Memphis Takes Game 3 After Meltdown

Losing games like this make me furious. More furious than locking my keys in my car, driving through water immediately following a car wash, or even glancing at Jeff Foster.

I'm not saying Memphis can't win a game against the Thunder, as doing so would be idiotic. But when OKC blows a 16-point lead in their building in a crucial Game 3, I can't ignore the growing frustration building inside of me. The problems were glaring in Game 1. Then Z-Bo was contained for Game 2. The major issues appeared to have been addressed with only minor tweaks being needed from here on out. 

For the majority of Game 3, OKC played well. Good enough to win a pivotal road playoff game. Then, something happened. A switch flipped. The offense was taken for granted. Laziness reared its ugly head. Turnovers started piling up while shooting percentages went down faster than a skydiving rhinoceros. 

For 3 quarters, the Thunder were in control. They played their brand of basketball and forced the Grizzlies into submission. Then the 4th quarter began. 

Shots stopped falling, passes went to the other team or fans, and OKC began to lose energy. Combine that with Memphis creeping back into the game, and you have an entire arena of fans going absolutely berserk. 

Here's a stat for you. Memphis outscored OKC 23-10 in the 4th quarter. 10 points? But we have Kevin Durant, the back-to-back scoring champion, and Russell Westbrook, the uber-athletic All-Star point guard. Unfortunately, good players in a stagnant offense are as ineffective as bad ones. And it wasn't a few minutes that OKC's offense was downright horrible. It was an entire quarter. Where were the adjustments? Yes, I'm looking at you Scott Brooks. OKC is one of the worst teams at coming up with a high percentage shot out of a timeout. And that falls on the shoulders of Scott Brooks.  When things aren't working, change them up. What about Nate Robinson? The offense for the Thunder was so abysmal that Nate was as good an option as everyone else.

OKC played winning basketball for 3 quarters, and then fell flat on their faces. I give credit to the Memphis Grizzlies for stepping up, hitting shots, and never giving up against OKC. Memphis could have called it quits going into the 4th down by 13 but they kept fighting and salvaged their perfect home court record in the playoffs.

As for OKC, Game 4 is now Game 7. If OKC fails to steal a game on the road, they will be on the wrong side of history being made. 

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Game 4 @ Memphis Grizzlies, 8:30 pm CT on TNT.

1. Describe the importance of blogging to modern day journalism. Limit--one paragraph


With the way modern technology has progressed, the public is not looking to read thousands of words to get to the main point. They want something instant. They want the journalistic equivalent of fast food. While it hasn't ruined the traditional style of writing, blogging gives journalists an informal way to express their unbridled thoughts and opinions. It is for this reason that I am able to take joy in portraying my thoughts in a conversational style instead of coloring inside the lines of an outdated ideal.

2. If you are going to continue to blog, why? or why not?1 paragraph


If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. Amen. I will absolutely keep blogging for one all-important reason. I LIKE DOING THIS! Hopefully, I can cultivate this petty production into something people plan on reading every single day. And until then, I will keep blogging until I become important enough to listen to.
3. If you were going to keep blogging, how will you change your blog in the future? 1 paragraph


I would like to purchase a domain name and start a web site. For promotion purposes, the address for this site is hard to remember for someone that may not care in the first place. Also, having a website that you pay for shows a certain self-confidence. Running a free blog with predesigned templates could be seen as lazy or unprofessional. I want to appear as neither.




Thanks for everything, Dr. Clark. You are one of the few professors I have had that I won't completely ignore if I see you in public. Trust me, that's saying something. 

Question For Our Final

Here is my suggestion for a question on our final for Blogging for Journalists.

Give me 3 examples of internet lingo.

Answers may include but are not limited to: LOL(laugh out loud), ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing), LMAO (laughing my a** off), STFU (shut the f***), GTFO (get the f*** out), IIRC (if I remember correctly), TBH (to be honest), SMH (so much hate), BRB (be right back), G2G (got to go), IDK (I don't know), IMHO (in my honest opinion), LTTP (late to the party), TY (thank you), YW (you're welcome), GL (good luck), etc.

OKC Advances To 2nd Round With 100-97 Win Over Denver

I love playoff basketball. Granted it helps that my hometown squad just advanced to the 2nd round with a gritty win over a solid Denver squad but that is neither here nor there. Playoff basketball is more exciting to everyone, especially dedicated fans like myself. Go ahead, ask the casuals. Even they will tell you that playoff games have a more important feel to them. Possessions mean more, misses became bigger, turnovers more costly. 

Speaking of turnovers, OKC had struggled to take care of the rock last night. Turnovers are frustrating to me because many of them are unforced, similar to an unforced error in tennis. I would much rather the other team get a steal or knock it off one of our guys. Why? Because at least the latter requires action from the defender.

From my experience, mistakes are more visible when a team loses and overlooked. But Russell's performance glared at me like a grandma that overheard me say an inappropriate word like, "crap."

Don't get me wrong, I like Westbrook's style of play. But the times he chooses to assert himself on the offensive end seem to come at inopportune times. Like when the scoring champion hits a big three near the end of the game to give the team a chance at victory, please do not shoot your 7th and final 3 pointer after making 0. When you're shots aren't falling, find other ways to take over the game. For example, get 10 assists, lock down on the defensive end or grab a few extra rebounds. Russell is the not the only person that suffers from "checking out" when the offense isn't coming as easy. 

Some other notes from the game:

• I have waited this long, but I can't hold back any longer. Kevin Durant was other-worldly in the last 4 minutes of the game. He missed one shot on the way to racking up 16 points and getting a big block on a J.R. Smith 3. This is the kind of finish that people will talk about. And I don't mean for the next day or two, I mean years.
• Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins. Ibaka and Perkins. Iblaka and Perk. That has a nice little ring to it, ya? When Perk gets into better game shape and erases any doubts about his knees, those two will be THE most intimidating front-court, at least physically. Defenders thoughts might echo something like this: "Should I stay down and get bodied up by Perkins, or attempt a shot and get embarassed by Ibaka. Better kick it out."
• Thabo slid under the radar pulling down 8 rebounds to go along with 8 points. The more of a threat he is offensively, the better our offense can execute. 

San Antonio survived last night by some late game heroics coming from Gary Neal, so the Thunder's 2nd round playoff opponent is still yet to be decided. Follow me on twitter, MakingItRainOKC.

Thunder Drop Game 4, Can Advance With Game 5 Win

OKC was behind for most of Game 4. Every time OKC got within striking distance, the Nuggets would push the lead back to a comfortable margin. I sat patiently waiting for OKC to stop settling for long jumpers or stale possessions. I waited for Russell to stop looking for his own offense and create open looks for others. I waited for Kevin to do a move other than shoulder shake, pull-up, CLANG. My patience went unrewarded as none of things happened, ultimately resulting in a loss.

Sure, there are other things you can point out that didn't help us. James Harden scoring only 7 points in 31 minutes. Nick Collison having taken maybe 1 charge in the whole series. Having more turnovers, more fouls and less assists. I could go on, but you get the point.

The Thunder played sloppy, reckless and uninspired. Couple that with a poor start from the field and the Thunder put themselves in a tough spot, especially on the road. Time to further analyze the good and the bad.

Pros

• Serge Ibaka played another good game. 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Great line from the 3rd best player on your team. 
• Durant played a lot better than it seemed. 31 points on just under 50% shooting, 5-6 from 3 and 10-11 from the charity stripe. He had to work for every single one of those points.
• OKC out rebounded the Nuggets 50-44.

Before I get to the cons, you may want to go to the bathroom or maybe grab a beverage. Basically, you're going to be here awhile.

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Ready? OK, good.

Cons

• Russell Westbrook had 30 points on 30 shots. He attempted 7 shots from beyond the arc and made 0. He played almost 39 minutes and netted only 5 assists. Overall, a forgettable game. 
• The turnovers were out of control. 15 turnovers means OKC had 15 possessions that are empty. Less turnovers means more opportunities to put points on the board.
• Nazr and Daequan both got some playing time and scored as many points as I did.
• K-Mart made it rain from the baseline. Not a big deal except Serge didn't even bother putting a hand in his face half of the time. 
• Nobody could stop Ty Lawson. Not Thabo, Russell, Maynor, Harden, etc. I don't expect him to shoot that well again but we have to make his offense harder to come by.
• Yes there is a time for getting technicals. Losing on the road is the not the time. When an underdog is winning at home, a technical is a spark to the crowd's collective lighter fluid. Especially with how chippy this series has been thus far.
• The offense needs some tweaking. I'm not only talking about the plays that are ran throughout the course of the game. I'm talking about inbound plays, half-court sets and last second shot opportunities. The Thunder's offense looks clueless every now and then and the same set of plays that have been ran all season long are beginning to be defended much better. A play for someone other than Durant or Westbrook would surprise a lot of teams. 

OKC returns home for Game 5. Look for them to come out aggressive and confident. I am sure the players want to give the OKC fans their first taste of post-season success.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Game 5 in OKC, 8:30 pm CT on TNT.

Thunder Save Game 3, Lead Series 3-0

Going into the 3rd game, I was nervous. Why? Because Denver knows how to protect their home court. Also, the scoring from their team is so random that maybe OKC could be overwhelmed in the hostile environment. Plus, I know the Denver fans were going to yell their loudest with the home team winless in the playoffs.

The Thunder got out to a decent start which is a good thing especially playing away from home. If OKC started like they did in Game 1, it would have been over after the 1st quarter. Then all of the national viewers would mercilessly hound the Thunder about being a young team not ready to make the next step, which of course if winning road playoff games.

George Karl hit the nail on the head when he said Durant and Westbrook wouldn't combine for 72 points a game. I knew that, Scott Brooks knew that, heck everyone knew that. Unfortunately they haven't played up to their potential since Game 1. Little does that matter though since OKC has yet to lose to Denver in the last 5 meetings now.

Let's get into the action. Durant started off slowly missing a few jumpers and didn't seem to catch his for the whole game. Westbrook started OKC off on the offensive end by hitting a few pull-ups and controlling the offense. But Serge Ibaka was the main reason OKC had a shot a victory in this one.

Air Congo amassed 22 points, 16 boards, and 4 rejections. Folks that is downright filthy. You could put that line alongside any elite power forward in the league and it would be a great game. Nice sign of what are hopefully things to come for the young Congolese player.

For Denver, they scored collectively, again, with no name really jumping off of the stat sheet. Nene and K-Mart had almost the same line which would be a good thing if one of the two was really good. Unfortunately, Denver is missing the star that has the ability to take over the scoring load, and sometimes entire games altogether.

The end of the game was a complete disaster for both sides consisting of sloppy play and bad passes/shots. OKC escaped with a win and look to sweep with a win tonight.

On a side note, an obviously upset Denver Post writer posted a pretty entertaining read. Go to Daily Thunder for the link.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Game 4 in Denver, 9:30 pm CT.

Game 1 Goes To Thunder, Despite Goaltending Controversy

Ever since the Thunder made the playoffs last year, I have treated playoff games similar to the way a 6 year old might treat Christmas morning. I count the days until the playoffs start and the seconds in between each game anxiously awaiting the next.

With the 1st game behind us, two things must be done. The first is I must post my thoughts and analysis of the game. That is what you are reading. Next, I must ATTEMPT to control my excitement until tomorrow night when I can unleash a fury of towel waving whilst screaming any noise I feel appropriate at the top of my lungs. Saddle up, things are about to get real.

The very beginning of the game felt eerily similar to the beginning of a nightmare I had the night before this game. I dreamt that OKC would come out with poor play exacerbated by no energy and missed shots. And that is exactly what happened. The Nuggets came out on fire jumping to a double digit lead early in the game. Having seen enough basketball, I was fairly confident that Denver wouldn't finish the game shooting 100% and also that OKC wouldn't finish the game shooting 1.5%, so I really wasn't that worried.

When things finally settled down, the Thunder started to play a more relaxed and free-flowing game. It is at these times when the athleticism of OKC really begins to shine. KD started to warm up creating this cup of confidence. When he continued to torch the nets, that cup runneth over spilling onto his teammates and spreading through the crowd. Once the crowd was ignited, the snowball of momentum started to pick up pace and culminated in a small run that brought OKC to within 1 at the half.

When the two teams jogged out to resume play, OKC managed to hold on to a piece of the buzz they took into halftime with them and continued their inspired play. Then, as if the Nuggets could get anything going right, Nene fell to the floor after banging knees with Kendrick Perkins. If there was any point in the game where the Thunder needed a run, it was with the talented Brazilian headed to the locker room for treatment.

As Kevin Durant entered "the zone", the basket turned into an ocean for the lanky superstar. He could have shot granny shots from half-court and I would have expected them to swish through. Then, for no apparent reason, Russell tried put his stamp on the game. Unfortunately, the time he tried to do so pushed Durant to the back-burner. I don't mind Russ having free reign, but that time that free reign is exercised in its fullest is the concern.

With the game coming to a close, every single play, shot, pass, turnover, foul, etc. became more and more important. In particular I am referring to the jumper by Westbrook that appeared to be touched by Kendrick Perkins while the ball was still in the cylinder. For those who haven't heard, the NBA has apologized for the ruling saying it should have been whistled for interference.

I admit, I initially thought the ruling was right. Apparently I saw what the referees claimed to see, or not see. While this did affect the game, it wasn't THE game changer. Denver could have done several things to win the game. Making free throws that haven't changed since middle school would be a start. Playing defense on either of the two all-stars for the other team also would have helped. Rules are rules. But, a win is still a win. Luckily for the Nuggets, this is a series, not just one game. In the end, the better team will move on.

Thunder Drop Easy One, Lose To The Clippers 98-92

Are you kidding me? Not only did this loss surprise me, I also have to deal with a developing hatred of the hometown superstar. Blake Griffin not only flopped his way to 26 points and 16 rebounds, he complained every step of the way. While it's nice to marvel at his power and athleticism, the same needs to be taken into consideration on the defensive end. You're telling me this physical specimen can get steam rolled by any of our post players. Give me a break.

But then Air Congo lifted off to contest a Blake Griffin dunk. I know you just read that last statement and thought, "Doesn't he know that nobody has the nerve to do that." In spite of the popular belief that challenging a BG dunk would be like trying to out-crazy Charlie Sheen, Serge did this.

Excuse me, while I reenact me launching out of my chair with a raucous "Hell Yeah!"
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Ok, I'm back. Let's get on with the bad news already.

First, I'm talking about Russell Westbrook. 9 points on 1-12 from the field is pathetic. Also, he needs to take care of the ball. He doesn't dish out enough assists to warrant 4 or 5 turnovers. He did net 3 steals in the game and still did a decent job of getting assists. Overall, a very forgettable night for the dynamic point guard.

As for our other star, Durant didn't do much to help. Don't get me wrong 24 and 6 won't get complaints from me but on a night when Russell isn't enough to balance the scoring load, Durant may have to take over a little more than usual.

Off the other bench, BG and Eric Gordon supplied most of the attempts for the Clippers. While OKC did a decent job of keeping both of them at a respectable percentage, BG got to the free throw line all night. I'm not saying all, or even most, of the fouls were bad, but it felt like at times he was very well defended and still got the whistle. As for Eric Gordon, the two 3's he made were at crucial points in the game. If a guy isn't hitting one night, but you hope the shots he does make come at the right time, and they did for LAC.

And the technical foul situation was absolutely out of control. As soon as a ref gave anyone a technical, a massive snowball of technicals would start rolling downhill handing out technicals to anyone that came in a 5 foot radius of said referee. Ridiculous.

Overall, a bad loss that makes people wonder if the Thunder might be coasting into the playoffs like they did last year. The loss to the Clippers makes tonight's game a must-win scenario. Okay maybe not a must win but I am really excited to watch this game solely for playoff speculation alone.

Here is the box score for the OKC-LAC game courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Denver Nuggets, April 5 at 8 pm CT.

March Ends The Way It Began, With A Thunder Win

What a birth-month the author of this journalistic excellence is experiencing. Today is great for several reasons. I feel a list coming on....

1 > Any day following a Thunder victory is a good day. Like many of you fans out there, when something happens the way you expect, the day just flows. The weather has taken a turn for the better and I like that, too.

2 > Today marks the end of the most dominant month in Thunder history. And for those of you wondering, I do not include the Sonics history as part of our own. They kept the name and the championships so they might as well keep everything else.

3 > Today also marks the day upon which the world became more awesome by approximately 8 pounds. Yes, I was born today. I can't imagine the harassment I would have received had I been born tomorrow.

Now let's talk about the game.

While Kendrick Perkins is benefits our team in a big way, he is nearly useless against teams like the Suns. Why? Because they have no low post scoring threat for the big man to shut down. Instead they have guys like Robin Lopez, Marcin Gortat, and Channing Frye. The first two guys are virtually non-options on offense. The third is a 7-footer that likes to shoot 3's. Big Perk is ineffective against guys like that which is fine. Don't get me wrong, foul trouble helped limit Perkins to 14 minutes, but still.

Early on in the game, Steve Nash drove to the rim and converted a circus shot over Ibaka. He thought he was fouled and when he didn't get the call, he went back skipping down the court and hollered something that rhymes with, "Truck you, witch." Now I don't know the exact wording of the rule but I am pretty sure that is disrespecting the game. The ref thought so also and gave him the technical.

What does Vince Carter see in our defense that allows him to play well above average? I know he used to be an all-star and everything but those days are long behind him and Jared Dudley, who starts in front of him.

Serge had a good game. Yeah, yeah, I know, he shot under 50% from the field but let's not nitpick on 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 rejections.

I am beginning to think Durant is kind of coasting at this point. He hasn't been as consistent nor efficient on the offensive end. Of course, nobody says anything because OKC continues to win.

Harden and Westbrook took care of business and the Thunder ended up winning this one by a wide margin. It's nice to be a die-hard fan for a team that is taking care of business like the Thunder have lately.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Portland Trail Blazers (43-32), April 19 pm CT.

Thunder Hold of Trail Blazers, Clinch 2nd Straight Playoff Berth

For me, this was a big game for several reasons.

1) A chance to clinch a playoff spot. While some teams are still fighting for the oh-so-cherished playoff position, OKC is enjoying a healthy grip on the 4th spot in the West. I may be taking it for granted but it was to be expected. I am treating it the way the Lakers or the Celtics might view the scenario. Yeah, it's great that the Thunder are in, but nothing to write home about.

2) I consider Portland a rival. Along with Dallas and for some reason the Hornets. Dallas is a rival for obvious reasons and the Hornets situation is like showing off your hot new girlfriend to your ex. It feels awesome. At least I have been told. Moving right along.

3) Lastly, it was a chance to tighten the stranglehold (thank you, Ted Nugent) that OKC has on the Northwest Division. Sort of a, "Hey, our division dominance is clear. Learn to love it."

The match-up that I highlighted was going to be Serge Ibaka vs. Lamarcus Aldridge. Unfortunately, Lamarcus started at center against the slower but stronger Kendrick Perkins. While it seems this could benefit the Thunder, Lamarcus is much quicker than Perkins and he pulls our big man farther away from the paint to about the free throw line.

Portland had Gerald Wallace guarding KD. At times, KD was completely blanketed by Wallace's persistence. That suffocation led to an offensive foul or 2 and really made Durant's night much more difficult. If you remember, he usually spent his trips to Portland abusing Batum. Well, the change worked out very well for Nate McMillan. Wallace dropped 40 on nearly 60% shooting.

Durant on the other hand was held to 21 points on less than 33% shooting. Well played, Nate. However, Durant did accumulate 5 blocks on Wallace but nothing could slow him down.

By the way, since when did Russell Westbrook have the hidden ability to knock down big shots from beyond the arc?

If I was a career 27% three point shooter, I don't think I would have the....erhmm.....guts to shoot 5 of them in one game. But, I guess when you are feeling it, might as well let them fly. And they kept dropping through the net, his last one sealing the game for OKC.

Thabo's hapless attempt at offense gave Portland a power-play every time he was on the court. For those who are confused, we might as well have been playing a man down.

Still, OKC was able to secure a playoff spot with a quality win. It's nice to know that they don't have to play their best game to win against playoff teams.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Golden State Warriors, March 29 at 7 pm CT.

Thunder Lose To Struggling Raptors 95-93

Oye. Toronto came into OKC with an impressive 14-game road losing streak. The other team was a stranger to defeat for the last 6 games they played. You're welcome, Vegas. Lord knows a simple guy trying to make a couple extra bucks might have bet the Thunder as their lock of the week. But, as they saying goes that's why you play the game.

I'm not going to try and convince you that the Raptors had a hot night and are capable of beating most teams depending on if they're shots are falling. Why not, you ask? Because they aren't. At a dismal 20-49, the Raptors are digging just as hard for the bottom spot in this league. The only way they win this game is if OKC has a bad night.

Durant was 6-21 from the field. Yikes.

Westbrook had as many turnovers as assists.

Nazr didn't even bother attempting a shot and Perk is a bit of a fouler.

On the other side, Derozan played well along with Bargnani and Barbosa. To be fair, Bargnani is one of those stretch big men that can create match-up problems for other teams. But Barbosa and Derozan aren't anywhere near the level of OKC's 2nd and 3rd options on offense.

The biggest difference in this one was 3P%. You'd think somewhere along the lines of 1 out of 6, our superstar might try driving the bucket with that freakishly gangly frame of his and get to the line. Nope, pull up triple instead and, CCLLAANNGG.

While it isn't always this bad, it was pretty apparent tonight.

Time to accept it and move on. Hopefully they can get a win a re-ignite the hot streak they were on.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Utah Jazz, March 23rd at 7 pm CT.

Thunder Continue Dominant Play, Rout Wizards 116-89

Kendrick Perkins made his debut tonight against the struggling Wizards. I'm glad he got to play at least one game before the big game in Miami on Wednesday night. While he did look a bit rusty at times, he accumulated 4 points and 7 rebound in the 1st half. Serge Ibaka continued to swat away shots tying his career-high with 8 rejections.

Not only does Nick Young look like Nick Cannon with an afro, he is a chucker. It doesn't matter if he is shooting 75% or 25%, he will keep jacking up any open (or well-defended) shot that tickles his fancy.

OKC finished the half with 22 points coming on fast breaks with another 23 provided by the bench. Combine that with only 5 turnovers and the Thunder had a 19 point lead at the break.

By far the biggest moment of the game came in the middle of the 3rd quarter. Westbrook collected a loose ball and took off for the other end of the floor with Durant keeping pace right alongside him. If I was the lone man back on defense, I would be terrified. A lanky superstar running like a gazelle to my left and arguably the most athletic point guard in the NBA attacking to the right. Check out what happened next.

Overall a very good game played by the starters. All players filled their roles doing what they do best. Kevin scored (32 pts), Russell assisted (12 ast), Serge defended (8 blks), and Kendrick rebounded (9 reb). Oh, and Thabo.....well, he gave Harden some really encouraging words when he checked out.

Which reminds me, James Harden has not only hit his stride, he is playing at a high level with consistency. By now, I've said it enough but it feels good to keep reiterating it. James is filling the role the Thunder drafted him for. 16 points on better than 50% shooting is perfect. Keep it up, oh hairy one.

Daequan was really (get ready for pun)......Cooking tonight. 18 points all from 3 point land. Specialist, are we? Seriously though great spark off the bench.

Winners of 7 out of their last 8, the Thunder hope to continue this recent hot streak when they take their talents to South Beach.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Miami Heat, March 16th at 7 pm CT.

OKC Rolls Over Cleveland 95-75

OKC strolled downstairs into the basement known as "The Q" to face the lowly Cavaliers. Cleveland is a bad team at full health, but without Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao, and Baron Davis, this team is borderline pathetic.

The Thunder came into this one winners of 6 of their last 7 and at full strength. The Cavs could do nothing to slow down Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant en route to a blowout.

Nazr Mohammed was more efficient than usual scoring 11 points on 7 shots. I swear every time he shoots he is wanting to hang on to the ball until the last possible second, releasing the vice grip with his arms almost at full extension. Doesn't matter though, ball went through the hoop.

Ibaka provided some very tough interior defense. Altering shots and swatting away 7 others, Serge really made a significant impact in the paint. What surprised me is that he didn't have to sacrifice his rebounding to do so. Well done, man-child.

Russell Westbrook ran lay-up lines all game leading to a scorching FG%. Couple that with 5 assists with only 2 turnovers and he put together a solid 3/4 of a game. Durant netted 50% from the field while sinking all of his free throws, also through 3/4 of a game.

Basically this game was over after the 1st quarter. Like the Detroit game, multi-tasking would have been an effective option for the 150 Cav's fans that made it to the arena to watch "that team that LBJ left."

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN. 

Next up: @ Washington Wizards (16-48), March 14th at 6 pm CT.

Thunder Cruise Past Detroit 104-94

I must start this post off with a bang. The following video should suffice. And for all of you who haven't seen it yet, you're very welcome.

After 37 seconds, a cigarette, and a shower to wash the nastiness off, we can finally move on to the rest of the game.

While OKC is clearly the better team, road games can sometimes be tricky. As long as they didn't come out lacking energy and missing shots, I figured this one would be over fairly early.

After trading buckets early, the game was pretty exciting. James Harden entered the game just past the halfway mark as usual and provided a spark to keep the offense going. When he gets it going like he has lately, the Thunder don't have to worry about production with Durant and Westbrook off the floor. Harden went 7 for 11 from the floor and 4 for 6 from beyond the arc finishing with 22 points. He also converted all of his attempts from the charity stripe. Sprinkle in 3 steals and you have quite the game from the 6th man/bearded wonder.

I kinda feel bad for Tracy McGrady. I thought superstars that were past their prime were supposed to get picked up by championship contenders, not one of the Eastern Conference punching bags. At lease he stayed in the NBA (looking at you Iverson).

Shout out to Chris Wilcox only because I used to cheer for you when you played for OKC. No, I am not taking you back no matter how hard you beg. Don't feel bad though, I feel that way about most of the players that have come and gone since the franchise has represented my hometown.

The crowd could have multi-tasked during this game as the Thunder were in control almost wire to wire. However, Westbrook's dunk was rewarded with instant crowd approval and got people out of their seats.  From what I could see, it was needed as the game dragged on ending in a predictable finish.

Let's look at the best individual performances for each side:

Oklahoma City Thunder:

James Harden: 22 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 63% FG, 66% 3P, 100% FT

Overall a great game for James. I continue to be impressed with the way he has been playing.

Detroit Pistons:


Greg Monroe: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 50% FG, 100% FT

I haven't seen much from the rookie out of Georgetown but he distributed the ball pretty well for a PF.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Also, you have to see this. Unbelievable.

Okay yeah, I linked the Westbrook's dunk again. The reason, you ask? Because it's freaking tight.

Next up: @ Cleveland Cavaliers (12-52), March 13th at noon CT.

Late Turn-Around Leads to Win

Man what a roller coaster. With a little over a minute to play, I was preparing excuses. With 40 seconds left, I looked up from the list I was making, ya know, just to make sure. With 12 seconds left, I turned the pencil around in my hand, eraser ready to do work when I commanded. With 2 seconds left, I stopped erasing them all to see if KD would hit another game winner.

This is karma paying us back for the New Orleans game that we had in the bag until David West buried an elbow dagger. While the hair on the back of my neck lowers itself, let's move on.

I know Philadelphia has been playing well as of late but I still underestimated the difficulty level of this game. Iguodala is a good player, but not worth max money. He is not alone though. There are some others out there who have gotten the same overrated treatment (see: Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson). Elton Brand is past his prime, Jrue Holiday is a solid youngster and Spencer Hawes hates OKC. Basically, you have the real A.I., an aging big man, a young point guard who is still improving, and Spencer Hawes. Scared yet? Me neither.

With the upcoming schedule, OKC has a pretty good chance to string a few wins together. Getting the first one in Philadelphia would be a good start. The Thunder started off slowly but weathered the storm and kept the game close.

Durant finished the first half with a double-double which is always a positive. I have this theory. If Durant wanted to rebound, he could average double digits. However, he likes to run the break and score instead of crashing the glass. I don't mind it because we are winning. Also, I must comment on the defense played by Durant.  Not a huge deal, just think about it. Moving on...

As the game wore on, I was hoping it wouldn't come down to the wire. Not only do they struggle with drawing up effective last second shots, it was also on the road which doesn't help. But late in the 4th quarter I would have been happy because that would mean we weren't down by an insane amount.

That's when  KD took over. First it was a runner that made it a one shot game. Then came the deep ball which, in slow motion, was incredibly well defended by Iguodala. Luckily for us, it went through and OKC was hoping for OT, much less another shot with a little over 2 seconds left to win.

Huge nights turned in by Westbrook and Durant with help of a Nick Collison double-double really made the difference.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Detroit Pistons (23-42), March 11th at 7 pm CT.

Grizzlies Beat Thunder In Memphis 107-101

What is the deal? Why does Memphis play so well against Oklahoma City? Why does Tony Allen's 7.8 points per game skyrocket? I just don't get it. Ultimately, it didn't really matter. If you need an excuse for this Thunder loss, I have extras. Second game of a back-to-back, road game, Memphis' record at home against teams coming off of a game the night before, etc. I figured that we were either going to lose against Phoenix or at Memphis. Considering the way things played out, I would rather win at home than on the road so that's nice.

A few positives from the game:

• I'm glad I didn't have to sit through another Jeff Green annihilation. Serge Ibaka held Randolph to 17 points and 6 rebounds. A nice change from the 30 point 18 rebound performances I have seen in the past.
• James Harden continues to play well. He is really learning how to use his body in the lane. I really like the progress he is made and hope he continues on this little hot streak he has going on.
• Russell had a positive game for the most part. His turnovers seem a lot more problematic when they almost equal his assist total. 27 points on 11-21 shouldn't go without praise though.

Now for the negatives:

• Memphis had more assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, fast-break points, and points in the paint. Combine that with less turnovers and fouls and you have a team that deserved to win this game. They simply outplayed the Thunder in nearly every aspect.
• I know I have touched on it once already but Tony Allen can't be allowed to go off on us anymore. 
• Mike Conley has joined Jeff Foster of players that I hate for no good reason.
• Not only was Durant struggling to get going offensively, he hoisted 10 attempts from beyond the arc. For a guy averaging 34% on the season, that is not acceptable. 

If the Thunder were to win this one, they could have had a nice little win streak develop with some super soft nancies coming up this week. I guess a new streak will have to begin. 

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Philadelphia 76ers, March 9th at 6 pm CT.

Thunder Edge Out Suns in OT 122-118

I am not afraid of the Suns. If OKC had to play them in a 7 game series, they would need 5 at most. For some reason that I cannot single out, the games between the Thunder and Suns are close encounters. This time around, the reasons more obvious. 

KD started off ice cold. Unfortunately, his night didn't get any easier. He finished the night with 18 points on 14 shots. I have seen Durant have some off nights but shooting below 25% may be one of the worst shooting performances he has had this season. Luckily, a certain bearded man made sure KD's off night was easily forgotten.

When did James start believing that he could actually excel in this league? The guy has obviously raised his game to another level. I rarely see him hesitate to shoot or drive. The maturity in that department alone has really been of great benefit to his game. I like the way he handles contact from big men when he takes the ball to rim. He is becoming a more reliable finisher while not forcing anything. Well done oh bearded one.

Russell Westbrook also had an impressive game. If he was Derrick Rose, the MVP would already be decided. Bash me if you want haters but look at their numbers if you don't believe me.

Robin Lopez gets rejected when going for a dunk way too often given his height. Not like it matters. The only things people will remember Robin Lopez for is all of those Geico commercials and being Brook's brother. Oh no he didn't. Yes, I did.

Grant Hill is going to need some prayers. He has been infected with Sefaloshitis. The main symptom of this  traumatic disease is playing 30+ minutes without scoring a single point. It comes and goes and hopefully for the 3-time sportsman of the year, it leaves him soon.

I am really happy Presti didn't blow cap space for Marcin Gortat. His game has nearly no fluidity. From what I saw yesterday, he is/was not the answer for OKC.

Royce Young has a great column about the late game shot issue. Check it out.

Next up: @ Memphis Grizzlies, March 7th at 7 pm CT.

Thunder Clip Hawks, Win On The Road 111-104

I'll be the first one to admit, I thought Kevin Durant was going to sit this one out. I would have bet a body part on that. That's how sure I was. Instead, he led OKC in minutes played whilst (yeah, that's right) crafting an efficient offensive performance that Thunder fans like myself have taken for granted after 3 years of such spoils. Guess the ankle is feeling semi-decent. Also, if he keeps shooting 3's like that, I'll be fine with him landing on some one's foot every game. Don't get up, that knocking is me hoping I didn't just Steve Bartman the league's defending scoring champion.

I don't remember Joe Johnson being that strong, but he was really physical with Thabo down low. I also didn't think Kirk Hinrich was capable of scoring 21. 

Russell ended up with an impressive line. So he got another technical foul. While I thought he was just showing some passion, the ref saw it as aiding and abetting the enthusiasm of the moment. He seemed more aggressive to disrupt the passing lanes also, pilfering the rock 4 times for the game. I like it but hope he doesn't focus on it too much. If so, the elite teams will use it against him. I'm snowballing off course. 

F-O-C-U-S.

Harden and Cook both struggled from long distance. I understand players have bad games but they need to get together and coordinate nights because having them both off really impacts the scoring off the bench. I guess that's part of the deal if KD is going to knock down 80% from 3 for the game.

Remember Etan Thomas? Yeah, me neither. Oh settle down I'm kidding. I'm happy to see him make an impact for another team. At the same time, I don't worry when seeing him come off the bench for a Thunder opponent. 

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Phoenix Suns, March 6th at 6 pm CT.

Thunder Crush Pacers, But....

Up by 19 in the 3rd quarter, Durant drives to the whole, gets fouled by Tyler Hussleborough and sprains his ankle in the process. This is the only blemish on an otherwise excellent performance put on by OKC last night.

When you shoot better field goal, 3 point, and free throw percentages, outrebound, and out-assist your opponent, you put yourself in a position to be very successful. With Nazr in the starting lineup, I got a chance to form a first impression. After the first few minutes, naturally, I was optimistic. His defense on Hibbert kick-started a 10-0 Thunder run to start the game. He should prove to be a good back-up when Perkins returns.

James Harden is playing at a higher level more consistently. Having realized this, my diet has consisted of mainly crow. I'm glad because dogging him really took it out of me. Daequan Cook has raised his 3p% to 40%. I'm guessing this is what Presti had in mind when he plucked him from Miami. I'm happy for the guy and hopes he can provide our bench with a consistent threat from beyond the arc and make shots in key situations.

I don't know what it is, but I have a burning hatred of Jeff Foster.

While I'm glad Cole Aldrich is finally getting a chance to grow and learn the game, he needs to learn to stay down on pump fakes. I swear 3 of his fouls were caused by getting caught in the air following a pump fake. Daequan Cook even made a gesture to him late in the game reminding him to stay down. A minor issue but something that happened frequently.

Serge Ibaka has double digit rebounds in 4 of his last 5 games. This coupled with his ability to erase shot attempts is such a nice change from Jeff Green. Only time will reveal the difference Serge brings to the game, but hopefully the win column will also reflect something positive.

Overall a fun game. The defense got the transition game going allowing the athleticism of our team to shine. Call me a homer, but watching our team run a fast break pulls me out to the edge of my seat every time. When you have a number of guys capable of throwing it down in transition, it makes for a spectacle worth watching.

Also, Darnell Mayberry has a story regarding Durant's injury.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Atlanta Hawks, March 4th at 6:30 pm CT.

Hochenauer Power

Mr. Hochenauer is a man of many words. Most of which informed me and the young bloggers around me on the intricacies of blogging and the path he has taken to get there. The advice he gave was as welcome as  chocolate chip cookies hot out of the oven. Even though it is hard to summarize an hour's worth of words in one word, I am going to do it. Awesome.

Thunder Quieted By Lakers, Lose 90-87

These two teams met Sunday afternoon inside the Oklahoma City arena on the verge of developing a genuine rivalry. OKC made a big splash before the trade deadline by acquiring Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed, two players looking to improve the interior defense and rebound the basketball. Seeing as it has been a while since I have posted, I will do an all inclusive article of the trade deadline, a recap of the game against Los Angeles, and what to look for with our new players going forward.

TRADE DEADLINE REVIEW

• Thunder give up Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and the Clippers 2012 1st round pick and get Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson in return. Well, that's freaking awesome. OKC upgraded low post defense and rebounding by sacrificing a soft, jump-shooting center and a power forward that had trouble rebounding and shooting. 
• Nazr Mohammed provides the Thunder with a backup that is still better than Krstic and brings physicality to their front line, an aspect that has been absent until now.
• With Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan leaving the Jazz coupled with Carmelo leaving Denver, the door to the Northwest Division title swung wide open for the Thunder. I am predicting over 5 straight years of OKC being the best team in their division.
• The biggest winner had to be the New York Knicks. Getting a healthy superstar in his prime that can contribute immediately is a tough hand to go up against. In the long term, Melo and Amar'e both don't play a lick of defense so that may come ack to bite them come playoff time.
• The biggest loser was probably Memphis. The inability to get rid of a guy that breaks league rules and fights with teammates cannot go overlooked.

RECAP OF OKC-LA GAME

• After getting off to a great start, OKC cooled off and the Lakers started gaining ground. When the 1st half came to an end, I actually thought that the years of Laker dominance over the Thunder/Sonics was coming to a close. Then they reminded of me that they are the two-time defending champions.
• Feel free to come out of your shooting slump anytime now, KD.
• I have continually argued that, although in hindsight, the Thunder would have been better off with Stephen Curry. After seeing the defense Harden played on Kobe and the ever-improving consistency in his offensive game, the gap has been narrowed significantly.
• Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum combined for 34 points and 21 rebounds. While this hurts now, the newest members of the Thunder will have something to say about this come playoff time.
• I don't understand how OKC is completely inept at getting a decent look at the end of regulation. The shots Durant and Harden took were better looks than some, but still nothing of note. This needs to change in the future.

LOOKING FORWARD

• When Kendrick Perkins returns, I expect what everyone else expects. Better interior defense and better rebounding at the center position. In tandem with Serge Ibaka, we hopefully have a black hole down low that sucks up every loose ball in the area. 
• I have to be honest. I don't think I have seen 5 minutes of action from Nazr Mohammed this season. But from a statistical standpoint, he rocks Nenad's world.
• I don't see Nate Robinson getting a whole lot of time. Why? Because he is a shooting guard that wouldn't be the tallest kid on a freshman JV team in high school. Being that small forces him to be a point guard and I don't see Brooks running with him and Daequan Cook as the second unit. Then again, I have been known to be wrong every now and then.

Here is the box score of the OKC-LA game, courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Indiana Pacers, March 2nd at 7 pm CT.

Thunder Cruise Past Clippers 111-88

While seeing BG fly through the air for yet another display of ferocity and elevation is thrilling, I was primarily concerned with OKC getting a key win over an inferior opponent on the front end of a back-to-back. Sure, the Blake show is more than welcome to create a poster co-starring a particularly pale Serbian so long as the Thunder can get the win. Hopefully Nenad is willing to sacrifice his pride by occasionally getting a whiff of BG's shorts as the cameras flash because it was more than likely going to happen.

With Eric Gordon out for the game, Thabo's effectiveness dropped significantly and it showed. James Harden played 24 minutes and Daequan Cook even got 7 minutes. I'm happy that Brooks gave them the chance. When Thabo is not required to shut down the opponent's best wing player, his inability to consistently to knock down shots on the offensive end is exacerbated.

Griffin and Durant both got off to their regular hot starts and kept the game close during the first quarter and a half. But when Griffin got into foul trouble the Thunder took advantage and ripped off a nice run to close the 1st half.

All they had to do in the 2nd half was keep taking care of the ball and limit the runs. Fortunately, the Clippers never seemed to get into a good rhythm and the Thunder never let up. 

James Harden was a big reason the LA never got close. Harden provided the kind of spark that Sam Presti has been looking for out of the young guard. Harden shot 50% from the field along with 50% from beyond the arc. Plus he knocked down all three of his foul shots in what is becoming a habit of getting fouled when shooting from 3 point land.

With the Thunder having a minimal 6 turnovers and the Clippers shooting less than 60% from the FT line, OKC had no problem putting the Clippers in their place and taking care of business at home.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ San Antonio Spurs, February 23 at 6 pm CT.

All-Star Recap

With the All-Star festivities lingering in our rear-view mirror, I want to express my thoughts on how the Thunder were represented. The first event to feature OKC was the Rookie-Sophomore game. Serge Ibaka and James Harden had a chance early to showcase the Thunder's young talent.

Serge seemed a little unsure of how the game was supposed to be played. While he knew defense wasn't going to be totally apparent, he seemed to take it even EASIER, as if it was possible. Overall he didn't provide much merit for any water cooler discussion. James Harden on the other hand had his swag turned up to 100k. He played confidently and didn't show any sign of hesitation on any of his shots. Luckily for James, his make-or-break moment in the game barely went his way and got some people wondering where this guy has been.

Harden got the ball on a breakaway and was staring down an open canvas to showcase whatever he wanted. He nonchalantly rose up into the air for what I figured was a left handed tomahawk. That's when he threw down a windmill jam that, on slow motion replay, barely got over the front rim. The thing that most people will reference in determining his position on the nasty scale is the reaction garnered from Carmelo.

After the initial night was over, I was moderately satisfied with OKC's performance. They would get a better chance to show off in the Skills challenge.

I thought this was the best chance for a Thunder player to win their respective challenge. Russell's speed and athleticism should have been enough to emerge victorious.

After the first round, I thought Russell had it in the bag. He posted the best time by 4 seconds and did it in 2nd gear. In the final round, Stephan Curry turned it up and posted a near-perfect round finishing in about 28 seconds. I knew Russell would have to put his best foot forward to take home the title. After he missed his second jump shot, I knew Curry was the champion. So he didn't win, no big deal. I was really looking to forward to the next two events anyway.

Then came my low point in watching the All-Star activities. Durant entered the 3-point contest as the lowest percentage shooter from beyond the arc. However, I honestly believe he had a good chance to compete behind the reasoning that a great shooter unguarded might as well be textbook shooting in motion.

His performance did not back up my assumptions. He posted the lowest total of the competition and wasn't even in the general conversation about the contest until the ending review of what happened. OKC's young superstar enjoyed the rest of the competition watching from the bench.

Finally, the dunk contest was upon us. Blake basically had to show up and the competition was his. But I feel that Serge Ibaka got short-changed. The other dunks were sweet, but Serge did his free throw line dunk on the first try and from farther away than anyone else in history. Yes, even you MJ and Dr. J. Check it out.

It was a pipe dream to think he could win, but I thought more respect was deserved for his dunk. When he did the skit with the little kid and missed his first attempt, he lost a lot of buzz and momentum when they had to bring out a ladder and some muzak while they refastened to doll to the rim. Anyway Blake ended up winning the contest like a storybook ending to a fairytale.

When Durant got a chance to redeem himself in the All-Star game, he played an average game by his lofty standards hopefully erasing the 3-point performance from everyone's memory.

 Overall a good weekend for OKC. But now it's time to get back to business.

Here is the box score for the All-Star Game for those who missed it.

OKC Can't Hold Off Warriors

With the Thunder's narrow win the night before in Sacramento, I was hoping tired legs wouldn't not be my go-to excuse if they lost. Turns out, they did lose and tired legs is the only thing I can think of.

Kevin Durant was eh. Russell Westbrook was eh. Jeff Green was better, kinda. Basically, nobody really shined for OKC last night. That doesn't bode well when Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, and David Lee all play like all-stars. They all showed what they do best. Ellis scored 33 points on 25 shots. Curry created opportunities for himself and his teammates scoring 23 points and dishing out 13 assists. Lee grabbed rebounds and converted the opportunities that he was given.

Reading those stat lines now makes me wonder how on earth OKC was still in the game throughout the 4th quarter. I thought the Thunder played a very average game. I guess it's a good thing when they can play a average game and still compete against a team playing very well. I am naive enough to think that strategy will work against the top teams in the West, but still.

I guess I just don't understand how +/- works. Dorrell Wright had the highest grade for the Warriors but wasn't even close to a force against the Thunder. Maybe I will look in to how that statistic is supposed to work.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Sacramento Kings, February 15 at 7 pm CT.

Thunder Escape Sacramento, Barely

The first night of a back-to-back against a team that is no good should not have looked this difficult. Other than Tyreke Evans, the Kings don't really have that much. DeMarcus Cousins has potential but is way too immature and unpolished to be considered a nightly force. Omri Casspi has some nights where he is a outside threat but this was not one of them.

Unfortunately for Casspi, he also had the near impossible task of slowing down Kevin Durant on the other end. Durant torched him for 35 points shooting better than 50% from the field. However, Durant didn't feel like rebounding which could have potentially lost us the game. What irks me is that when he wants to rebound, he can grab 10+ boards. Russell had an average game by his standards. Every point he provided ended up being essential for OKC to get the win.

That reminds me. Thabo has a long road to go before he gets back to providing anything beneficial to the starting lineup. I know he is coming off of an injury so I'm willing to show patience while he recovers. But having a player on the floor that can be literally no threat to do anything on offense really holds back our team. If he was playing shut-down defense then at least he would bring something of value. This is probably as close James Harden has ever been to becoming a regular starter.

There has also been some talk about possible acquiring Samuel Dalembert for his defensive presence in the paint. I didn't see anything overly magnificent from him against the Thunder but I will need to see a lot more film of him before I make a decision.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Golden State Warriors, February 13 at 7 pm CT.

AOL and Huffington Post Join Forces

AOL just spent a ton of money to have HuffPo take over the content operations. You would think that when this much money is spent, the company doing the spending would have done its research in order to ensure profitability for the years to come. From my viewpoint, it seems as though AOL has gone the big risk big rewards strategy. We'll see if AOL comes out smelling like a rose, or something that fertilizes roses.

Here is the story. Enjoy.

Grizzlies Beat Thunder in OT

With Rudy Gay not playing, I thought that this game was a guaranteed win. I'm sure my assumptions were the same thing Boston was thinking when they played sans Durant. Unfortunately, the outcome for the team doing the assuming does not turn out well.

A couple of things happened that I didn't anticipate. The Thunder set a record high for turnovers and Tony Allen had what might be one of the top games of his career. Zach Randolph abused OKC.....again......by dominating the paint and coming up with key rebounds on the offensive end.

While Durant and Westbrook put up their typical numbers, it was not enough to win the game. Jeff Green got abused on defense and was atrocious on offense. The bench didn't provide the typical spark that they normally bring.

The difference in this game was turnovers. Memphis capitalized off of the turnovers and were able to stay in the game, eventually finishing it out in overtime.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Sacremento Kings, February 12 at 9:00 pm CT.

News Around The Association

There is a lot of stuff going on in the NBA today. Below are a few clips that I found interesting. Read them and learn something. Enjoy.

• According to John Rohde, Serge Ibaka is doubtful for tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Somewhere Zach Randolph just guaranteed friends and family at least 20 points and 15 rebounds.

• Kevin Durant will be competing in the 3-point contest along with the All-Star Game. The other contestants don't seem to pose a huge threat, but then again I thought Jason Kapono wasn't a threat either.

• If you haven't heard by now, the Melo trade rumors have made their way to Hollywood. The Lakers have entered the discussion in acquiring Melo's talents.

• For all you Cleveland fans, I am truly sorry that your favorite team sucks so bad. Making records for how bad you and your teammates are playing probably isn't going to help your confidence either.

Thunder Barrage Silences Jazz

I have watched a lot of Thunder basketball but never have I witnessed what took place last night in Utah. The Thunder, a notoriously bad 3-point shooting team, launched 21 shots from beyond the arc making 13 of them. That's 61% for all you mathematicians out there. The most surprising detail of this long range display was who led the charge. Not Kevin Durant, James Harden, Daequan Cook, or Jeff Green. Russell Westbrook didn't miss from long distance and led OKC in scoring with 33 points. Any avid Thunder fan knows that Westbrook is capable of taking over games. But the way he took over against Utah was something that I can't recall ever happening before.

While I highly doubt Scott Brooks will start calling up plays for Russell to launch a triple, this could be the final weapon in Westbrook's arsenal. If he can develop a decent 3-point shot, it will greatly influence the ease of getting penetration into the lane which he already has no trouble doing. Adding that threat will give opposing point guards all over the league nightmares on the eve of playing OKC.

Even when Russell was out, Eric Maynor came in and provided a hot hand from outside as well. What resulted was our point guard position going 6-6 from 3-point land. That is incredible. Cook and Green also contributed flawless performances from 3 helping the Thunder cruise to a win over a Jazz team that is slumping as of late going 1-7 in their last 8 games. 

Deron Williams seemed to be uncomfortable with the tape on his wrists. The only thing Utah had going for them was Paul Millsap. Millsap scored 34 points in 36 minutes missing 5 of his 20 attempts. That, ladies and gentlemen, is efficiency. Had the Jazz won this game, Millsap would have been all over SportsCenter for the next day and a half.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: Memphis Grizzlies, February 8th at 7:00 pm CT.

Suns Down, Jazz To Go

When I first saw this back-to-back on the schedule, I thought that the Suns game was the easier of the two. With the recent slide the Jazz are on, it appears to be the opposite. The Suns came into this game with the same offensive game-plan they have used all season. Drive, kick, shoot a 3, repeat. Unfortunately for OKC, they are in the bottom third in defending shots launched from beyond the arc. I had a lurking fear that if the Suns caught fire, this game could be over by the 3rd quarter. On a side note, if this game took place 10 years ago, the Thunder would have no chance. Grant Hill, Vince Carter, AND Steve Nash? We would have had a much more difficult time. However, time travel is still not a reliable alternative to the present so let's continue.

Little did I know that Kevin Durant (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (19 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds) would be overshadowed on this particular night. The towering figure casting that shadow while having his best offensive game of the season was "Double-Deuce," a.k.a. Jeff Green. Playing a game high 43 minutes, Green (28 points, 5 rebounds) made 3 pointers, free throws, lay-ups and jump shots. To put it simply, the guy was feeling it. Now before all of the Jeff Green fanboys out there start high-fiving and chest bumping, let reality sink in just a bit. The performance he delivered against Phoenix is not consistent enough to validate the minutes he is currently receiving. While I do like Jeff and the versatility he brings, I would STILL like to see him moved to a 6th-man role. But I tip my hat to the man for showing off what he can be capable of, so well done.

Green's back-up also played well. Serge Ibaka made two HUGE tip-ins late in the game to give the Thunder a two-possession advantage and providing a little bit of breathing room. 

Vince Carter showed a blast from the past by reigning down shots from all over the floor. For a second, I thought we were in Toronto following all of the Y2K hype. Luckily, Carter's luck ran out when the Suns needed it the most and ultimately gave way to the come-back the Thunder had been mounting throughout the 4th. With this win under their belt, they need to get some rest and prepare for Utah. Back-to-back road wins could give all of the nay-sayers out there a glimpse of how tough the Thunder can be.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @ Utah, February 5th at 8:00 CT.

Thunder Swat Hornets, Take Season Series 3-1

After providing me with my first taste of NBA action in my hometown, the Hornets flew back to New Orleans leaving me with a burning desire for a team to call mine--permanently. Everytime we have played them since their departure, I have slowly gotten over my petty crush. At this point, my petty crush has turned into a feeling very similar to hatred. Chris Paul flops, and it drives me crazy. The softest player we have is Nenad Krstic, but he's from Europe, the birthplace of miniscule contact resulting in grenade-esque reactions. Also, Trevor Ariza is overrated. He got paid for being a role player on the championship Lakers. And David West's game-winner against us pushed me over the top.

Emeka Okafor wasn't playing tonight which was a blessing because he habitually destroys us on the boards. Thabo Sefalosha was listed day to day which resulted in another start for James Harden. My emotions concerning him are as inconsistent as his 3 point shot. I like the guy but he needs to fill the role that we drafted him for. If that can't be done then another solution needs to be found. Settle down, Presti groupies. I know it is his 2nd year which is why I'm not demanding to trade him for a basketball rack...yet.

Early on, Kevin Durant was absolutely on fire. He scored 21 in the 1st half which had me dreaming of witnessing his first 50 point performance. When the 2nd half got underway, I was happy to see that halftime didn't cool him off. As KD continued to rain down jumper after jumper, I thought the basketball gods had heard me. But then something amazing happened, because it is the NBA: Where Amazing Happens (Ka-Ching). With 6 minutes left, KD had an open look on the left side. Instead of stroking yet another bucket, he made the extra pass to Jeff Green. You just don't see that stuff. Our superstar was lights out all game and was easily in reach of a career milestone. Instead of striving for a personal goal, he was focused on getting his teammates involved and securing the win. Granted, the win was never in jeopardy at or past this point, but to see him play unselfish basketball really caught my attention.

OKC went on to win the game playing virtually the entire 4th quarter on cruise control and clinched the possible playoff tiebreaker against the Hornets. Durant was on a different level than everyone else tonight and it wasn't even close. If Durant's stats are any indication, and they have been so far, he is going to continue on this scoring tear through February.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

Next up: @Phoenix Suns, February 4 at 8:00 CT.

Heat Burn Thunder Late For Win

The game today meant a lot. It was a battle of the "Big 3's." On one side, you had a humble small market team built through good draft picks. On the other side, you had a team built through free agency collaboration. One superstar anounced his new contract on Twitter. The other anounced his decision, or betrayal in some eyes, in a nationally televised show. In essence, this game was a battle of good versus evil.

The beginning of this game served as a reminder of how I fell in love with basketball. Ball movement, back-door cuts, transition buckets. Everything was dropping as the superstars showcased their talents. Overall, both teams played great basketball.

As the game progressed, the pace of both teams slowed. With Thabo Sefalosha still out, James Harden started his second game in a row. All 3 stars played for the Heat which I was happy about for 2 reasons. The first is that nobody could make excuses (No, not even you Lebron). The second is that when the regular season comes to a close and the playoffs begin, I want the Thunder to have experienced the highest level of competition available. I know every team has injuries but beating up scrubs won't prepare you for the big boys.

Now back to the game. I understand the "Respect the game" initiative that the referees are abiding by this season. However, there are certain times when it feels as if they toss out technicals like beads at Mardi Gras. Russell Westbrook made a gesture after being called for the foul that earned him a technical. Upon replay it was clear, at least to me, that the gesture was not directed to the referee. Unfortunately, the ref took it as an outburst towards the call and gave him the tech.

Kevin Durant and Chris Bosh also put their emotions on display after Bosh fouled James Harden on a breakaway. When Durant yelled something to Harden, Bosh felt the need to make a comment. That sparked Durant to get in Bosh's face and later surfaced in Durant's post game comments about the altercation.

"I was talking to my teammate and he decided he wanted to put his 2 cents into it. I'm a quiet guy, a laid-back guy, but I'm not going to let nobody talk trash to me. He's on a good team now, so he thinks he can talk a little bit," Durant said.

"There's a lot of fake tough guys in this league and he's one of them," Durant added.

I like seeing our superstar stand up for himself. Hopefully he can back up those words and hand the Heat a loss at their place.

Late in the game, I honestly felt that the Thunder could pull it out. When the Thunder got a stop with under 30 seconds left to play and up by 1, I thought we had a win in the bag. Unfortunately, a problem that has plagued OKC this year reared it's ugly head up at a pivotal point in a big game and it was defensive rebounding. Limiting teams to one shot per possession can go a long way especially when that team is not a defensive stalwart to begin with.

Tonight, one more rebound could have sealed the win on national t.v. against one of the best teams in the league. Instead, Mike Miller grabbed the offensive rebound, kicked it LBJ who then hand-fed Eddie House a wide open 3. What makes it even worse was the way Eddie House reacted. In the end, not a bad loss but a loss none the less.

Here is the box score.

Next up: New Orleans Hornets, February 2nd at 7:00 pm.

Underdog Bites Back

With the the Wizards road record sucking harder than a Hoover, I was hardly scared as they came into the Oklahoma City Arena. Thabo Sefalosha suffered a injury late in the game against Minnesota allowing James Harden to start. I don't know if this makes me a bad person, but I was hoping another starter could tweak something and let their backup shine. However, we were playing the Wizards so really anyone could start and it wouldn't matter.

With Javale McGee out, Flip Saunders was short a big man. Andray Blatche got into foul trouble extremely early picking up two fouls in the first 1:38 of the game. With Flip looking down the bench, I can only imagine what his thoughts were.

"Should I put in the overhyped Asian or maybe the Frenchman that has trouble getting dressed for games. Decisions, decisions."

At first he went with Yi Jianlian. After picking up two fouls in the first quarter and getting overpowered by the unstoppable physical force that Nenad Krstic brings every night, Saunders was forced to put in Kevin Seraphin. Seraphin had virtually no impact in the game except for being the target of a highlight block by Serge Ibaka.

With the Thunder having trouble making shots in the 1st half the Wizards were able to hang around. By the time the 2nd half started, I figured OKC would turn it on and run Washington out of the everyone-still-calls-it-the-Ford center.

Except there was one little problem. Trevor Booker got to play a significant amount of minutes due to McGee's injury and put up all-star numbers. Now, open another tab or window, find out who the heck Trevor Booker is and then look up his stats for the game. I'll wait here...

O.K. As we have all seen time and time again, Jeff Green has a knack for getting dominated by the opposing power forwards. Rookie Trevor Booker entered the game averaging 4.0 points and 2.6 rebounds. Against the Thunder, however, he looked like a skilled forwards that had been in the league for 7 or 8 years. Completely unacceptable. Then again, our defense as a whole has been sliced and diced all year.

Luckily, our stars were shining with Russell Westbrook notching another triple-double and Kevin Durant dropping 40. If either one of them had an off night, we easily could be staring at the Wizards 1-22 road record knowing we are the ONLY team in the entire league to let them win in our house. Yikes.

But, the Thunder finished strong down the stretch played barely good enough to win. For sake of pride, I'm going to chalk the 2OT win as the Thunder looking ahead to hosting the most hated team in the NBA on Sunday.

Here is the box score for the game.

Next up: Miami Heat, January 30 at Noon.

Durant Durant

With my anticipation building for tonight's game against the Wizards, I thought I would put up a couple of videos to remind the fans about the great, humble, down-to-earth superstar that we have to represent Oklahoma City.

First video is what we have all been waiting for since we got an NBA team. A game-winning shot from our leader. Check it out.

Next video is a recap of Durant's career night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Chasing A Star

So I have to choose a professional blogger to follow, so I chose a blogger that I, along with many others, read regularly. His style blends popular culture, humor, and facts to support his opinions in a way that will rarely be regarded as trolling. However, this is not meant to be a "Follow this guy because I like him" post. Why not? Well frankly, the man I speak of needs no help in gaining fame or popularity. I speak of the man commonly referred to as the Sports Guy, Bill Simmons.

He is funny, smart, and handsomely paid. I am none of these things. But I am going to go the anti-Lebron route, play the humble card, and give credit to the greats that have come before me. He is one of several people that have made a living doing what I want to do. No you didn't read that wrong. I want his life without the undying devotion to a team that is famous for sucking.

Enjoy this link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?name=simmons

Disaster Avoided, But Barely

Initially, I thought this game was a 4 out of 10 on the difficulty scale. The Timberwolves suck and everyone in the league knows it. The only thing worth watching in the Target Center are the opponent's best players and Kevin Love grabbing an absurd amount of rebounds. Last night, both counts held up in providing the half-full arena with some entertainment.

The game started off as the Michael Beasley show. With a mixture of jumpers, 3 point bombs, and driving to the hoop, Beasley couldn't be stopped. Turnovers made the game a lot more difficult for the Thunder in the early going. The person that really kept OKC in it wasn't either of the players that have emerged as the future for this young team. It was Jeff Green who put his work in early dominating with an array of low post moves. While I think Jeff has a knack for getting buckets down in the high percentage areas, I will save that talk for another day.

When the 2nd half began, I thought the Thunder would turn it on and pull away. More shotty defense made the turn around a lot slower than I expected it to happen. With every tick of the clock, my emotions were in an epic struggle. The poor defense got me hotter than the pan I burn my eggs in. But Kevin Durant started heating up at about the same rate.

Shot after shot fell through the hoop as Durant crept closer to his average. But when he didn't cool off several others, including myself, hoped we might see a record set that didn't include grabbing other players' misses. You remember that guy that carried us in the first half? Yeah, Jeff Green finally made an appearance by tying the game up at 110 by burying yet another post shot with just over 4 seconds left. The rest is history.

When all was said and done, Durant had the best game of his young career, and the Thunder barred the basement door just before leaving Minnesota.

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=310126016

Next up: the Washington Wizards come to the Oklahoma City Arena on January 28th.

Buzzer Beaten

The Oklahoma City Thunder went in to New Orleans to face the hottest team in the NBA. Following a late game thriller with the New York Knicks, the Thunder looked to ride that momentum into a strong road performance.

The Thunder jumped out to a quick lead dominating the 1st quarter and giving them a 14-point cushion. However, New Orleans kept things competetive by responding with an even more dominant 2nd quarter and went into the half on top at 50-45. OKC got 5 back on the Hornets to even things up at the end of 3.

As the 4th quarter played out, neither team was pulling away and a fantastic finish was unrolling right before my eyes. Sitting as close to the T.V. as my couch would let me, I was praying to the god's of basketball that Kevin Durant would bury another game-winner. With less than 10 seconds left and OKC with the ball and tie score, I thought my prayers were being answered.

Then, my emotions got to the top of the first hill of the roller coaster. It took what I interpreted as 14 seconds to inbound the ball to Nick Collison. At this point, I was already disappointed. Then Chris "I flop like I invented it" Paul interrupted the hand-off to Russell Westbrook and the ball squirted to the other end of the court. When I opened my eyes, New Orleans had a side out with around 6 seconds left and a tie ballgame.

When David West's fadeaway J dropped through, I only had one word. Figures. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect Kevin Durant to bury game-winners every night but everything was in place for him to at least get an attempt for his first make in the quarter. After seeing OKC's chance at winning the game play out, the only suitable ending was for it to be the complete opposite. In less than 20 seconds, I aged approximately 20 years.

Here is the box score courtesy of ESPN.

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=310124003

Blogging is fun!

Everybody crowd around the fire while Papa Awesome(me) shares a little nugget o' knowledge. I have been reading blogs for quite a while. Over the years, I never considered doing it myself. I always thought that nobody would follow my blog because it would be stupid and boring. Low and behold, I am officially a blogger, and people like me(Big ups to Stuart Smalley, SNL).

Early this morning, I was thinking about what got me into blogging and what I have learned so far. Deep in contemplation, I sipped some very prestigious coffee(Folger's) and arrived at a conclusion. I love to talk. More specifically, I like to debate. Blogging allows me to put my opinions and thoughts out there for the world to read. And the best part about it all, it doesn't get graded. You see, I am still currently a student in college. This subjects me to the opinions of my highly qualified educators. Unfortunately, those educators and I tend to disagree on the quality of my assignements. But that's where blogging comes in.

I can forget about MLA format, spelling and grammar, page lengths, etc. This frees me up to write about whatever I want for however long I want. Freedom in the land of the free. And this blog is home of the awesome. God Bless America.

Opening Tip

My name is Taylor. Being a sports fanatic from Oklahoma City, I have had little involvement when it comes to sports on the national level. However, as many sports enthusiasts out there have noticed, my beloved hometown now has representation in the NBA.

Let's get one thing straight. I love the Thunder. But I have learned to tame my homer-ized views of our players and put them in a more objective light. For the past 3 years, my unconditional love of the Thunder has blossomed into a fascination with the entire NBA. I watch the games, listen to the post-games, read the articles, and check the website. This fascination provides me with opinions that may be hated, or may be loved. Either way, you're gonna hear 'em. So sit down, shut up, and start thinking the way I think, or leave. But don't leave....