Tuesday Bolts – 11.2.09
Chad Ford on the Class of 2006 and extensions: ”Rajon Rondo pocketed $55 million over five years. Thabo 
Sefolosha landed a four-year, $14 million deal. And Renaldo Balkman inked a three-year, $6 million contract. That still means that the first round draft class of 2006 had a record low number of players earn extensions. The previous low was the class of 2005. It had seven players get extensions. In contrast, the class of 2002 had 16 players agree to extensions.”
Interesting little story about Russell Westbrook: ”Last season Westbrook struggled, as many players do, with communication. He lacked confidence in his own ability to speak, and so struggled in interactions with the media as well as his teammates. He spent some time this summer with Steve Shenbaum at game on media, and has already reaped the benefits of being better able to express himself. “It’s definitely helped me, not only in the locker room, but on the court, too. When somebody makes a mistake you can’t just run up on them steaming, you’ve got to approach them a different way and make sure they understand what you’re talking about. (Shenbaum) really helped me to be able to tell my teammates what I think in a way that doesn’t sound like I feel like I have to be right all the time.”
Marc Stein’s power rankings (OKC up from 21 to 19): “We repeat: Give ‘em time. A 2-0 launch was nice, especially when it includes a 1-0 road record, but Sunday’s home test against Portland was an early reminder that the NW Division’s young darlings are still evolving.”
NBA.com’s power rankings (OKC up from 21 to 16): “The Thunder had 13 more turnovers than they did assists in Sunday’s pitchers’ duel with the Blazers. Their defense has been very solid to start the season, but it will be tested when they host the Lakers on Tuesday and Magic on Sunday.”
FanHouse’s power rankings (OKC at 14): “As Kevin Durant goes, so goes the Thunder? KD had 25 and 11, then 25 and 12 in his team’s first two games — both victories. He struggled a bit against the Blazers with 16 and 5 (on a miserable 3-21 shooting), and OKC managed just 74 points in their first loss of the season.”
HoopsWorld’s power rankings (OKC up from 24 to 19): “Slower start than expected for star Kevin Durant (22 points on 32.8% shooting) but the Thunder pull through 2-1.”
Dime’s power rankings (OKC at 17): “James Harden is off to a real slow start in his Rookie of the Year campaign: 4.3 points on 29 percent shooting in just 15 minutes a night.”
Stuff going on at tonight’s game: ”The Oklahoma City Thunder will host a Rolling Thunder Book Drive on Tuesday, Nov. 3, prior to the Thunder vs. Lakers game at the Ford Center. Each fan who donates a new, elementary level children’s book will receive a voucher for two tickets to an upcoming game. The book drive supports the Thunder’s Read to Achieve program and the Rolling Thunder Book Bus, presented by American Fidelity Assurance Company. Book donations will be accepted at both Ford Center entrances and at the Rolling Thunder Book Bus, which will be parked on Reno Ave. In addition, at Tuesday’s game the Thunder Community Foundation will host a silent auction outside Section 119. Thunder items up for auction include a signed team ball, D.J. White and Shaun Livingston autographed shoes and a framed and signed photo of Thabo Sefolosha blocking a Kobe Bryant shot during last season’s Thunder vs. Lakers game at the Ford Center. The auction will begin at 5:30 p.m. and conclude at the end of halftime.”
A story from HoopsWorld on KD.
Everybody has been talking about Manu Ginobili’s swat of a flying rat last week. Well now, he’s getting a rabies shot: ”Manu Ginobili’s Halloween run-in with a bat made for entertaining news fodder for a few days. Ginobili, however, isn’t laughing anymore. Team officials could not locate the bat after Saturday’s game against Sacramento, so it could not be tested for disease. Which meant Ginobili will spend the next month getting a series of precautionary shots to protect against rabies. “It was pretty funny at the time,” Ginobili said before practice this afternoon. “Now, it’s not. I have to get like a million shots.”
Oh and one more. PETA is upset with Manu and actually sort of compared him to Michael Vick: “To bludgeon a 4-ounce animal to death, it takes either a small man or a totally unthinking one—with no respect or consideration for lives humbler than his own. This is a time when athletes in particular need to be on their best behavior around any animal and show that they have brains and a heart, not just reactionary brawn.”
Pau Gasol is not expected to play tonight for the Lakers.
“Pau Gasol is not expected to play tonight for the Lakers.”
So you’re saying there’s a chance.
Chris Mannix has us at 12. Just below the Cavs and just above the Rockets.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/chris_mannix/11/02/rankings2/index.html
@Lefty
Oops. Missed that one. Thanks.
Sorry but thats pretty lame that PETA would come out and say that. I mean c’mon how much publicity do they really need.
12? Even me – the king of the rose colored glasses – can’t put us at 12. Maybe 13, but not 12
@Blake
Especially when the bat was released and flew away, hence why Ginobli had to get the rabies shots because the animal wasn’t around to have its blood extracted and tested. If the animal was dead, they would have taken a blood sample to rule out rabies and not subject Manu to a love dose of needle injections over the next 30 days.
Man, research is really hurting lately for PETA.
I thought Manu’s swat was pretty funny, but knew there would be a backlash from PETA. He said in one of those articles that the bat didn’t even die, but I haven’t really looked into it anywhere else. Quote from the PETA Blog:
“We hope that the next time someone’s life is on the line, Manu Ginobili will take just a few seconds to think before he acts.”
Didn’t realize bats were people. Some of the commentors on that site compare killing a bat to slamming a baby down on the hard court. I just don’t understand PETA
I’ve thought for a long while now that PETA is more interested in publicity than animals.
It would have to say “Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant is not expected to play tonight for the Lakers.” for us to have a chance.
We didn’t get to see LMA for a whole game against Jeff Green, but last year the two guys that lit Jeff up the most were LMA and Odom. Maybe we’ll see how Jeff does against Lamar tonight.
Actually, now that I re-read that, maybe Jeff Green just struggles against guys who’s names start with Lamar…
He didn’t even hit the bat. It was an obvious flop by the bat, a move he learned from watching Manu play.
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Good point. I’m hoping Sefo can contain Kobe.
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Yeah, because even without Pau, look at the Lakers starting lineup:
PG: Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Ron Artest
PF: Lamar Odom
C: Andrew Bynum
But hey, they’ve shocked us before, if only the Lakers were called the Spurs instead…
Ok, I’ve had the “pleasure” of having to get rabies shots thanks to a stray cat. He will have to take two shots right initially, one in the arm, and one in the thigh. He will then have to take a series of shots over the next couple of months (in the arm). Back in the old days, I beleive you had to take a series of approximately 20 or so shots, all in the stomach. The initial shot in the thigh is about equivalent of getting a tetinis shot. Huge pain in the butt! (no pun intended).
so what are they gonna do with that tiny bat flying around the huge stadium? pause the game for 30 mins so bat experts could come in and do something? LOL Face it, a little bat’s life is not worth the wait of millions of people that are watching the broadcasting.
and what do they mean by the bat cannot be located?
It DIED.
wait, maybe it was a vampire…?
Just a little friendly heads-up to my fellow Thunder fans in OKC…if you want to go to games, start checking out eBay. I went to the opener for $15 for 2, Portland was $10 for 4, for tonight paid $10 for 2, and Sunday $21 for 4. All upper deck tickets obviously, but if you go on eBay you’ll almost always pay less than face. Apropos of nothing obviously but I thought I’d spread the word a bit.
“That means that a few talented prospects including Rudy Gay, Tyrus Thomas, Luis Scola and Ronnie Brewer will go into next summer as restricted free agents.”
I’d be happy with either Gay or Thomas.
@Dai
Rudy Gay??? On this team? Why? I like Thomas but I dont think we need somebody else to jack up 20 shots a game.
Also, Gay is looking for something like 5 years at 50 million. I’m not sure we want to pay him that much. Someone will, but I’m not sure it’s us.
@Lefty
Yeah not a chance. Presti is prudent and isn’t going to overpay anyone not named Durant. Gay isn’t worth what he’s asking so unless he comes WAY down, forget about him.
Rudy Gay’s value has become so inflated because he’s been the number one option on a horrid team for so many years…I think he’s worth whatever you think Jeff Green is worth, and I’d rather have Green.
If I’m not mistaken, a few people on this site was happy about Gay being available a few days ago. Anyway, I’d rather have Thomas.
Gay is NOT a good fit for our team – we don’t need a player who’s unwilling to pass . . .
thanks VInce . . .
Man… some of these power rankings are ludacris…. 12? Really? Just below the Cavaliers? I think some of these people are taking the ranking and defensive stats a bit to seriously.
And you can tell that some of them are strictly looking at stats. The Dime’s power ranking, for example, mentioned that Harden is off to a slow start for his ROY campaign, averaging 4.3 points on 29 percent shooting in just 15 minutes a night. They fail to mention that he is way up in +/- and that he has added some much needed assists when RW is out of the game. They also neglected to mention that the pair of threes against Portland is what kept the team in contention.
Hoopsworld did the same thing to Durant, noting his low shooting percentage without mentioning that the data is skewed by a combination of a small sample size and a bad shooting night that should prove to be an outlier.
The other one cited RW’s assist/turnover ratio as cause for concern, again, forgetting to note that he killed it in the first two games but had a rough third night. And unlike some people, I’m relatively certain that it was Brooks who asked RW to push the issue with Blake, who was the most obvious mismatch…. Just sayin.
Breaking news via Mike Trudell, Lakers sideline reporter (@LakersReporter on Twitter):
Kobe is currently questionable for tonight’s game against OKC, with a fever and sore throat.
You were saying, Jax?
@KingGondo
I can’t check Twitter now. Are you for real?
The ‘Oklahoman’ website just posted the same thing.
@Dai
I’m definitely for real.
Fun day overall. Last day of free league pass broadband, so I can still watch, Kobe might be out, the Thunder should be angry and ready to make a statement that the previous game was a fluke, AI (my least favorite player) gets drilled in the media for being a jerk, and I get the day off due to the election going on in Detroit.
@KingGondo
Sweetness!!! Thanks for the news. If he plays, maybe they will force his to wear a mask.
I’m the king of typos!!! I meant — Maybe they will force him to wear a mask.
Off the subject here too, and Vince had a good post about tickets, but I wanted to share my success story too =p. I scored 4 tickets to tonights game with another 4 for the magic game for free with the auction. Won the auction for $11.79 with $20 dollar overnight shipping. Me and just a buddy are going to both games and have already sold the tickets for tonights game for 40 each and will turn a huge profit again for the game Sunday. Ebay is where you want to get tickets!