The 82-game schedule wraps tonight versus Milwaukee, but fortunately, we get more games after this. Scott Brooks said the Thunder’s starters will start, but won’t play their normal number of minutes. He used the same strategy last season in OKC’s final game versus Memphis. And of course, the Thunder won that night. Read more…
At CBSSports.com today, I wrote on Kevin Durant and what seemed to derail his golden path to the MVP.
Kevin Durant had already accomplished the hard part. He had the buzz.
The first step in winning basketball most prestigious individual award is building that buzz. With a fantastic season where he became the youngest scoring champion in history, led his surprising Thunder to 50 wins, placed second behind LeBron for MVP and then put a young Team USA squad on his back in Turkey for the first World Championship gold medal in 16 years, Durant had everyone talking.
In fact, coming into the season, Durant was the overwhelming pick by NBA general managers to win the MVP. Most fans were taking him, especially with the way LeBron James damaged his image and his importance by going to Miami to join Dwyane Wade. Read more…
Doc Rivers on Kendrick Perkins: “Like I jokingly told Perk, he should renegotiate again,” Rivers said. “His value keeps increasing by each loss. It’s amazing.”
David Berri of Wages of Win on how much the Perk trade helped: “So yes, adding Perkins has helped some. But the increased time given to Ibaka – coupled with the removal of very unproductive players from the team — has been the big story in Oklahoma City. So next time someone goes on and on about Perkins in Oklahoma City, remember the name Ibaka (and also, where Green and Krstic are now sitting).” Read more…
Reader Nick sent this whole piece in to me. He said in the email that he was just putting together a spreadsheet out of his own curiosity and then decided to write a bit of it out. And as a result, this column happened. So have a read. Pretty interesting stuff.
I think everybody would agree that the Thunder have been a different team since Kendrick Perkins joined the team. Many would cite the group’s newfound toughness and refusal to back down (not to mention their increased penchant to pick up Ts) as the major way the team has changed. I thought it would be interesting to take a more statistical look at how Perkins has changed the team. Much of this stuff has been discussed in the comments section here and there, but I thought it would be good to put a bunch of stuff it in one place.
First, let’s take a look at the team as a whole. The consensus at the time of the trade was that the Thunder were giving up offense for defense by swapping two offensive players (Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic) for two defensive players (Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka) in the starting lineup. As such, one would expect the Thunder to be a stalwart defensively and struggle offensively since the trade. Um, no. Before Perk (or BP as I’ll refer to it from here on out, for convenience sake and because it makes Perkins seem like a savior), the Thunder had a solid ORTG of 110.6 and a decent DRTG of 107.7. Read more…
I’ve always been a bit torn on the video of Mo Cheeks helping the little girl finish the national anthem. On one hand, it shows what a kind heart he has to step in and assist a girl drowning in the anthem, but on the other, it’s kind of become this thing that’s he’s known for.
Most people under 30 don’t really think of Cheeks as an all-time great point guard, but instead, That Guy That Helped The Girl. Type in “Mo Cheeks” on Google or YouTube. The top autofinish is the national anthem video as well as the first result. For shame.
But last night on Tosh.O, the girl, Natalie Gilbert, was given her shot at a web redemption. She sang at an Anaheim Ducks game and she nailed it. But I couldn’t help but wonder: Why not Oklahoma City? Wouldn’t that have been even better?
What a cool little thing that would be to have Gilbert sing the anthem again with Mo Cheeks behind her. Make it happen Thunder. It would be neat.
Zach Lowe of SI on OKC post-Perk-trade: “Again: This could be more the result of an easy-ish schedule than anything else. But the Thunder undoubtedly look better. Harden’s play has been particularly encouraging, since the Thunder will be better off now that he can handle the lion’s share of minutes at the 2-guard — and take over ball-handling responsibilities now and then. And cutting out Jeff Green in favor of a bigger front line hasn’t hurt Oklahoma City’s perimeter shooting, since Harden is coming along there, too, and Scott Brooks appears comfortable using a three-guard bench combination of Harden, Eric Maynor and Daequan Cook to stretch the floor.”
The Nuggets say the Thunder talked a lot of trash: “Everybody (else) is pretty much whatever, whoever we’ll be ready to go, but I want them though,” Felton said. “They were doing a little bit of trash talking, so I want them.” … “There’s no question there’s a cockiness to Oklahoma City that we’re anxious to see if that’s what we’ve got to go through,” Karl said.” Read more…
Coming off the emotional win in Los Angeles less than 24 hours ago, it felt like the Thunder could be walking into a trap. It felt like this game could be a letdown. I was ready for it. I was almost convinced it would happen.
And Oklahoma City appeared well on its way to it after giving up 37 points in the second quarter which included 13 straight makes by the Kings. The Thunder just looked uninspired, unfocused and mostly flat.
Then Serge Ibaka roared. Like seriously, he roared.
Ibaka sparked the team with back-to-back blocks at the rim which led to a big Kevin Durant jumper that pulled OKC within one at the time. Before that, the Thunder had worked themselves back from nine points down, but still looked about half asleep. Sometimes teams need a jumpstart and Ibaka provided it. He was 1-5 in the first half but went 4-4 in the second to finished with 15 points to go with eight rebounds and six blocks.
Ibaka helped jolt the Thunder to a 36-26 advantage in the third, which carried them to a 120-112 victory. Read more…
Here’s exactly what I said to my dad over lunch Sunday afternoon. “I really think we’re going to beat the Lakers tonight. But I’m positive we’ll lose to the Kings Monday.” He simply said, “They better not.” Read more…
I wrote last week about wanting to see some growth here in April compared to last season’s slight limp to the finish line. After last night’s win over the Lakers, I’m entirely satisfied.
The way OKC hammered the Lakers in the final six minutes last night was kind of incredible.
Once OKC’s starters returned with 5:45 on the clock, the Thunder outscored L.A. 22-9 in that stretch. The defense completely ramped up but even better, the offensive like, executed in the halfcourt. It was a beautiful thing.
As a result, the Thunder doubled up L.A. 32-16 in the fourth.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLA joins the party and writes about OKC’s formula to success: “Before a recent home game in Oklahoma City, a montage of Thunder highlights was played before player introductions as Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” played in the background. It was an appropriate song, not only because of Presti’s appreciation for John Bonham at the drums but because “Kashmir” took Led Zeppelin three years to write and produce. While some musicians tell tall tales of waking up in the middle of the night and writing a hit song or sitting in front of a piano and composing an entire album in a weekend, one of the defining songs by one of rock ‘n’ roll’s defining bands took three years to mold and master.”
Mark Medina of the LA Times: “What’s even more disconcerting, the Lakers actually tried this time. It featured Bryant and Gasol (26 points on 10-of-16 shooting) scoring at prolific rates, Steve Blake coming up with a rare solid shooting performance (nine points on three-of-three shooting) and Bryant refusing to back away from Perkins’ headlock, which resulted in a technical foul for both. But the negatives, such as Gasol’s four rebounds, Lamar Odom’s sudden drop in productivity (seven points on three-of-nine shooting) and the blown fourth-quarter execution hard to watch.” Read more…
Kobe Bryant has gushed about Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Thunder in general over the past year after the terrific six-game opening round series. After this one, he may be done singing the praises. No longer are the Thunder the cute up-and-comers. They’re tough, they’re physical, they’re a bit nasty and most importantly, they’re now dangerous.
The Thunder not only topped the defending champs for the first time in Staples 120-106, but they did it with a little edge. They did it with some swagger.
The thing Kobe has always said about the Thunder was that there was no fear in these young guys eyes. And with a whole new look about them this time against the Lakers, there absolutely was no fear, no intimidation, no anxiousness, no nothing this time. All those things have jumped up and bit Oklahoma City at times in Staples, but not in this one. The Thunder had the eye of the tiger early on hitting 10 of their first 13 shots en route to 36 first quarter points (most the Lakers have given up in the first quarter this season). And they carried over, never losing focus or getting nervous as L.A. went up by five in the fourth, instead the Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-16 in the final frame to close them out. Read more…
This game is important, but not for the reason you’re thinking. Yes, Oklahoma City is trying to catch the Mavs so every game matters, but beating the Lakers in Los Angeles — something the Thunder have yet to do — would be such a huge confidence booster. Read more…
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The Thunder signed guard Robert Vaden from their D-League affiliate Tulsa 66ers today. Conversely, Vaden has immediately been assigned to the 66ers.
No terms have been released as of yet. The Thunder had one open roster slot remaining and it’s now been filled by Vaden.
Vaden was acquired from Charlotte by the Thunder in the second round of the 2009 draft and has played this entire season with the 66ers. Vaden averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 45 regular season games with Tulsa. This past season he shot 39.2 percent (74/189) from 3. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in the 66ers two game sweep of the Texas Legends in the first round of the D-League playoffs.
Before joining the 66ers this season, he spent all 0f 2009-10 in Italy’s second division.
“We are happy to add Robert to our team.” Sam Presti said in a press release. “Robert has been a dedicated and consistent worker for our program and has excelled in our system in Tulsa under the direction of Head Coach Nate Tibbetts and Assistant Coach Dale Osbourne. We value the role of the 66ers in the overall development of the Thunder organization and this opportunity for Robert comes as a result of that synergy.”
Vaden is a shooter by trade and at 6-5, has pretty good size on the perimeter. He was a really good scorer in college at UAB averaged more than 17 points per game his senior season. What his role will be with the organization is to be determined, but it’s obvious that Presti and the Thunder appreciate hard work and that’s why Vaden was rewarded with this deal.
Morning people. Thank you for your support of DT. Embrace the (Satur)day.
You probably know KD’s story. You probably know how hard he worked, how far he’s come and how he arrived in the NBA. But that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate this nice little video from the NBA still.
vs. 
