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The Thunder has a pretty stacked roster when it comes to March Madness experience. Two players won national titles, two more played for the national championship but lost and two more reached the Final Four. That’s half of the 12 Oklahoma City players who played college basketball.
Does the big-game experience that a deep NCAA Tournament run matter much in the NBA playoffs? Admittedly, probably not. But it surely doesn’t hurt. And at least there are big-game reps involved in those runs that the players can draw on mentally when big moments come in the playoffs.
Pondering the Thunder’s significant Final Four chops made me think about how OKC stacks up compared to its two most likely first-round playoff opponents, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets. Turns out the Thunder more than holds its own when it comes to collegiate pedigrees as compared to its potential foes. Let’s break it down. Read more…
Commentary
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Trailing by 15 with 4:55 remaining, the Suns were watching the Thunder run away from them in the fourth quarter and with it, maybe taking their playoff hopes with them. Alvin Gentry was desperate and so he busted out a tactic I haven’t seen in a while.
Intentionally foul the other team’s bad free throw shooting big man.
It didn’t really work as Kendrick Perkins made five of six from the line. Scott Brooks said after the game he was fine with their strategy , but it’s not something he would do.
“I’m comfortable with any of our guys shooting free throws,” Brooks told reporters. “We work on it every day. Guys have a lot of confidence, and I have confidence in them. It’s good for us, we’re going to step up and make those shots. They’re free, and it puts a lot of pressure on them because now they have to score.
“You can’t give up free shots; a foul is not a good defense in my book. But that’s not my decision to make, and I like the fact that Perk went up there and knocked them in.”
Perk on the other hand didn’t blame them. Read more…
Commentary
Fast Company named the Thunder the sixth most innovative company in sports: “For proving that market size doesn’t matter. Following a nasty arena dispute between the Seattle Supersonic owners and city leaders, the franchise relocated in 2008 to Oklahoma City, the NBA’s smallest market (1.2 million people) and third smallest TV market. It ranks in the top 15 in overall attendance and is one of the most profitable small-market teams in any sport, worth an estimated $329 million, 18th in the league, according to Forbes. Kevin Durant, the NBA’s youngest scoring champ, and a core of young stars has led the fast turnaround, from having the league’s second-worst record to contending for the title.”
If you missed it, super weird moment to end the game last night. Aaron Brooks and Zabian Dowdell (former Tulsa 66er) were both ejected. Brooks, for apparently grabbing his stuff in front of Ken Mauer. Watch the video and you tell me what happened. Read more…
Bolts
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BOX SCORE
Don’t look now, but the Thunder played a fringe playoff contender on the road the way a top-four seed should in taking care of business Wednesday night in Phoenix. One night after nearly letting Golden State steal a game at the end of a long home stand in Oklahoma City, the Thunder slowly put its foot on the neck of the Suns and increased the pressure until it put the game away in the fourth quarter.
OKC kept Phoenix at arm’s length most of the night before pulling away for an eventual 116-98 win in the Valley of the Sun. Until the final frame, the Thunder didn’t really ever threaten to run away with it, but it never quite seemed out of control either. It was a steady stream of three-, five- seven-point leads that occasionally got a little closer. Phoenix took a couple of slim leads. But it always seemed to be a matter of time before Oklahoma City imposed its will, and then before you knew it some chubby guy named Garret Siler who I had never heard of was in the game for the Suns, embodying the white flag raised by Alvin Gentry. Read more…
Recap
vs. 
OKC Thunder (49-24, 21-14 road) at Phoenix Suns (36-37, 20-17 home)
TV: FSOK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 9:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 110.8 (6th), Suns– 109.5 (9th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 107.0 (15th), Suns – 109.9 (22nd)
Pace: Thunder – 92.8 (12th), Suns – 94.4 (7th)
View from the enemy: Valley of the Suns
After unnecessarily playing five extra minutes last night against Golden State, it might be a little difficult for the Thunder to find their legs against the up and down Suns. Not an excuse, but reality. Back-to-backs are never easy and going back to back versus the Warriors and Suns certainly isn’t. Read more…
Preview
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Kevin Durant can thank Desmond Mason for a good number of points. Back in 2008, the Thunder’s first season in Oklahoma City, the former Oklahoma State star taught Durant the crafty “rip move.”
(If you’re not familiar, which I can’t believe how you wouldn’t be, it’s the move where KD baits the defender to stick his hand close and then swings his arms up drawing a shooting foul.)
Last night against the Warriors, Durant got two calls with it. One in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer on Dorell Wright and then a big one in overtime on David Lee which gave KD three shots and put OKC up one with a minute left.
So as you might imagine, Golden State Warrior coach Keith Smart was not a fan of the move. He told the AP: “That shouldn’t be a call because defensive players, you’re trying to tell your guys to get up on a good player,” Smart said. “If the player’s going to bait you into a foul—and I understand it’s a rule, so there’s nothing we can do about it—but … who has the right to the space? We’ve got to come to a conclusion.”
Who has the right to space? Are you kidding me? What does that even mean? If Thabo gets up super tight on Monta Ellis — like really tight, touching even — and Ellis puts the ball on the floor and drives hard around him and Thabo can’t move his feet fast enough, thus picking up a blocking foul, is Keith Smart saying that shouldn’t be a foul? I mean, who has the right to the space? Ellis created the contact, Thabo was just playing defense. Right? Read more…
Commentary
Comment of the week award goes to Dylan in the post-game thread: “I really should apologize for tonight. I was at the movies with my brother, and we went to BWW after. I figured i’d get to watch the entire 4th quarter there, but when we sat down, there was just 15 seconds left. So I asked the bartender to send it to OT. My bad.”
Darnell Mayberry: “I can’t believe KD got the rip move call in overtime. I wasn’t in Golden State coach Keith Smart’s post game press conference. But I was told he had some comments about the rip move, saying it should be examined in the off-season. Doesn’t sound like he’s a fan.” Read more…
Bolts
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BOX SCORE
I definitely had my lede written with 13 seconds left in the game. I was all settled in, typing away at this thing. The Thunder were up by six and with one of the best free throw shooters in the game, Oklahoma City was ready to ice this one at the line.
Then Reggie Williams hit a 3. Then Daequan Cook inbounded the ball. To Monta Ellis.
And wouldn’t you know it, he drained a 3. Tied 106-106. Just like that.
Kevin Durant missed a potential game-winner as time expired and we were off to overtime. Just like that.
I think we all had the sick feeling that the Thunder weren’t going to have enough momentum to win this game in the extra frame. After the shock of having to keep playing, it was going to be hard to shake that off and show up for overtime. But OKC did. Barely. Read more…
Recap
vs.
Golden State Warriors (32-42, 9-28 road) vs. OKC Thunder (48-24, 27-10 home)
TV: FSOK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 110.9 (6th), Warriors – 108.2 (12th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 107.1 (15th), Warriors – 111.1 (27th)
Pace: Thunder – 92.7 (12th), Warriors – 94.8 (5th)
View from the enemy: Warriors World
The last meeting between the Thunder and Warriors was one of OKC’s most ridiculous games of the season. And I mean that in a bad way. The Thunder were killed 20-2 on the offensive boards (!) and the Warriors attempted 40 (forty!) more shots than OKC. Somehow, the Thunder still only lost by six. I have no idea how. Read more…
Preview
Darnell Mayberry wrote about the increase in Kevin Durant’s 3-point shooting, noting that KD has already attempted seven more 3s this season than all of last year. And there are still 10 games left.
Reader Dave looked into it a little deeper and sent in this note and chart:
“The chart shows a methodical decrease in 3-point shots over his first season when he was shooting 3′s in the sub-30% range. Then, as he worked to increase his percentage, you can clearly see a slow rise in his 3-point attempts (as a % of his overall shots from the field). He has plateaued at around 36% from three for his career…it will be interesting to see if his 3-point shots as a percentage of his field goal attempts continue to increase or not.”
Commentary
Via John Rohde of the Oklahoman, Nick Collison will miss tonight’s game versus Golden State because of a left ankle sprain. Collison suffered the injury in the first half against Portland. After tonight, he’ll be listed as day-to-day.
Nate Robinson though, has been activated. He’s been out since March 4 because of arthroscopic knee surgery. He’s only appeared once for the Thunder since being traded from Boston, scoring six points in eight minutes.
It’s unlikely Robinson finds a spot in the rotation, but he’ll be an extra option for Scott Brooks off the bench. And now he can get back to doing his fun bench celebration after every 3-point make.
News
Zach Lowe of SI doesn’t like Harden’s leg kick either: “You know I love the way the Thunder’s Harden has been playing in general lately, but is it me, or has he become the league’s foremost practitioner of the semi-dirty leg kick at the end of a jump shot? It’s a blatant attempt at drawing a foul, one mastered by lots of “wily” stars, including Reggie Miller and Karl Malone. A few officials have actually called offensive fouls on Harden when he does this, and I’m all for policing this play more aggressively by calling more offensive fouls.”
Darnell Mayberry: “Kevin Durant already taken seven more 3-pointers this year than he did last season. And there’s still 10 games left to play. AND if he plays each of the remaining 10, he’ll still be four shy of last year, when he played all 82 games. The numbers have been shocking. He seems to have diversified his game much more in his fourth season. But his 3-point attempts are staggering.” Read more…
Bolts
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When Oklahoma City made its trades at the deadline to bring in Kendrick Perkins from Boston and Nazr Mohommed from Charlotte, it was clear what the intention was: offense for defense.
Out went two quality offensive starters in Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic and into the starting five came two defensive experts in Serge Ibaka and Perkins.
The Thunder, who won 50 games a season ago mainly on the legs of terrific defense (6th in efficiency) slipped drastically from that (15th now), winning largely behind a most efficient offense. Last year, OKC gave up 98.0 points per game. This year, that number rests at 100.8 ppg, but had risen as high as 103.
It really doesn’t matter how you win, as long as you win. This isn’t Brazilian soccer. OKC isn’t inclined to win beautifully with perfect offensive execution and wonderful defense. Just have more points at the end, no matter the cost. But in watching this Thunder team for the first 55 games, it was pretty obvious that the team was kind of getting by just by the skin of their teeth. OKC was winning a ton of close games and almost seemed fortunate to be so successful. And as a result, optimism for a deeper postseason run wasn’t great. Read more…
Commentary
Single game playoff tickets go on sale April 14 at 10 a.m. only online at Ticketmaster. Remember, they will go fast and there is a very limited number. Manage your expectations. You probably won’t get a pair because seriously, they’ll be hard to come by. And yes, a playoff shirt is coming. In related news, get your Perk shirt now. It’s on sale!
Marc Stein’s power rankings have OKC behind Denver: “Don’t think anyone in OKC will mind too much at 11-2 in March, but Durant is in the midst of his lowest-scoring month all season (25.1 ppg) and almost never gets mentioned in an MVP race he was widely tipped to win.” Read more…
Bolts
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BOX SCORE
Let’s get the best part out of the way: The Thunder officially clinched their second straight playoff berth with a 99-90 win over Portland tonight.
And let me tell you, it didn’t come easy. Since the Thunder’s definitely going to be in the postseason, this game was a pretty good primer to remind them how tough and physical the playoffs are.
“It was a playoff atmosphere type of game with a team with might face in the playoffs,” Scott Brooks said.
For the first time in 11 days, the Thunder were playing in what felt like an important game. A game with a little motivation. This one wasn’t against a lowly Eastern Conference team or someone with 18 wins. This was against a good division opponent with something on the line. And there was no doubt the team realized it. The intensity in both the building and on the floor from the start was obvious.
But it all went to another level after Kevin Durant picked up his fifth foul. Durant was hit was an offensive foul trying to push Gerald Wallace off of him and that basically set off an explosion in the Oklahoma City Arena. The crowd booed for roughly five straight minutes — all the way through the TV timeout — and what was already an intense affair, ramped up another notch. Read more…
Recap
