was given and came up short.

Besides, half of you were in here whining about Durant's inability to hit clutch shots... now tonight you are screaming cuz they couldn't get the ball to him.

the fact is that we are not even close to being in this game without Westbrook. And if he had hit that last shot, he would have been a hero and everyone would have been talking about how great he's been the last two days.

Instead, the shot doesnt go down and you get to hear a lot of crybaby BS from people only interested in throwing hissy fits, not watching the game or paying attention.

I mean, obviously the idiots are going to be the loudest, but let's get a grip.

@justin

your an idiot... along with The Don...

pay attention to the game... westbrook was helping off on kaman because they were doing a pick and roll... id rather have baron davis shoot that than have kaman make a layup... PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAME OF YOU ARE GOING TO COMMENT!!!!!

The DON :@dylan

i have been singing the same tune all season.
And why do you guys like to keep singling me out? Y ou dont see all the other people agreeing with me?

There are plenty of RW crybaby's in here tonight... you are just the most obnoxious

The problems were down low.... period

justin : That lazy defense on Baron Davis for the three was inexcusable.

amen . . .

there is an amazing amount of stupid posts being made considering a 35-win team just suffered a close loss at the ass-end of a back-to-back.

B-RY :

dylan :@The
DON
hahah, were you saying that last night? of course not.

Right? We all know RW has issues sometimes, but he was NOT the problem.
The front court sucked on the defensive end and on the defensive glass. Green, Harden and Sef were not hitting their shots… and Don want’s to blame Westbrook?

Fact was that the game was close at the end and RW basically did nothing right as the floor general that's supposed to lead the team. He wasn't helping the team at all when he's supposed to be the guy. Almost any shot is better than a RW jumper, the guy shot under 40% last year. He was terrible to close the game.

So your saying that if 36yearold ollie needs to start.

@The DON

It doesn't matter that nobody was making shots, anyone in the starting lineup except Thabo is a better option to shoot than Westbrook. And as stated, his defense was horrible all game. He behaves like a stat padder who doesn't care about team ball. People will look at his line and think he had a good game (17/9/7).

dylan :@The
DON
hahah, were you saying that last night? of course not.

Right? We all know RW has issues sometimes, but he was NOT the problem.

The front court sucked on the defensive end and on the defensive glass. Green, Harden and Sef were not hitting their shots... and Don want's to blame Westbrook?

@dylan

i have been singing the same tune all season.

And why do you guys like to keep singling me out? Y ou dont see all the other people agreeing with me?

Um sorry guys Russell Westbrook was horrible, -especially- on defense. That lazy defense on Baron Davis for the three was inexcusable. Someone has to knock some sense into this idiot so he quits losing games for us. Also, he shoots way too much for someone who can't freaking shoot. If our plan to close out games is to give the ball to Westbrook and let him try to score we're in a lot of trouble.

B-RY :

grant phillips :
did anyone of you pay attention to the end of the game… brooks put westbrook and durant on the same side… and westrook drive, and look to dish to durant if they came off of him. they didnt come off of him!!!!! they faceguarded him so he couldnt get the ball!!! so westbrook had a 1 on 1 with open jumpers… he made every one of his shots but 1!! not includign the layup he missed when the game was already out of hand… pay attention to the freakin game.. if durant was wide open, or even partially open, then i woudl be on the same boat as you. if you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at Jeff green who was absolutely brutal…

Exactly… everyone is always so quick to jump on RW. Nobody else was making shots… RW and Durant WERE the offense and the Clips did a good job of denying Durant the ball…. it happens, move on.

That doesn't explain his shitty defense.

grant phillips :
did anyone of you pay attention to the end of the game… brooks put westbrook and durant on the same side… and westrook drive, and look to dish to durant if they came off of him. they didnt come off of him!!!!! they faceguarded him so he couldnt get the ball!!! so westbrook had a 1 on 1 with open jumpers… he made every one of his shots but 1!! not includign the layup he missed when the game was already out of hand… pay attention to the freakin game.. if durant was wide open, or even partially open, then i woudl be on the same boat as you. if you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at Jeff green who was absolutely brutal…

Exactly... everyone is always so quick to jump on RW. Nobody else was making shots... RW and Durant WERE the offense and the Clips did a good job of denying Durant the ball.... it happens, move on.

@The DON
hahah, were you saying that last night? of course not.

Seriously, all you westbrook apologists NEED TO WAKE UP. He is what's holding this team back.

Stop trying to attack us who point out the obvious. I am a die hard OKC fan and want the best for my team. And the best for my team is to NOT HAVE WESTBROOK BE OUT POINT GUARD!

@The DON
Dude... relax. RW had a decent game. The problems were in the interior and missed open J's by Green, Harden and Sef....

You're the only one I see in here typing in all caps and being argumentative....

@Jared

Collison fouled out..

did anyone of you pay attention to the end of the game... brooks put westbrook and durant on the same side... and westrook drive, and look to dish to durant if they came off of him. they didnt come off of him!!!!! they faceguarded him so he couldnt get the ball!!! so westbrook had a 1 on 1 with open jumpers... he made every one of his shots but 1!! not includign the layup he missed when the game was already out of hand... pay attention to the freakin game.. if durant was wide open, or even partially open, then i woudl be on the same boat as you. if you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at Jeff green who was absolutely brutal...

When durant took those bad shots against la, everyone said why was durant
taking those shots now it's westbrooks fault. People make up your minds.
We could'nt make shots all game long.

thabo and harden combined to shoot 1 - 17...

collison had a +5 on the night - GIVE HIM MORE COURT TIME! - its not just the stats - good things happen when he's on the court.

we're still expecting too much, they need to get a proper 4 or a 5 that plays inside to go anywhere in the L.

555 :
Officially saying this… RW sucks… Doesn’t know how to run a team, want to be the hero all the time even though he doesn’t have the right skills… KD was on fire the night, and the point guard totally want to do it all by himself anc cost the game. Come on, pass the freaking ball instead of doing stupid things. Man, the coach doesn’t remember why they won Clippers last time. Bench the guy that doing stupid thing so your team has a chance to win. Don’t let the idiot to cause the game any more.

THe DON, dailythunder's most electrifying, loved and influential poster co-signs this powerful post

@The DON
you should email this to presti, try to get on the staff

The people have spoken and they agree with The DON A.K.A. your favorite poster's favorite poster about westbrook

Westbrook sucks (as a point guard). There is no way around it.

Mistakes in the last two minutes are CRITICAL - Westbrook made them on both ends of the court - Ollie doesn't make those mistakes if he's in the game at the end . . .

Officially saying this... RW sucks... Doesn't know how to run a team, want to be the hero all the time even though he doesn't have the right skills... KD was on fire the night, and the point guard totally want to do it all by himself anc cost the game. Come on, pass the freaking ball instead of doing stupid things. Man, the coach doesn't remember why they won Clippers last time. Bench the guy that doing stupid thing so your team has a chance to win. Don't let the idiot to cause the game any more.

Jared :westbrook 17 off 17 shotsdurant 40 off 24 shots
who should be taking 3 shots inside the last 2 minutes?

this makes too much sense . . .

Durant should ALWAYS touch the ball in the last two minutes . . .

the don says some stupid shit on here, but i'm with him on this. ollie should have been in at end, why goto westbrook and green over durant at the end of a tight game?

Westbrook fucking sucks.. Why go 1v1 then lay lazy D right after that? Not only that but Westbrook has played like shit on defense lately

its not on westbrook at all don. you really are an idiot...

Well that sucks... Why do the Clips always play well against the Thunder? I'm thinking it's the BD v. RW matchup...

westbrook 17 off 17 shots
durant 40 off 24 shots

who should be taking 3 shots inside the last 2 minutes?

KD DOESN'T TOUCH THE BALL IN THE LAST MINUTE OF THE GAME ON A NIGHT HE HAS 40 AND IS NOTHING SHORT OF UNSTOPPABLE???? REALLY???

sad sad loss.