Need a last-second Christmas Gift?
The Thunder received a little less than 100 Kevin Durant and Desmond Mason youth jersey and are putting them on sale Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. inside the ThunderShop at Leadership Square in downtown Oklahoma City.
The limited supply includes road and home jerseys of Durant’s No. 35 and Mason’s No. 34. The replica jerseys go for $50. Those of the swingman variety are selling for $80. Youth jersey sizes include small, medium, large and XL.
The first shipment of jerseys was scheduled to arrive in mid-January, which is when the adult sizes are still scheduled to be in.
“We were not expecting this early arrival, but it comes at a great time, just a few days before Christmas,” said Thunder spokesman Dan Mahoney. “We feel the best thing to do is to put them on sale and give everyone a fair shot at buying this limited quantity.”
Fans can pre-order jerseys by visiting www.thunder-nba.com or by visiting the ThunderShop inside Leadership Square.
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Tuesday’s Practice Report
* Nick Collison is day to day with a broken bone in his left thumb. Look for Chris Wilcox to get the start at center if Collison is unable to go. Johan Petro could be an option as well.
* Nenad Krstic has signed an offer sheet from the Thunder, and the New Jersey Nets now have until Tuesday, Dec. 30 to match or decline the reported three-year, $15.8 million contract. General manager Sam Presti declined to comment since Krstic’s rights are still held by the Nets. But Krstic, who was playing this season in Russia, could join the Thunder as early as Dec. 31 against Golden State.
* Sunday’s performance against Cleveland has given the team encouragement. The Thunder lost by 11 to a Cavs team that beat OKC by 35 three weeks ago. “We’re starting to turn things around,” said Kevin Durant. “I think that we’re playing hard and we’ve been executing well on the offensive end and everybody’s been getting involved. That’s only going to make us better.”
* Durant is quietly enjoying the best month of his young NBA career with averages of 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks. Add to that, he’s shooting 46.9 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent from three-point range while playing 40.8 minutes per game. He’s the only player in the league averaging at least 25 points, seven rebounds and shooting 50 percent from 3 this month. In any other situation, Durant would garner Player of the Month honors. But because of the Thunder’s one win in December, the award is likely a stretch. A shame.
“I’m making shots obviously,” Durant said. “I’m getting in better positions on the floor. I’m able to rebound and bring it up, too. My teammates are doing a good job of putting me in good positions to score. I think I’m closer to the basket, posting up and getting easy baskets there and getting to the free throw line as well. I just got to continue to keep it up and play well.”
One of the most glaring differences of Durant’s improvement has been his 3-point shooting. He shot just 28.8 percent from the arc last season. He’s currently at 47.3 percent from 3.
“Last year, I didn’t really shoot it too well from 3. Early in the year I shot too many last year. But this year I wanted to take the ones that were open and be able to knock them down. So this summer I worked a lot on my 3-point shooting and all aspects of my game. But I think that I’m getting open looks now and I’m able to knock them down.”
* And who can forget what Durant did the last time he went to Atlanta.
* Updating a previous post about Scott Brooks texting his players. Brooks’ message to Durant: “He told me last game that great players do it every night. That kind of stuck with me. He said I’ve been consistently trying to do it every night. I’ve just got to keep it up and keep going. He just told me that this is a tough time but always stay positive and keep my teammates up. I want to be a leader on this team. I call myself the captain. So I’ve got to keep everybody up and keep everybody together.”
* Durant on rookie Russell Westbrook: “It’s amazing how quick he learns things. The toughest position to learn on the fly is point guard. He’s doing a great job of that. You see he had a double-double last night with 11 assists and got everybody involved. That’s what a point guard needs to do. Only good things are ahead for Russell.”
Collison Breaks Bone in Left Thumb
Thunder forward Nick Collison broke a bone in his left thumb at the end of Sunday’s game against
Collison did not practice Monday and will be a game-time decision for Tuesday’s road game against the Atlanta Hawks. Collison wasn’t available for comment following Monday’s practice but was seen lifting weights with both hands.
“I haven’t really talked to our medical people yet, but just talking to Nick it’s pretty sore,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks.
A team spokesman said Collison’s thumb is “painful but he can’t hurt it anymore.”
Collison, the team’s starting center, is averaging 7.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 28 games. After a slow start to this season, Collison has picked up his play in December, averaging 8.1 points and 6.6 rebounds this month on 69.2 percent shooting. He’s scored in double digits in six of his past eight games.
Chris Wilcox is the most likely candidate to replace Collison as the starting center if Collison is unable to play Tuesday. Robert Swift and Johan Petro are also options.
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Scott Brooks Likes to Text Message
Want to know why Jeff Green recorded a double-double in tonight’s 102-91 loss against the Cavs?
Thunder coach Scott Brooks text messaged him before the game and told him to focus on rebounding. It was that simple.
Brooks regularly uses text messages to encourage his players to do something well in the next game. It worked for Green against the Cavs, as he scored 16 points and pulled down a season-high tying 10 boards.
“That’s just him trying to inspire us to challenge ourselves to do one thing in the next game,” said Green of Brooks’ method. ”He asked me to rebound in this game and that’s one thing I set out to try to get better at.”
Brooks used text messages while he was an assistant under P.J. Carlesimo and has continued the usage as the head man. Green said Brooks’ messages are mostly related to giving 100 percent effort and focusing on only the things players can control.
“They’re just motivational texts to get us inspired to be ready to play the next game,” Green said. “It’s just him trying to get the best out of us.”
A few notes from tonight’s game……
* Brooks was pleased to see Green respond to his text message and focus on rebounding….”The thing I like about Jeff is he understands he needs to rebound better. He wants to rebound, and tonight he had the double-double. Every game he has to rebound, and that’s part of his maturity going into every game, get better, don’t be satisfied with what just took place the last game.”
* Russell Westbrook continues to improve, scoring 24 points with 11 assists and six rebounds in a career-high 40 minutes…..”I believe in Russell Westbrook,” Brooks said. ”He is going to get better every day. And the reason why is he works hard. He doesn’t expect to wake up one day and be a great player in this league. He’s going to work for it.
* Chris Wilcox got the short end of the stick tonight, as the minutes crunch continues to leave at least one of the team’s bigs on the outside looking in. Wilcox played just seven minutes tonight. Joe Smith, who didn’t play two games ago, played 23 minutes.
* Desmond Mason had his worst game of the season, and it’s probably safe to say chasing LeBron James around had a lot to do with it. Mason, inserted as the starter last game, scored just two points on 1-for-5 shooting with three rebounds, three fouls, two assists and two turnovers in 32 minutes.
* The Thunder had no answer for Delonte West and Mo Williams, as they combined to score 38 points on 16 of 26 shooting with eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals. They, more than James and his 31 points, killed the Thunder tonight.
* Kevin Durant is in his best offensive rhythm of the season. He had 26 tonight to give him at least 22 points in each of the last seven games. Durant is now averaging 25.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting in December, showing improved consistency and efficiency.
* Tonight’s game was the latest example of the Thunder’s continued improvement. The last time OKC played this Cavs team it trailed by as many as 42 and lost by 35. Tonight, the Thunder trailed by as many as 18 and lost by 11. Not a bad showing from the worst team in the league against the NBA’s second best.
Following the game, a writer who covers the Cavs came up to me and told me how much better this team has gotten since the first meeting on Nov. 26. I assured him that Cleveland road game, when many Cavs writers were blasting how bad this team is, was by far the worst the Thunder had played all season and tonight was a better indication of where this team really is. Still, the writer insisted that this team is much better and there is no way the Thunder will challenge the 1972-73 Sixers for the worst all-time record.
A writer in San Antonio did the exact same thing to Mike Baldwin following the Thunder’s five-point road loss to the Spurs last week.
The Thunder is turning heads, ladies and gentlemen, and could be turning the corner as well.
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Thunder-Cavaliers live blog
New-look lineup here to stay?
Scott Brooks said following the 91-83 win over the Raptors that he will stick with the starting lineup of Russell Westbrook, Desmond Mason, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Nick Collison.
“At the moment we like that,” Brook said. “Desmond, he’s a pro. He stays ready. He worries me a little bit because he plays so hard and has no regard for his body. But you like that. And he defends. Right now we’re very comfortable obviously. We won the game. We’re going to stay with the lineup.
Brooks said he tweaked the lineup for the fourth time since he took over on Nov. 22 in an attempt to find a five-man unit that will come out with more energy and intensity and get the team off to a better start.
“We’re still trying to figure out what’s our best lineup,” Brooks said. ”We haven’t had the good start that we would have liked so we’re just trying to figure out if we can change it up and get a spark and give us a chance to win.
“It’s important that we have good starts and play consistent. Nick has played well, and he’s played well coming off the bench. So hopefully this is an opportunity that will carry over to a starting role.”
A few notes…….
* A report by ESPN.com, citing unnamed sources, says a trade sending Earl Watson to Toronto for Anthony Parker and Joey Graham could be a possibility.
* Differing reports out of New Jersey about whether the Nets will match OKC’s reported contract offer to restricted free agent Nenad Krstic. One says the Nets won’t. Another says no decision’s been made.
* The official boxscore from Friday’s game incorrectly listed Kevin Durant with 24 points. Durant had 26 points. The scorer credited Desmond Mason with one of Durant’s baskets, a 19-footer from the top of the key. Team officials are in the process of getting the mistake corrected.
* According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the executive director of the NBA Coaches Association thinks the six canned coaches thus far is reflective of the mood of the country and fear perhaps more than OKC’s, Washington’s, Philly’s, Toronto’s, Minnesota’s and Sacramento’s combined 29-78 record at the time of their coaching firings.
* Rookie D.J. White has a doctor’s appointment scheduled for Monday to get a check up on his recovery from jaw surgery. White is expecting to get an update on when he can return to full contact practice. He’s still sidelined until at least mid-February.
* Cleveland Cavaliers reserve guard Daniel Gibson is likely out Sunday with a sprained toe.
* Sunday at 5 p.m. is your last chance to secure tickets for LeBron James’ only visit.
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Thunder-Raptors live blog, 7 p.m.
The Impact of Nenad Krstic
The Thunder is reportedly close to finalizing an agreement with 7-foot center Nenad Krstic, according to multiple reports. The deal, which was first reported by DraftExpress.com, is worth nearly $16 million over three seasons.
Thunder GM Sam Presti today declined to comment on the report or provide any specifics about Kristic’s possible signing. Krstic’s agent, Marc Cornstein, has not returned multiple phone messages.
But Krstic, who is currently playing in Russia after leaving the NBA this summer, is a restricted free agent who last played with New Jersey. The Nets will have the right to match the Thunder’s offer within seven days of receiving it. But it’s unlikely the Nets will since they have 15 guaranteed contracts, a stable of quality young big men and are trying to clear the books for the long awaited free agent class of 2010.
Krstic, who was selected 24th overall in the 2002 draft, has career averages of 11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.7 blocks in four NBA seasons, all with the Nets. Krstic didn’t begin his NBA career until 2004, and he was emerging as one of the league’s best centers in 2005-06 when he averaged 13.5 points and 6.4 rebounds. A knee injury in December of the 2006-07 season derailed his career, limiting him to 26 games that season. But he averaged 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds, showing just how much potential he possessed.
The Thunder is now taking a chance on Krstic’s health and hoping the 25-year-old can restore what was once on track to be a promising career. Krstic is averaging 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 22 minutes per game in Russia. He would immediately bolster what’s been a disappointing frontline for the Thunder, which includes the habitually injured Robert Swift, an ineffective Johan Petro and a not quite ready Mo Sene.
Here’s what Krstic’s potential arrival will mean for the Thunder:
* The end of the road for Swift, Petro and Sene. All three have expiring contracts. Swift was brought back to play on the one year qualifying offer to see if he could stay healthy and live up to his No. 12 overall selection. He hasn’t done either this season, and his time has clearly run out.
The team declined the fourth-year option on Sene and chose not to offer Petro an extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, making both free agents next summer. Petro will be restricted. Sene will be unrestricted. But with Krstic potentially in the mix, Nick Collison under contract for one more season and rookie D.J. White expected to be fully healthy next season after undergoing jaw surgery, the Thunder will enough frontline pieces without Swift, Petro or Sene. And don’t forget about Serge Ibaka and DeVon Hardin, post players selected in the 2008 draft who the Thunder could sign before next season as well.
The Thunder is also on pace to have no worse than the fourth selection in this year’s draft. Three of the top five early prospects are bigs, including projected No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin, UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet and Ohio State’s B.J. Mullens.
OKC also has enough cap room — upwards of $25 million even after the Krstic signing — to make a run at a big man this summer in free agency. Utah’s Carlos Boozer, the most attractive big in next year’s class, has recently said he will opt out of the final year of his deal.
* The end of the road for Steven Hill. The 15th man likely will be waived to make room for Krstic. No big deal since Hill played in only one game.
* More low-post offense. The Thunder is a jump-shooting team with only a handful of players who can get to the rim or score inside. Collison is a hustle guy who is much more of a mid-range shooter than low-post scorer. Ditto for Joe Smith. And Chris Wilcox is a player who is best in transition and needs to get hot to be a threat offensively.
But Krstic would immediately step in and be the team’s best back-to-the-basket scorer, a guy who teams must respect offensively and has enough passing skills and a high enough basketball IQ to find the open man once doubles come. His presence would ease the load off Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, and give coach Scott Brooks a solid second option when shots aren’t falling.
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Clippers 98, Thunder 88
My story for Wednesday gets into how the Thunder plays better against good teams and poorly against the bad ones. Tuesday’s loss against the Clippers proved that theory, which Desmond Mason happened to point out even before the eighth straight defeat.
Consider this, since Scott Brooks took over the Thunder has played well against New Orleans, Phoenix, Orlando, Dallas and San Antonio. Of those five games, only the Suns game was inside the Ford Center and only the New Orleans defeat was by double digits.
But the Thunder has also lost to Golden State (without Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson), Memphis (when OKC blew a 21-point, second-quarter lead), the Clippers (who came in 6-17) and Minnesota (which has only two more wins than the Thunder).
A few observations from the game…..
* Damien Wilkins is not cutting it as the team’s starting shooting guard. He’s scored 10 points or more only once in the past eight games. He went scoreless tonight in 12 minutes. He missed both of his field goal attempts, pulled down four rebounds, had one assists and two turnovers. He seems better suited coming off the bench.
* Johan Petro is in Wilkins’ same boat. He was largely ineffective tonight against the Clippers, much like over the weekend against Dallas and San Antonio while filling in for Chris Wilcox.
* It’s not fair to point the finger solely at Wilkins and Petro, but the Clippers’ starting lineup completely dominated the Thunder’s and those two players’ lack of production did have a lot to do with it. All five Clippers starters scored at least 12 points, allowing the bench to contribute only 10.
* Joe Smith’s DNP-Coach’s Decision raised a lot of eyebrows. Scott Brooks said after the game that it was a decision he made during the game when Wilcox and Collison played well off the bench. And with Jeff Green starting at power forward and Petro starting at center, it’s difficult to play five post players and Smith got caught in a numbers game.
* Offensive rebounds killed the Thunder. The final box score said OKC out-rebounded the Clippers 45-43 and 14-12 on the offensive end. But the second-chance points were in favor of L.A., 14-8. It was 14-4 at one point late in the game.
* The Thunder can’t decide if it wants to be a good free throw shooting team or not. OKC hit only 14 of 24. That 58-percent rate, combined with 21 turnovers, won’t help you win many games.
* For as much flak as Earl Watson gets from fans, he continues to be solid. He had 12 assists tonight and is averaging 7.7 in December. Fans have clamored for Russell Westbrook to be the starter, perhaps because Westbrook’s production looks better. Watson’s production, on the other hand, is more modest and dull. And nobody likes dull. (Both need to cut down their turnovers.)
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