With less than a quarter of the season to play the guys from TGR break down the final seedings in the Western Conference.
How many wins will the Thunder need to clinch home court advantage in the first round? Who is most likely to challenge for 4th place? Who will win the dog fight that is once again the Western conference playoff race?
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Good day Thunder people. Thank you for your support of DT. Have a nice one.
This happened before the Thunder-Lakers game outside of the arena formerly known as the Ford Center. Don’t worry, it only goes on about three minutes too long.
It didn’t take long for Kevin Durant to show that he was feeling good against the Hawks Friday. He dropped his first shot — a smooth standstill jumper over Marvin Williams — hit back-to-back 3s and by the end of the third, had 25 points on 10-15 shooting.
But that’s when he turned things over to Russell Westbrook. Westbrook scored nine of his 28 in the final frame, leading the Thunder to a nice road win over the Hawks, 111-104.
The Thunder held a good six to 10-point lead for the majority of the second half, but the Hawks whittled it down to two, 102-100, with a little over a minute remaining. OKC needed a basket badly and in a very Westbrook-like manner, Russ didn’t even think as he caught a pass on the wing and fired from deep. He swished the 3, basically icing the win for the Thunder. That’s the thing about Westbrook — he didn’t think about it. And that’s why you trust him in those situations.
There was a certain level of anxiety post-trade for Thunder fans as OKC started out 0-2 in the wake of the emotional trade. But these past two outings have certainly showed the Thunder are just fine. They’re back to scoring the ball well and are playing pretty solid defense to go with it. A large part of that again — on both ends — has been James Harden who sparked a big second quarter for OKC scoring 13 in the period. Read more…
Note: Kevin Durant is a game-time decision. He was upgraded from doubtful. He says he’s ready to go but it’s up to the medical staff. He participated in shootaround and didn’t have any setbacks. So it’s possible, but I’m sure the team is going to err on the side of caution. Read more…
Even without Kevin Durant’s ankle injury, we’ve known since the day of the Kendrick Perkins trade that it’s going to be awhile until we see the Thunder, as currently constructed, at full strength. With Perkins targeting a March 18 game against the Bobcats, the first in a six-game stretch at home, as the day he returns from a knee sprain, Oklahoma City could be looking at only 15 games with its entire lineup before the playoffs.
The steep learning curve is helped by the fact Perkins will have plenty of time to absorb the Thunder’s offensive sets and defensive schemes before the first time he steps on the court. It’s almost like a mini-training camp, albeit without practice, before he suits up, and then he’ll have the next few weeks to get back into true basketball shape in time for the playoffs.
But for once this season, the main concern for the Thunder may be the offense from here on out. True, the Thunder has only played one game with Nazr Mohammed and Nate Robinson, the other two pieces OKC acquired in the trade deadline deals, and that one turned out pretty well other than KD’s ankle turn. Still, anything other than a no-doubt win over the Pacers, who entered Wednesday five games below .500 in the not-so-rugged Eastern Conference, would have been a disappointment whether the Thunder was missing one starter or not. Indiana doesn’t have much in terms of a stopper on the wing or in the backcourt, which is where OKC obviously gets most of its scoring, so any offensive troubles in that game would have been truly troubling. Read more…
Nate Robinson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and will be out 4-6 weeks. The team said he experienced discomfort after his first practice Monday and decided to go ahead and do it, especially since it was obvious he wasn’t going to be a major part of the rotation.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com on free agency: “Perhaps the most intriguing part of the outcome to many teams and agents was that Durant did not want an option at the end of the deal to get out early. These options are virtually standard for any player getting more than a three-year deal. Durant could have requested, and almost certainly received, a chance to opt out of the new deal after four years.” Read more…
After spraining his left ankle Wednesday against the Pacers, Kevin Durant did not practice Thursday and according to the team is listed as doubtful for Friday night’s game against Atlanta.
After that, he’s just day-to-day.
“Doubtful” doesn’t mean “completely out” but I would assume the Thunder errs on the side of extreme caution and unless Durant is totally fine, he won’t play. At practice Thursday, Scott Brooks said “you never know” in terms of KD playing Friday night but again, it’s very unlikely.
The ankle didn’t swell a ton following the game and Thursday morning, so there is reason to be optimistic about it. Still though, there’s no need to hurry back and though Durant says he can play, you can’t really go by that. I’m pretty sure if Durant had both legs amputated he’d say, “You know, I think I can go.”
Durant sprained his left ankle earlier in the season, causing him to miss two games. The Thunder went 2-0 without him with wins in Milwaukee and Boston.
If Durant is unable to go Friday night, James Harden will likely start in his place with Thabo Sefolosha sliding over to small forward.
(We’ve all had our thoughts post-trade about what the Thunder needs to do, where they need go and who needs to step up. Here’s one fan’s take on it.)
By Cody Thrasher
To say things have been a little crazy in Thunderland the past week is a massive understatement. After months of wondering whether or not Jeff Green would be in the team’s future, he was traded to Boston right before the trade deadline. Nenad Krstic was also included in the deal, and the Thunder received Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson in return. It was a bittersweet day for many Thunder fans, including myself, because Green had been such a big part of the team since coming to Oklahoma City. Quite frankly, he was one of my favorites.
The trade has been finalized, and fans are ready to welcome the new additions. Perkins will be out another week or two, and things could be a little rocky until he comes back. It’s time to move on without Jeff Green, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who still has questions that need answers. The Thunder definitely made the right move to improve the center position, and things are even better now that Perkins has been signed to a long-term deal. That being said, who is going to replace Green and the 15 points per game he put up? Read more…
Bob Ryan with an interesting column on Nenad Krstic: “The 27-year-old Serb is still a bit bedazzled by the events of the past few days. He wasn’t having the greatest year of his life in Oklahoma City. More and more the Thunder had become the “Kevin [Durant] & Russell [Westbrook] Show.’’ If Green, the team’s No. 3 scorer, was deemed expendable, where was that going to leave Krstic, who was down to about 7 points per game and was no longer in favor? But no one said anything, so he fully expected to wake up last Friday as a member of the Thunder.” Doc Rivers also said that both Krstic and Green commented on the passing in Boston.
Quinn Peterson of SLAM on Most Improved: “Westbrook’s progression was clear and apparent playing with Team USA in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. His athleticism was never doubted, but his ability to play the point was. More importantly, his viability to be an adequate Robin to Kevin Durant’s Batman remained to be seen.” Read more…
Kevin Durant sprained his left ankle in the third quarter against the Pacers, stepping on Tyler Hansbrough’s foot. Durant stayed in the game to sink two free throws, but immediately exited, eventually needing help from a couple trainers to get to the locker room.
“Just a little tweak,” KD told reporters after the game. “I did it before. Just gotta see how I feel in the morning.”
Durant left the arena wearing a protective boot, but that was just deemed a precaution. He said he thinks he could be available to play against the Hawks Friday in Atlanta.
“Hopefully, I’m ready to go,” he said.
Of course that’s how he felt about an hour after the game finished. We’ll see how things go when he wakes up Thursday morning.
After losing three straight for the first time this season, Oklahoma City bounced back in about the most perfect way possible, blowing past the Pacers 113-89.
Really, there was nothing wrong with the night as the defense dominated, the offense clicked and the team played with good level of intensity for four quarters. Except for the fact that Kevin Durant rolled his left ankle hard and eventually had to be helped off the floor. That part kind of sucked, a lot. I’d imagine Durant will miss a game or two. But try and forget that for now, because this win over Indiana is exactly what Thunder fans were looking for coming in.
(OK, I’ll admit, I haven’t forgotten about KD’s ankle. I’ve been thinking about it constantly. But let’s move on.)
It started early as OKC jumped out to a 10-0 lead and held the Pacers scoreless for the first four-plus minutes. James Harden was terrific in the first half, dropping 17 of his 20 total points in just 11 first half minutes. There’s no doubt that Harden is really coming along lately. He understands the need for him to assert himself with Jeff Green gone and he’s taking advantage. Now with the prospect of Durant potentially missing a few games, Harden will have to continue playing aggressively. Harden’s evolution has been sort of quiet, but go back and look. He’s had a nice February and really, has been a pretty terrific sixth man for OKC.
The Pacers helped the Thunder quite a bit as they turned it over 17 times, with 12 in the first half. But a lot of the turnovers were complete giveaways which led to Thunder transition opportunities. OKC shot the ball really well and moved it splendidly, as the Thunder finished with 26 assists. All the talk about the offense struggling post-trade was premature anyway, but this game showed that the Thunder will be fine scoring the ball. Especially when Harden and Daequan Cook (12 points on 4-7 from 3) give them so much off the bench. Read more…
Finally, a not excellent team plays the Thunder. A chance to get back on the winning side of things. And also a chance to officially meet one of the new guys, as Nazr Mohammed will start at center for Oklahoma City. Read more…
Zach Lowe of SI on the Perkins extension: “Look at it this way: With Perkins on board for, say, $9 million per season (we have to estimate for now), the Thunder have about $39 million committed to just six players for the 2012-13 season. Toss in the salary for guys the team drafts between now and then and some nominal charges for empty roster spots, and you’re up around $43 million to $44 million. And that doesn’t include team options on Eric Maynor and Cole Aldrich. Under the current system, this is no big deal; the Thunder would be $15 million under the current cap, and they’d have Bird rights on Westbrook, giving them the ability to match any competing offer.”
Kelly Dwyer of BDL: “The result is a four-year, $34.8 million deal that is more reminiscent of what players like Marcin Gortat are making, while a step below what Joakim Noah and Al Horford are pulling in. It gives the Thunder a big man they can rely on to defend, defend, defend (while, despite his limitations, not hurt the team offensively) for the next few years. And the good-enough terms allow the team to safely extend all-world guard Russell Westbrook this offseason to what will probably be a max contract. Though expectedly a shorter and less-expensive max than we’ve seen in the NBA since 1999.” Read more…
If you missed the first part, “Introduction to the Collective Bargaining Negotiations,” that discussed the imminence of a lockout, you can catch up here.
Since most Oklahoma City Thunder fans were originally New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets fans, we are already fully aware of the problems the Hornet franchise was going through. In the days when I was a contributor at HornetsCentral.com, the discussions on the message board typically centered on how the New Orleans market was never a fit for the NBA, the ownership being atrocious, and how the team should have stayed in the 405 permanently.
Being that we still believe all three statements to be true (even though, in retrospect, we are pleased the third did not come to fruition) it was of very little surprise when we saw news that the league had wrestled ownership away from George Shinn. The guy was a cancer to the league brain trust that openly poisoned the Charlotte market so he could take his team to be the second banana in a place that had already failed the NBA despite having a hometown hero and basketball legend in Pete Maravich to buoy the team’s appeal. Then, if rumors are to be believed, Shinn lobbied to stay in Oklahoma City rather than return to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, only to have David Stern veto that idea to keep the Hornet owner from ruining the emerging market permanently. Read more…
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com on Perkins’ extension: “The Thunder have their man, and they just locked him up long-term. With Russell Westbrook soon to be extended and eventually Serge Ibaka as well, the Thunder have a core in place to contend. Now we’ll have to see if they struck on time and on target. They look every bit the contender many thought they would be, though.”
Zach Lowe of SI on KD at the 4: “I liked the move to put Durant at power forward in theory, but it did not work in reality. The reason I liked it, at first: Durant can guard Lamar Odom without much trouble, but on the other end, the Lakers want one of their wing players — usually Ron Artest – to stay on Durant no matter what sort of lineup the Thunder have on the court. That meant Odom would have to defend a guard — often Daequan Cook on Sunday — and though Odom is obviously capable of defending someone like Cook, big guys often fall into the temptation of roving around a lot when they find themselves on a spot-up shooter. Cook got a couple of open looks like this. But as I said, in the long run, the small lineup did not work — at least offensively.” Read more…
With less than a quarter of the season to play the guys from TGR break down the final seedings in the Western Conference.
