Daily Thunder.com

This was sent along by reader Jay and I found it interesting:

Just thought I’d pass this along, for what its worth. I was thinking about how close the West was this season and when I noticed that the Thunder were only 7 games behind the #1 seed Lakers, I thought I’d go back and check what the typical separation has been between #1 and #8 seeds. Here’s what I was able to find:

Since 1983 (when the league went to the current 8 team format for each conference) there have only been 2 times when an 8 seed has finished within 10 games of the 1 seed in its conference. Once was in 2003 when the Magic finished 8 games behind the Pistons. Strange thing about that season was that Detroit was the 1 seed with 50 wins, so the Magic was close by default with their 42-40 record. The other time was in 2008 when the 50-win Nuggets finished 7 games behind the 57-win Lakers. So, in the history of the league (at least under the current playoff format) there has never been a closer first round match up based on regular season record. If that weren’t compelling enough, here is a list of all the other margins between 1 and 8 seeds since 1983 (minus the strike-shortened season in 1999): Read more…

Commentary

Zach Harper of Hardwood Paroxsym with a tremendously tremendous preview: I begrudgingly welcome the Thunder fans to life in the playoffs. You’re going to hate going against the Lakers. You’ll learn what many of us have experienced over a decade of dominance and calls going against your team without rhyme or reason. But you’ll be better off for it in the long run… especially with this team of yours.

FanFest is tonight in Bricktown (rain or shine) and I hope you attend. It will be excellent. There’s a real buzz in this city right now, so I think a little playoff pre-party and something to celebrate the season will be fun. Read more…

Bolts

To tell you the truth, I wanted to wait on this editon of “Hate Them Now.”  There are 29 teams in the NBA that are harder to dislike than the evil empire in Los Angeles, so giving our readers a list of what to hate about the Lakers will be so easy that it’s hard.  Obviously, I’ll miss some things, and sadly, some of the things I list will actually be endearing qualities to the scumbags who root for the team.

However, with the first round of the playoffs rapidly approaching and the Lake Show being the Thunder’s first opponent in “the Second Season,” it has to be now.

In a way, it is a perfect scenario.  Any movie written about a ragtag bunch of misfits who pull together and achieve more as a whole than ever could have been expected of them always ends with a matchup against a team like the Lakers.  Whether it’s the Indians finally taking down their nemesis Yankees to win a one-game playoff, or the Permian Panthers coming up short against Dallas Carter…the climax is always the same scenario.  Some book called The Bible also played on the same formula when some meek sheep herder slayed a freaking giant.

For the Thunder, that giant is Kobe, and his running mates represent just as much evil as those Philistines.  Their glitz, braun, and riches are cheap methods of winning meaningless championships that can be tossed in their trophy case like Scrooge McDuck flipping a nickle into his money silo.  And just as David’s confidence and guile was the standard which the ancient Jews wanted their people to aspire, the Thunder’s brand of chemistry fueled basketball is what true fans of the NBA should hope takes the series.

While I hate to jinx it, I believe Oklahoma City has a fantastic opportunity to do just that.  Sure, the Thunder have sort of limped into the playoffs with some less than stellar play down the stretch, but compared to the Lakers, they look like they are firing on all gears.  L.A. just finished their season by losing to their crosstown rivals, and lottery slummers, by seventeen. 

One poor game would be explainable, but in their final fourteen games against teams that qualified for the playoffs, the Lakers won just four times.  One of those losses was to the Thunder who blew them out beginning at the opening tip.  Of course, Lakers fans (who are genuinely awful people**) are loaded with excuses:

• Kobe’s finger broke. 
• Andrew Bynum sat out with an Achilles injury. 
• The whole team was on cruise control because they locked up the West’s best record early.
• Phil Jackson, the master plotter, is inspiring false confidence in potential opponents by hiding the team’s best schemes.

Maybe they are all right.  Perhaps Kobe will wrap his hand a different way and become a demigod again.  Andrew Bynum might gimp around on his sore ankle and prove to be the league MVP Lakers’ fans thought he was before the injury while calling for him to back up Lamar Odom.  And they proved they could flip a switch and suddenly become instantly dominant:  ten years ago with Shaq on the team, and Kobe’s odometer reading a lot fewer miles.  As far as the Zen Master’s scheming…well, we’ll get to that in the reasons to hate the team.

Read more…

Commentary

Hubie Brown hammered the Thunder last night for poor transition defense against the Grizzlies early on after Oklahoma City gave up four easy buckets. And he was right. Transition defense has become a bit of an achilles for the otherwise stout Thunder defense. Let’s watch the four easy transition buckets that came early.

To recap: O.J. Mayo scored on a runout layup, Mike Conley Jr. went to the rim with little resistance, Mayo went to the rim with little resistance and then Conley got back into the paint and to the rim. If you wanted to simplify three of those, it’s just that the Thunder didn’t stop the ball. It’s the number one rule of transition defense. Stop the ball, make the player pass. A pass gives your teammates a chance to recover and hopefully set up. But let’s look at it one by one. Read more…

Film Study

KD responds to Phil Jackson’s criticism:  “Ever since KG said something, everybody’s been questioning how I get to the line,” Durant said. “If you watch our games, you wouldn’t question it. The NBA should put us on national T.V. more, I guess” Then when asked if that fired him up he said yes and went on: “Because it’s taking away from what I do,” he said. “That’s a part of my game, getting to the free throw line and being aggressive. If you say that I get superstar calls or I get babied by the refs, that’s just taking away from how I play. That’s disrespectful to me. I don’t disrespect nobody in this league. I respect every coach, every player, everybody. I never say anything bad about anybody else or question why they do this or do that. So for them to say that about me, I don’t even want to use no foul language.”

J.A. Adande says the Lakers have the most question marks going into the playoffs: “For months, it seems, we’ve been wondering if the Lakers will turn it up for the playoffs. Time to put that question to bed. The bigger questions are whether we’ve seen the last of Kobe Bryant as a game dominator, and whether we’re about to see the last of Phil Jackson as the Lakers’ coach.” Read more…

Bolts

Here it is (all times CDT):

Game 1: Sunday, April 18, 2 PM – ABC
Game 2: Tuesday, April 20, 9:30 PM – TNT
Game 3: Thursday, April 22, 8:30 PM – TNT
Game 4: Saturday, April 24, 8:30 PM – ESPN

Game 5: Tuesday, April 27, TBD *
Game 6: Friday, April 30, TBD *
Game 7: Sunday, May 2, TBD *

* = when necessary

News Playoffs

Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images

BOX SCORE

I really didn’t think there was any way the Thunder could win their 50th game (giving them a plus-27 win increase) and win it by nine, and it give me a slightly uneasy feeling.

Don’t get me wrong, this was what Oklahoma City needed. The Thunder snapped a two-game skid and a stretch they’d lost four of five by beating a quality Memphis squad 114-105, and did it by playing well in the last three minutes. Some momentum and some confidence has been built heading into the series with the Lakers. But the fact the Thunder struggled with some of the same issues that had gotten them into trouble this past week is what is bothersome. They gave up 56 points in the second half and executed poorly at times in late in the third and in the fourth. Again, they won. I’m happy. I’m actually thrilled. I mean, 50 wins! But if this game were an effort to right some of the wrongs from the last week, I think I’d give them a C-. Read more…

Recap Memphis Grizzlies

 vs.

Memphis Grizzlies (40-41, 17-23 road) vs. OKC Thunder (49-31, 26-14 home)

TV: FS Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 753)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CDT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 108.2 (13th), Grizzlies – 108.3 (12th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 104.5 (8th), Grizzlies – 109.8 (19th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.1 (12th), Grizzlies – 93.6 (10th)

View from the enemy: 3 Shades of Blue

Tonight, we will conclude the 2009-10 regular season. That’s it. It’s over. Hope ya’ll had fun. What’s that? There’s more basketball coming after tonight? Oh. WELL COOL. I just can’t get enough having to put “regular season” in front of everything saying this year is over. Because that implies you have more season left. That’s fun. Read more…

Preview Memphis Grizzlies

With Brian Windhorst reporting that LeBron won’t play tonight in the Cavs regular season finale, the scoring title race is over. Kevin Durant is now the youngest scoring champion ever in NBA history.

LeBron is averaging 29.710 points per game (2258 in 76 games). Kevin Durant sits currently at 30.135 (2441 in 81 games). So tonight, with Durant playing and LeBron sitting, Durant would have to score negative five points in order to lose the scoring title. That’s right, KD need not score tonight to take it home.

However, in order to stay above 30 a game, KD needs 19 points. So that means he should have that done by halftime, right?

News Kevin Durant, LeBron James

Sam Forenich/NBAE/Getty Images

Tonight, Oklahoma City plays Memphis in an entirely meaningless game. So the question is, do the starters play or sit? It’s already been reported that the starters will play, but how much? Both sides make a lot of sense and I’m not sure there’s a right answer. But over the course of a few emails, J.G. and I tried to come up with a solution.

Royce: I’m not entirely sure I have an opinion on it yet, so I’m going to form one as we go I suppose. How’s that for hard-hitting sportswriting? So what are your immediate thoughts?

J.G.: I’m thinking that despite the reality that they could use rest, they really, REALLY aren’t playing like a team ready for the playoffs, so I think they have to use this last game as a launching pad despite the heavy legs.

Royce: I definitely feel that too. They need some momentum. Going into the postseason losing three straight and five of your last six isn’t good for morale. But at the same time, like you said, they probably need a break. I think they’re worn out and a couple guys are banged up some. There’s absolutely nothing to gain in terms of playoff positioning. Read more…

Commentary

Art Garcia writing about the importance of coaching: ”Scott Brooks is the Coach of the Year favorite because of his fit with the Thunder. Among the lowest paid in the league, Brooks has guided the NBA’s youngest team into the playoffs after a four-year franchise drought. Sure, he has Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green to work with, and Brooks is the first to heap praise on his players. But those in Oklahoma City cite Brooks’ demeanor, style and consistency as just as valuable to the Thunder’s growth. Brooks understands the front office’s long-term vision while focusing on daily improvement. OKC has more than doubled its win total from last season and figures to be a tough out in the postseason.”

ESPN.com revealed their MVP votes yesterday Kevin Durant finished second: “Points per game don’t do it for me. But all-out nonstop effort at both ends of the court, profound improvement in almost every facet of the game, and all that winning … that’s awesome.” Read more…

Bolts

Larry W. Smith/NBAE/Getty Images

There are a few pivotal moments in a franchise that not only amplify the excitement around the organization and the city it is located in, but can also help determine the direction and even the futures success of each. The Thunder’s first game in the Ford Center last October in front of a raucous crowd and excited community served as a starting point which showed that this organization, this team, could not only survive in a small market but thrive on the love of their fans, the sponsorship of vital corporate partners and the overall sports hysteria that a traditionally collegiate market would be expected to experience when they got their first taste of a professional franchise.

The next moment, however, is but a few days away. Read that again. We, you, are on the verge of the next step into a larger world for this franchise, these players and this community, which can propel everyone involved with the Thunder’s success to a new level of brand recognition, personal endorsements on a broad-scale and local economic benefit.

In short, the pivotal moment for every employee, player, local merchant (from restaurants to apparel stores) and fan of the Thunder is peeking over the horizon, and could very well determine just what kind of franchise, what kind of city, what kind of fiscal community and what kind of fan base the Thunder and its supporters will be perceived as by the nation, which could have long-lasting effects on the success and sustainability of this market as a whole.

And that is why this next step, this maiden voyage into the NBA Playoffs for this small market team who has overachieved through teamwork, defense, budding talent and a superstar ready to make his own great leap, must not only meet expectations, but exceed them. Read more…

Commentary

Frank Hughes of SI with a great piece talking about the Thunder going to the playoffs: ”It is pretty easy to root for the underdog Thunder. At a time that it is only too convenient to complain about the seemingly lackluster attitudes adopted by many haughty and entitled professional athletes, the Thunder embody what we want our pro teams to be. They take their jobs seriously and exude that fleeting and infectious college atmosphere even though they are paid like movie stars. They talk about, and actually put in, hard work, Brooks drilling them diligently even in these late stages of the season. heir public relations staff has been instructed not to promote any players or coaches for individual awards because they believe in winning as a team. Brooks has a clause in his contract that gives him a bonus for getting the team to the playoffs, but not for winning Coach of the Year.”

John Hollinger: By winning, the Blazers banished the Thunder to the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup against the defending champion Lakers. Of course, in a season full of irony, the Blazers’ most likely reward is a first-round meeting with either Denver or Utah, a pair of teams they’ve beaten just once in eight tries. Portland may have the No. 6 seed clinched before they take the court on Wednesday, as they’ll own it if San Antonio loses to Dallas in a game that starts 2½ hours earlier. Read more…

Bolts

Sam Forencich/NBAE/Getty Images

BOX SCORE

Hold it. Put that candle stick down. Don’t throw it across the room. It’s going to be OK. It’s going to be all right.

I know you’re frustrated. I am too. What’s happened to Oklahoma City’s defense? What’s happened to Kevin Durant in the second half? What’s happened to the Thunder’s ability to close games?

My theory? They’re tired. They’re worn down. Heck, I’m tired and I haven’t done anything but sit on a sofa and blabber on about the game. None of these guys have ever played in important games in late April (except Nick Collison). They’ve never had to play this hard in Game 81. They’ve never really been on the road in an atmosphere like that. For the youngest team in the league, I see tonight as much a learning experience, as playoff preparation, as you can get. Read more…

Recap Portland Trail Blazers

 vs.

Ok. City Thunder (49-31, 23-17 road) at Portland Trail Blazers (49-31, 25-14 home)

TV: FS Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 753)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 9:00 CDT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 108.2 (13th), Blazers – 110.7 (8th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 104.4 (8th), Blazers – 106.9 (14th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.1 (12th), Blazers – 87.6 (30th)

View from the enemy: Portland Roundball Society

If I were to use a word to describe the size of this game it would be large. Or massive. Or really, quite big. Whoever wins holds the tiebreaker over the other and effectively hands the loser the eight-seed and a date with the Lakers. In terms of regular season NBA basketball, it’s about as important as you can get. Read more…

Preview Portland Trail Blazers