Daily Thunder.com

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BOX SCORE

The sea of blue roared. And roared. And roared.

The clock read zeroes and the Lakers had one more point on the board than the Thunder. 95-94.

And the crowd roared.

I honestly can’t sum that moment up in 1,500 words. Heck, I couldn’t do it in 150,000 words. This team, this season, this city – it was just a moment. I wrote months back that this season would likely be one that we all hold very near and dear to our hearts. And despite the fact it ended in heartache and heartbreak, I’m not sure how any season could ever top this. What we saw was a city embrace a team not just as something to root for, but as something we all felt part of. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

 vs.

LA Lakers (3-2, 0-2 road) vs. Okla. City Thunder (2-3, 2-0 home)

TV: ESPN (Cox 29, HD 720)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 8:30 CDT

Series: Lakers lead 3-2

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

Nick Collison was right on. “We can’t rely on the building to win the game for us.” No you can not. It’s not like this is the first hostile environment the Lakers have played in. They’ll be ready for the Sea of Blue. Though we’ll sure do our best to make an impact. Read more…

Preview LA Lakers

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BOX SCORE

It’s a seven game series.

Kevin Durant has said it multiple times. And it’s best you keep that in mind. Especially after Game 5. Because boy, that was not fun.

It was just a spanking. A total butt-kicking. It was ugly from the start and stayed ugly for pretty much the entire 48. But it only counts as one loss. We knew that Oklahoma City would have to win one game in Los Angeles if the Thunder wanted to take this series. Obviously, this wasn’t the one. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

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LA Lakers (2-2, 2-0 home) vs. Okla. City Thunder (2-2, 0-2 road)

TV: TNT (Cox 31, HD 730)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 9:30 CDT

Series: Series tied at 2-2

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

Ready for a gross understatement, accompanied by a scary stat? This game is absolutely critical. In the NBA’s history, the team that wins Game 5 with a series tied 2-2 wins the series 83 percent of the time. And Phil Jackson is 15-0 in these situation. Aren’t we feeling good now? Read more…

Preview LA Lakers

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As amazing as it was to experience Game 3 and then marvel at the stunning woodshed performance of Game 4, one thought has still remained in the back of my mind, hanging thick and stifling in the air like a dense fog refusing to lift in the face of morning’s light.

They have to win in Los Angeles. The Thunder must steal a game in the Staples Center to win the series.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still celebrating the Thunder holding serve at home just as hard as anyone else, especially with all of the love that the team is receiving nationally, the hype and marvel that the deafening fans and the rocking Thunderdome have sparked across the NBA landscape, and the reality that after four games with the defending champs, this series is all tied up and we’re now looking at a best of three matchup where anything can happen.

But just like Kevin Durant said when Ric Bucher commented that he didn’t seem very surprised or enthusiastic at what the team was able to accomplish in Game 4, “This is a seven game series.”

The time for confetti and shouts of joy ended Sunday morning (or more likely Sunday night, after all, that 21 point demolition deserved an extra half day to savor and celebrate on the Sabbath) because despite the euphoria and electricity permeating the OKC area and probably the entire state/country of Thunder fans, those two games are over and they served their purpose. The Thunder protected their house. And now they have to make like a thief in the night and steal a victory away from the Lakers in Los Angeles.

Like Clark noted rather prophetically last week, nothing changes in a playoff series until the home team loses on their own floor. So even though the momentum has shifted and the Thunder are the clear aggressors in this matchup moving forward, everything is realistically as it should be.

But that’s where things get interesting because as daunting as it may seem for the Thunder to pickup a win in LA, recent history shows that it’s not near as formiddable a task as you might think it is. Read more…

Commentary LA Lakers, Playoffs

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BOX SCORE

The final score from Game 4: Thunder 110, Lakers 89.

Whoa. Like whoa.

Mrs. Daily Thunder put it best I thought: “Who would’ve thought with eight minutes left to go in a playoff game in Oklahoma City, it would probably be OK to leave?”

But here’s the thing. Nobody did. Kevin Durant didn’t play a minute in the fourth quarter. Neither did Russell Westbrook. Kobe Bryant slipped off to the locker room about halfway through the last quarter. We got a steady diet of the basketballing styling of Byron Mullens, Etan Thomas and Kevin Ollie’s mustache. Yet no one budged. Instead the last 12 minutes were basically a victory lap for the Thunder. Chants of “Beat LA!” rang out periodically. Bursts of random noise filled the Ford Center for no reason. And despite the wide margin, Thunder fans were still engaged pumping out “DEE-FENSE!” chants, exploding on an Eric Maynor 3 and standing for the majority of it. Game 3 welcomed the world to Loud City. Game 4 showed everyone just how awesome it really is. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

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LA Lakers (2-1, 0-1 road) vs. Okla. City Thunder (1-2, 1-0 home)

TV: ESPN (Cox 29, HD 720)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 8:30 CDT

Series: Lakers lead 2-1

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

The celebration is over. The emotion is out. The big moment for this city and this state have passed. Now it’s about winning another basketball game. It’s going to be hard to get over what happened on Thursday night. I know I’m having trouble. I’ve watched the game twice already on my DVR. I can’t get over it. I hope the team can. It’s almost like we forgot you had to play more games. The crowd will be loud and proud again. I don’t think it will affect OKC in a negative way. Now it’s not about cheering because of the moment, it will be about cheering because we want to influence the outcome of a basketball game. Read more…

Preview LA Lakers

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BOX SCORE

I really don’t know where to start. I’m sitting here, staring at a blank screen trying to will some letters to come out of my fingers. But I don’t feel like I can accurately sum up what tonight’s game was like. I guess loud would at least be a start.

With thunderstorms rolling into Oklahoma City right around tip-off, I thought this might be the sign. It kind of felt like destiny. I think people in Dallas could feel the energy pulsating from the Ford Center, even 30 minutes before the game started. Fifteen minutes before tip, everyone in the place was on their feet. And they stayed there until the first bucket dropped.

But what was so wild is that everything went wrong. The Lakers scored on their first seven possessions, jumping out to a 10-0 lead. They led the entire first half and kept the Thunder an arm’s length away. Every time OKC tried to sneak in the game, Kobe would hit a 3, Pau Gasol would come up with a big rebound or Derek Fisher would drop a big shot. For the first 34 minutes, the Lakers had the Thunder right where they wanted them and for the most part, kept the lid on the Ford Center.

And then Russell Westbrook happened. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

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LA Lakers (2-0, 0-0 road) vs. Okla. City Thunder (0-2, 0-0 home)

TV: TNT (Cox 31, HD 730)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 8:30 CDT

Series: Lakers lead 2-0

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

We know the breakdowns and the matchups. We know what works and what doesn’t. There’s nothing really new here. Kobe is good, the Lakers are big inside and OKC has to play better offense to win. But there’s a new thing thrown into the equation tonight: Us. Read more…

Preview LA Lakers

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BOX SCORE

Oklahoma City down two, 15 seconds left, with possession. Quick, you have 20 seconds to decide what you want to do.

Me? It was simple. I had my mind made up before the team made it to Scott Brooks to talk about it. Go for the win. Live or die, right here, right now. Win or lose. You came to Los Angeles to let it all hang out, so why stop now? With the way the whistle was turning in the last two minutes and the fact you’re on the road in Staples, what do you like better? A 3 to win, or overtime? Plus you have a guy like Kevin Durant to take it for you. I pick the 3 to win every stinking time. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

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Okla. City Thunder (0-1, 0-1 road) at LA Lakers (1-0, 1-0 home)

TV: TNT (Cox 31, HD 730)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 9:30 CDT

Series: Lakers lead 1-0

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

Game 1 didn’t go so great. But as we covered, Oklahoma City was in the game regardless. It happened because of stellar defense and also a little luck – the Lakers missed some shots. The Thunder hung tight behind a big game from Russell Westbrook and despite 24 from Kevin Durant, he was far from himself. So how are they going to do it tonight? I’ve got three adjustments. Read more…

Preview LA Lakers

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BOX SCORE

After one quarter, Oklahoma City trailed the defending champions 27-13. The Thunder were 5-19 from the floor, scored a season-low 13 points and just looked completely lost. They were rattled. They were visibly shaken and nervous. The game had a look and feel of a pending blowout.

And I don’t blame them. They played like a bunch of 21-year-olds playing in their first playoff game ever. In Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers, no less. Heck, I was shaky and all I was doing was watching on a TV 1,300 miles away. I can’t imagine how I would’ve felt if I had to walk onto a court and try and get all that anxiety out while playing excellent basketball. So after 12 minutes, Oklahoma City looked overmatched. They looked a little scared. And I feared the worst for this Game 1. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

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BOX SCORE

It doesn’t get much better than that.

From the opening tip this game had a different feel to it. You could sense it in the arena and you could almost tangibly experience the amplified emotion whether you were in the stands or on your couch. This game meant something. This game had the intensity the Thunder will see in a few weeks and boy, did they ever respond.

We’ll go over who had monster games and what player, I swear, had the ball glowing in his hand with tiny sparks shooting off of the Spalding leather each time he touched it, but this game began and ended (at about the opening of the third quarter, can’t believe I get to type that the game was over a few minutes into the third quarter against the Lakers!) with DEFENSE. The kind of defense you hold up signs for, the kind of defense other teams shake their heads at and let out a big exhale when they know they have to play you in your building.  In fact, I’m not even sure I can properly describe just how suffocating, no, just how absent of all atmosphere in the cold and lifeless void of space…ing, the Thunder’s team defense was from the get-go so I’m just going to send you some stats. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers

vs.

LA Lakers (53-18, 21-13 road) vs. Ok. City Thunder (43-27, 23-12 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 – 107.4 (15th), Lakers – 109.2 (10th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 103.7 (7th), Lakers – 102.7 (4th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.0 (14th), Lakers – 93.3 (11th)

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

There’s potential this is a first round preview. There’s potential, that these two teams will meet again soon. And while Oklahoma City is 0-3 against the Lakers, two of those games were down-to-the-wire competitive and were early indicators this Thunder team was kind of for real. So in my best estimation, with getting the anxiety out of their system Wednesday against the Rockets, I’d say the Thunder is due for a win against the Lake Show. Read more…

Preview LA Lakers

BOX SCORE – ADVANCED BOX SCORE

Sometimes losses are weird. You know your team played well. You know they gave absolute max effort. You know they did everything you want against a great team. By all accounts, you should feel good about the game, regardless of result. But any time you come up on the short end of the score, it stinks. It just does.

Oklahoma City played the defending champs to the wire, losing 111-108 against a fully healthy Laker team. Russell Westbrook had a shot to tie and it just rimmed out. And it’s all you could hope for coming in – a shot to tie with seconds remaining. But still… how sweet a win would’ve been.

And to think what may have been. What if Kevin Durant doesn’t foul out on that ticky-tack call? What if HE gets that last shot? What impact could he have had? It’s the question you’re left with after a hard fought loss and the questions you’ll never get answered. Durant was awesome – 30 points, three rebounds, four assists – and really rose to the challenge. I’m no complainer (well, maybe I am), but does Kobe Bryant foul out on that call with three minutes left? You wonder. Read more…

Recap LA Lakers