Orlando Observations: Day 3
So the Thunder beat Boston, 94-82, on Wednesday in what had to be one of the most boring summer league games of all time.
Russell Westbrook did his best to turn up the entertainment value with a few nice dunks en route to his third straight 20-plus-point game. Aside from that, Shaun Livingston is the only other player that stood out to me.
But it was much more than Livingston’s modest production of 10 points, six rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes.
The first thing I noticed about Livingston — because I didn’t catch Monday’s first game and he didn’t play Tuesday — is he is no longer wearing the bulky brace that once covered most of his left leg. Now, Livingston is wearing only a sleeve over his rehabilitated left knee. I’m not sure whether this is just something he’s doing for summer league or if he will bring back the brace during the season. But if he’s shed the protective gear, it’s a good sign that his knee is closer to full strength and bodes well for his prospects of regaining some of the explosion that many believe he’s forever lost.
I caught the first glimpse of Livingston’s surprising explosion early in the second quarter, when he froze his defender with a backdoor cut from the right corner and finished with a wide open layup. It’s plays like that that I rarely saw out of him during his eight-game stint with the Thunder at the end of last season.
Back in April, Livingston rarely made hard cuts to the basket. Rarely reached full speed while running the court on offense or back on defense. His troublesome knee often got tired at the end of games and limited his effectiveness on both ends but especially on defense.
That’s why the visual of the sleeve rather than the knee brace could prove to be a good sign. Livingston could be twice the player he was at the end of last season by the start of next year if he is able to regain some of his lateral quickness and explosion. There were plays last season in which he got beat on simple backdoor cuts because his knee wouldn’t respond to plays his eyes were seeing developing.
But even if Livingston doesn’t fully regain his agility, a likely occurrence, the 23-year-old point guard is savvy enough to still be a solid playmaker in this league.
The way he weaves his way into the lane with his craftiness rather than blazing speed is a testament to his basketball instincts and his ability to read defenses and angles. Livingston knows where everyone should be on the court at all times, and he knows how to get the open man the ball at the best time — even if his teammates don’t realize it.
On one possession Wednesday, Livingston drove down the middle of the lane, dropped off a bounce pass to a wide open Byron Mullens on the left block, and Mullens fumbled the pass and turned it over. Livingston barked at the 24th overall pick as the two jogged down court, clearly disappointed in a botched play that should have ended with an uncontested dunk.
But like an aging star who can no longer rely on physical skills, Livingston should focus on his in-between game. An improved mid-range game would do wonders for Livingston, who already stops and pops with great consistency, because defenders wouldn’t know when he’s passing, driving or pulling up. They’d have to respect all three and would be kept off balance because of uncertainty. That’s why adding a mid-range shot to his repertoire is vital if Livingston is no longer capable of blowing by his man off the dribble and getting into the lane for layups, dunks and dish-offs. A post-up game would also be a great asset, but that doesn’t seem realistic considering his feathery frame.
But for now, Livingston is showing good signs. And we could be in for a surprise when the season starts in 3 1/2 months.
OTHER RANDOM NOTES/THOUGHTS…….
- Serge Ibaka didn’t play tonight. Likely just held out to rest.
- James Harden didn’t play in the first half but finished with nine points in 14 minutes. Unfortunately for me, he went 0-for-1 from 3-point range so I still have yet to see the little kiss of the hand he apparently does after draining a 3.
- DeAngelo Alexander got some burn for the first time, a whole six minutes.
- Westbrook and D.J. White were both 5-for-5 from the field in the first half.
- Kyle Weaver was again utilized at point guard. And when that happens it’s now safe to say the offense will slow down tremendously when he’s bringing the ball up. But one thing about Weaver is he’s never overly impressive, but he’s always effective.
- I saw Nick Fazekas take Mullens off the dribble going baseline one time in the second half. Not a good sign when Nick Fazekas is taking you off the dribble.
- Robert Swift scored nine points with four rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes.
- DeVon Hardin with a nice 11-point, seven-rebound, four-block effort in just 19 minutes.
- Robert Vaden got the start and went 1-for-7. Guess he’s still waiting on that breakout shooting performance. I’ve got a feeling it’s coming sooner rather than later as long as he continues getting minutes.
Up next, the mixed squad from New Jersey/Philadelphia. Tip is 2 p.m. our time.
-DM-
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Comments
OKC will not sign any free agents this off-season, the owner needs to make some positive cash flow and he will in 2009/10. This money will go to cover the losses he endured when he extracted the team out of Seattle.
OKC already has 11 guys signed to the roster not including Harden and another rookie which will add up to the NBA minimum 13 roster slots.
I look for OKC to make a free agent move in the summer of 2010 when their payroll drops below the $20 mill. mark.
But for now, more game experience for the younger, up and coming core guys while the losses mount up in the 2009/10 season.
[...] Darnell Mayberry on yesterday’s game: “The first thing I noticed about Livingston – because I didn’t catch Monday’s first game and he didn’t play Tuesday – is he is no longer wearing the bulky brace that once covered most of his left leg. Now, Livingston is wearing only a sleeve over his rehabilitated left knee. I’m not sure whether this is just something he’s doing for summer league or if he will bring back the brace during the season. But if he’s shed the protective gear, it’s a good sign that his knee is closer to full strength and bodes well for his prospects of regaining some of the explosion that many believe he’s forever lost.” [...]
Darnell:
Thanks for the excellent coverage. I am still going through Thunder withdrawl and being a Met fan, there is little to look forward to.
Having watched a lot of the games on my laptop last year, I thought Livingston looked terrific last year considering. He had hops that I didn’t know he had and he had an accurate jump shot. My hesitation with the team is that I don’t think that Westbrook is true point. He is a gunner and is out of control many times. His passes come when he can’t shoot. I would prefer to give Livingston the job and move Russell over.
Also, I am really looking forward to Ibaka. Haven’t seen him except for some youtube stuff. I have a feeling he is the real deal. This team will be a tough one if Westbrook is moved over. There are a lot of young pieces and possible trade material. Someone will want Watson who can help a contender.