Happy Memorial Day. I’m coming to you live (well, not really live) from beautiful Broken Bow, Oklahoma. I hope this weekend was everything you dreamed it would be. Obligitory yet sincere thank you to servicemen and women goes here.
Chris Mannix on Kobe Bryant’s status in the league: “In all probability, Kobe Bryant’s collection of MVP trophies will remain at one. An award that requires otherworldly effort throughout an 82-game season is a young man’s prize, one that the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo will fight for over the next decade. No, Bryant’s 31-year old body won’t allow him to sustain that kind of dominance. Nor should it. Bryant’s body, ravaged by sprained ankles and broken fingers, is built for the playoffs, where the game’s most cold-blooded closer remains utterly unmatched.” Read more…
(Good three-day weekend Thunder buds. Thank you for your support of Daily Thunder. Thank a service person sometime this weekend, won’t you?)
Peter Rabbit, which I assume is some sort of stage name, probably had my favorite halftime show of the year. He basically walked out in a Thunder jersey, introduced himself and banged around on some five gallon buckets. And it was awesome. He performed twice this year – once at a regular season game and once at Game 4 of the playoffs. Both times, Rumble came out for a little guest drumming and I loved it as much both times. Can we just sign him up for the duration of next season so we can avoid things like the Jazzericize routine and Rumba night or whatever that was?
Hitting that home run in the second round of the NBA Draft is like closing your eyes and swatting a fly in a warehouse. There aren’t really any sure things. But there are great players to be found. I don’t think I need to list any, but I of course will: DeJuan Blair, Manu Ginobili, Carlos Boozer, Michael Redd, Paul Millsap, Anderson Varejao, Nick Van Exel, Rashard Lewis, Toni Kukoc, Dennis Rodman, Gilbert Arenas – the list could go on and on.
So with the Thunder holding some 47 draft picks this year, assuming they choose to hold on to all of them, there’s a better than usual chance for OKC to find the elusive diamond in the poo. So I’ve compiled a short list of players that might deserve a look with one of those second rounders. These guys could very well never seen anything other than Greece or Israel. But maybe they’re the next big thing from the second round. It’s a total crapshoot, the second round is. Read more…
I know every Thunder fan saw last night’s Laker win the exact same way. My flashbacks were so intense had I to lie down. But it makes me feel a little better that at least Pau Gasol beat us and not Crazy Pills.
Vince Ellis, Detroit Pistons beat writer, Detroit Free Press: “Somebody that intrigued me the most coming was Kentucky point guard Eric Bledsoe. Not saying he will be this good, but for some reason he reminds me of Russell Westbrook. He just looks like a player. I came away impressed with Nevada forward Luke Babbitt. A guy that seems to get and can play the three and stretch-four positions. And he can stroke it. Seemingly has earned his status as a fast riser.” Read more…
Disclaimer: If I know my audience, and I think I do, you are a basketball junkie who craves basketball discussion regardless of whether it is assinine or enlightened…especially during the off-season when basketball isn’t being played. On the other hand, if I’m wrong, there is a chance you may be annoyed following the illogic of theoretical transaction possibilities that have very little possibility of ever coming to fruition. If the latter description fits you, you may want to stop reading. Of course, since you’re visiting a Thunder basketball blog on May 27th (weeks after the team finished playing for the season), I doubt that is the case. So, proceed.
With Oklahoma City having zero chance of winning the NBA draft lottery, I expected the night to have no hope of gaining my interest. Then, the funkiest outcome made it intriguing.
For most of the year, the lottery has been assumed to be “The John Wall Sweepstakes” based on belief that Kentucky’s freshman point guard was far and away the best player available. So, of course, the team that wins the lottery is among the worst possible places for him to wind up.
With the Washington Wizards, who tied for the fourth worst record, hop scotched Golden State, Sacramento, Minnesota, and New Jersey to wind up with the first selection in the draft. Odds are, they will still pick Wall despite the fact that their star player plays the same position and is likely untradeable. That will probably lead to them starting two point guards and seeing the two fight over who runs the offense. Of course, this likelihood will feed discussion about whether the Wiz should trade the pick or choose another player who would allow them to continue playing a more traditional line up. Read more…
A draft profile of Tulsa guard Ben Uzoh on Knicks.com. And who are they using as an example for Uzoh? Well have a read: “Two years ago, an unpolished yet ultra-athletic young guard named Russell Westbrook skyrocketed up the draft charts as scouts fell in the love with his raw talent and potential. While he may not go as high as fourth overall like Westbrook did, Ben Uzoh is beginning to show the same flashes that wowed NBA minds two years ago.” I love that OKC’s players are now some of the go-to comparisons for people. Read more…
With 2008-09 Coach of the Year Mike Brown getting fired Monday, the COY Curse thing has become a hot topic of conversation. The last four Coach of the Year winners were fired within two seasons of winning the award. Avery Johnson won the award for 2005-06 and was fired in 2008. Sam Mitchell won in 2006-07 and was fired in 2008. Byron Scott won in 2007-08 and then fired in 2009. Mike Brown won the 2008-09 award and was axed this week. So who’s the dead man walking that won the 2009-10 Coach of the Year? OH CRAP.
Obviously, nobody sees any potential for Scott Brooks to get into hot water. Honestly, it’s pretty much inconceivable. I’m sitting here trying to conceive it, and I can’t. Brooks is darn near as popular as the highest profile players. He’s excellent with the media, he’s kind and he’s a pretty darn good coach. He fits the culture and philosophy of the franchise perfectly. But fanbases and front offices sour on coaches faster than a gallon of two percent left on the front porch. When things start to go bad, the coach is always the one that gets fingered for being the guy that screwed it all up. Read more…
The Thunder is helping bring business to OKC: Retailers — from restaurant operators to mall developers — have been very interested in Oklahoma City during this year’s International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas, which ended Tuesday, city officials said. About 30,000 people attend the convention each year, with retailers scouting new franchisees and locations and cities hoping to attract new businesses. This year, Oklahoma City was getting a lot of attention … The Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team’s playoff appearance and a recent announcement that Whole Foods is coming to town have given Oklahoma City representatives a lot to brag about. J.G. saw this coming a month ago before the playoffs started.
Adam (Eldridge): Chad, since Bosh to OKC doesn’t look like it will work, what are the chances David Lee goes there? Or do you see the Thunder not making any big moves this off season?
Chad Ford (1:38 PM): I’m not sure Thunder will spend their money … I hear they’re willing to take back a player with a contract in order to move up higher in the draft. If they can get Top 5, look for them to run toward DeMarcus Cousins. In top 10, Daniel Orton.
This makes for an interesting question: Is it better to play the free agent market and try and find the right player for the right price, or use that cap space to essentially draft another young, but talented guy and develop him? I honestly don’t know what’s better at this point. At first glance, you’d say get the veteran piece that helps you have a chance to win NEXT YEAR. Read more…
The playoff “Why Not?” shirt was inspired from Russell Westbrook’s wristband, but now, according to Westbrook, he’s self-coined himself a nickname: Mr. Why Not?
And if you follow Westbrook on Twitter, he also has an extra page that he or someone tweets from (@WHYN0TTT) where he’s kickstarting the #WHYNOT movement. So get on board. Choo choo.
Jeff Green is done with Twitter for a while. I’d put up his tweet saying so, but it appears he already cancelled his account.
This is a major, major bummer: ”The Thunder is losing its best role player. Brick Man is leaving town. In an NBA arena that’s become known for its dressed-up, amped-up super fans, none is more well-known than Brick Man. His giant brick head and his front-row seat make him one of the most visible fans at the Ford Center. Derrick Seys is the man behind the persona, and when he’s not playing the role of Brick Man, he’s working as an aeronautical engineer. He recently accepted a new job, and his family will be moving from Oklahoma to Illinois later this summer. “We got traded,” Seys deadpanned.” OKC will have to try and fine a replacement via free agency, but the market just doesn’t look that strong. Somebody within the organization will likely have to step up. Read more…
Well the NBA Draft Combine is in the books and the physical measurements are already available, with the athletic testing results to come out further into the week. And as some of us have already discussed, the results had some far-reaching effect for some players at the top and, perhaps more importantly, for players struggling to move up from either early second round to late first round (to get that guaranteed contract) or from the mid-to-late first round into the lottery or higher (to get more $$$ from that guaranteed contract).
As for the fans of each team with a pick in the first round (sorry Knicks, among other teams who were unlucky enough to trade their first round pick away in what has the looks of being one of the most solidly deep drafts in awhile), the measurements and athletic results have something of a mixed effect for fans in terms of who they want their team to draft come June 24th.
First off, we’re talking basketball and the taller, bigger, and faster you are (toss on how high you can jump on there as well) the more eyes are going to be turned your direction. So it’s no wonder that Jordan Crawford’s standing, no step vertical leap of 36″ wows not only scouts but fans alike. Or how Greg Monroe’s 9’2+ standing reach sends ripples throughout the league because at 6’11, 247 lbs and with that standing reach, he has all the physical tools (not to mention style of play) to be a center at the next level.
But I use Monroe for a reason. It is his measurements plus hisgame that equate to him being an intriguing prospect at the center position. We get engrossed by wingspan, shuttle speed, etc, etc to the point that we start trying to convince ourselves that so-and-so can play such position and could really take off at the next level and be the answer for that missing piece to the championship puzzle while also forgetting something that is pretty important in the NBA. Read more…
Is John Wall the next Russell Westbrook?: ”Entering the 2010 Draft, John Wall is essentially Russell Westbrook, only with 457,000 times the hype. Both players have dynamic athleticism. Westbrook has improved his outside shot, but it’s still a work in progress. Wall’s shooting percentage plummeted when SEC teams dared him to shoot from the perimeter. Even given his improvements, Russell Westbrook would never be anointed as a savior of one of the NBA’s worst franchises. Why then, should Wall be considered the saving grace for the Wizards simply because he is more hyped?”
Jeff Van Gundy says OKC-LA was the best series so far: “Van Gundy says the Lakers-Oklahoma City Thunder first-round series has been the only “really compelling” one, and “a very choppy schedule has led to very boring series for the most part. … I don’t want to say it’s been tedious, but there hasn’t been a lot of excitement yet.” Read more…
(Howdy DT friends. Thank you for your support of Daily Thunder. Shine on you crazy diamonds.)
Seeing as how the NBA playoffs go, the first round feels like it happened two or three years ago. But this video just came out to sort of summarize it. And of course, Thunder-Lakers gets the longest run (it’s at the end). I weep a little each time I watch it. So close to Game 7. So close.
The list, sources said, did not include any of the three teams in Bosh’s home state of Texas – the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs — nor did Bosh express interest in the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder, as some thought he might.
The Bosh speculation grew and grew with some really thinking it had a chance of happening, but I never felt like it would. KD answered on Twitter today, “Why did people think he would come to OKC anyway?” Obviously Bosh is in search of the bright lights. And I suppose nights at Mickey Mantle’s and the canal weren’t quite going to do it for him. Oh well. Your loss, Chris.
Happy Memorial Day. I’m coming to you live (well, not really live) from beautiful Broken Bow, Oklahoma. I hope this weekend was everything you dreamed it would be. Obligitory yet sincere thank you to servicemen and women goes here.
