Thunder 121, Knicks 118
The defense was awful, the offense was out of sync and the energy was unmatched.
And yet, the Thunder found a way to win, marking the latest leap this team has taken since Oct. 28.
Rarely this season has Oklahoma City won when it hasn’t played its best, or close to its best, ball. But in Saturday’s 121-118 overtime thriller at New York, The Thunder overcame the obstacles — on the road, after a three-day break, playing on the game’s grandest stage, in front of 19,723 frenzied fans eager to witness their newest star make his debut. Not to mention OKC’s own sub par performance.
The Knicks had this game won. More times than once. But the Thunder never went away, battling back from an 11-point, second-quarter deficit to tie the score at 52-all before going into the locker room down five at the half. When the Thunder built a 91-86 lead, the Knicks stormed back with a 17-6 run to go ahead by six.
It was at that point the Thunder showed its growing toughness and trust in one another. Jeff Green hit a 3-pointer, set up by James Harden. Russell Westbrook attacked the rim and converted a layup to pull the Thunder within 103-102 with 26.9 seconds remaining.
The only thing the Knicks did wrong in that 1 minute, 7 second span was miss a pair of free throws, with Tracy McGrady oddly enough serving as the culprit on a night he otherwise dazzled the Madison Square Garden crowd.
Eddie House sank two free throws to make it a three-point game, but Kevin Durant responded with a game-tying 3-pointer from the top of the key to send the game into overtime.
When the Knicks went ahead by four on a pair of Sergio Rodriguez free throws with 2:10 left to play, it didn’t look good for the Thunder. To that point, the Thunder had allowed McGrady, Rodriguez, Eddie House and David Lee to have their way on the offensive end. The Thunder had turned the ball over 18 times, had just 16 assists and had missed 28 of 39 free throws. But OKC ended the game on an 11-4 run, with three different players (Durant, Green and Nick Collison) providing the scoring punch. Durant’s 16-footer was the game winner and his two free throws with 10.2 seconds remaining clinched it.
“We kind of stole this one,” said Collison. “It’s big to be able to win games like this when you don’t necessarily play your best basketball. To be able to win down the stretch like that is huge for us.”
Only the good teams win despite their difficulties, and the Thunder is developing all the traits of a good team. Oklahoma City is now 32-21 and a stunning 16-11 on the road. The team is riding an eight-game winning streak, and Saturday’s win might have been the biggest momentum-builder during this stretch. With 29 games left before a likely postseason appearance, the Thunder is now adding chunks of confidence to what already is a sky-high swagger.
The Thunder walked into MSG holding opponents to a league-low 43.5 percent shooting. The Knicks shot 48.9 percent and the Thunder still squeaked it out. It’s not a trend OKC wasn’t to start. Still, the result will work wonders for the psyche.
“It shows that we can get through adversity,” said Durant.
And that could be a scary strength for a team this young and talented.
Thunder vs. Knicks Live Chat
West playoff update (Feb. 20)
Kevin Martin will make his Houston debut tonight when the Rockets host Indiana. One reason Sacramento was willing to trade Martin, who has averaged 22.4 points the past 31/2 seasons with the Kings, is some in Sacramento believe Martin isn’t a good fit with Tyreke Evans, the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.
The two knocks on Martin, a high-scoring shooting guard, is he’s a below average defender and has been injury prone. Martin has missed at least 20 games the last three seasons, including 32 this season after suffering a broken wrist early in November.
It will be interesting to see how Martin fits in with the Rockets and how much the loss of forward Carl Landry will affect Houston. The Pacers aren’t a big test. But upcoming games this next week will provide insight on the possible impact the trade might have and whether the Rockets can turn the West race into nine teams fighting for eight berths.
In other Western Conference news, Brandon Roy feared a hamstring injury that has sidelined him 14 of the past 16 games might hamper him the remainder of the season after scoring just four points Wednesday night in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Roy, though, said the injury improved on Thursday. Roy played Friday night in a lopsided home loss to the Celtics. Roy still didn’t look like the All-Star caliber star the Trail Blazers need if they’re to challenge for a higher seed.
Center Marcus Camby, who the Trail Blazers acquired in a trade earlier in the week, also made his debut with so-so results.
Portland has gone 6-8 while Roy has been sidelined 12 of the past 14 games and was ineffecitve in the other two. If Roy’s hamstring doesn’t improve soon the Trail Blazers could be in danger of staying in the No. 8 spot, possibly having to battle Houston for the final playoff spot.
Having played more games than any team in the West, the Trail Blazers already have 25 losses.
To put that in perspective as many as six teams, including the Thunder, have a shot at 50 wins. Portland will have to go 18-7 the final two months to reach half a hundred.
Chat Recap: Darnell Mayberry
Thunder 99, Mavs 86
News, notes and observations from Tuesday’s 99-86 Thunder win.
- I told Berry Tramel before the game that the Thunder would win if it held Dirk Nowitzki to less than 25 points. Dirk had 24. That makes me an expert on all things Thunder, right? Right?
- Seriously, the Thunder played a serious game of ball against a team that has owned this franchise over the past few seasons. The Thunder held the Mavs to 11 points in the third quarter and hampered them into 3-for-21 shooting. The Mavs shot just 7 of 24 in the final frame.
- Dallas’ 32.3 percent shooting set a Thunder opponent season-low. OKC’s previous opponent season-low was 35.4 percent against Chicago.
- Before Dirk went 2-for-12 in the second half, he actually looked like he was about to carry the Mavs to yet another thrashing of the Thunder. He came out with purpose from the very start. He had that look on his face, the expression that let you know he was about business and stopping his team’s slumping ways. Then he picked up his second foul with eight minutes left in the first quarter and it seemed the Thunder would benefit from him being on the bench. The Thunder even peeled off four straight to make it 10-9. Then Dallas outscored the Thunder 14-2 to go up 23-12.
- James Harden brought the Thunder back. He did a phenomenal job of catching and shooting, both when coming off screens and as a standstill assassin. His 10 points and four assists helped the Thunder to its 40 point second quarter.
- Dirk, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry shot a combined 20 of 64. I don’t think Dallas is going to win many games like that.
- I have no idea whether Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson will help Dallas in the playoffs. But they certainly give the Mavs more options and could make Dallas dangerous if everyone gets on the same page soon.
- The Mavs trotted out a small lineup of Jason Kidd, Terry, Marion, Butler and Haywood at one point in the first quarter and it made me think of all the options Rick Carlisle now has. He could put Dirk with that group and be really good.
- Scott Brooks praised Jeff Green about 132 times in his postgame press conference for his defense on Dirk. Green’s effort was worthy of each mention.
- Kevin Durant BARELY got his 25th point, extending his streak to 26 straight games. He hit a runner with 26.6 seconds remaining and immediately busted into a smile when he got it.
- Don’t know if it has anything to do with coming off his first All-Star selection, but Durant is starting to bark at the refs a bit. He was all over the crew in the first quarter tonight. I say good for him. It’s about time he gets more star calls.
- And this crew deserved it tonight. A lot of shaky calls. Refs must have been rusty from All-Star weekend.
- Nine turnovers for the Thunder tonight, leading to just four Mavs points. That helped secure this win.
- So did the Thunder’s 18 fast break points, a point of emphasis Brooks stressed.
- All these years later Eduardo Najera still gets a healthy ovation from the Sooners’ faithful, which showed their respect when he entered the game for the first time with 3:02 left in the first.
- Dallas center Erick Dampier remained in Oklahoma City after the game to have surgery on his dislocated finger, an injury he sustained in the fourth quarter. He’s expected to meet the team in Dallas on Wednesday.
- Say what you will about the aging Kidd. But he caught a few long rebounds tonight and darted up the court with speed that made him look almost like the Kidd of old. It looked like no one could catch him at times tonight, even Russell Westbrook.
- Collison was good on the offensive glass and great with his all-around performance. Eight points, nine boards, three blocked shots.
- Serge Ibaka showed his testiness once again, swinging his arms wildly after attacking the rim and (I think) unintentionally busting Caron Butler in the face. Class act (I think) by Butler to come over and tap the rookie on the chest a few times and calm him down. But for all I know, Butler could have politely said he was going to bust his…if he pulled that again.
BY THE NUMBERS
7: Game winning streak for OKC.
10: Blocked shots by the Thunder.
12: Biggest lead by Dallas.
17: Biggest lead by the Thunder.
32.3: Percent shooting by the Mavs, an opponent season-low for the Thunder.
40: Points in the second quarter for OKC, a season-high.
73.9: Percent shooing by the Thunder in the second quarter.
18,203: Announced attendance inside the Ford Center, a sellout.
Thunder vs. Mavericks Live Chat
All-Star Game leftovers
With Sunday’s All-Star Game finishing late, listed below are some post-game locker-room quotes on the two hottest subjects:
1) The record crowd of 108,713
2) LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, both free agents this summer, possibly signing with the same team.
ON THE RECORD CROWD:
West coach GEORGE KARL: “As I told the team before the game there have been four or five experiences in my life that I’ve been shut up or humbled or quieted. The presence of Arnold Palmer the first time I met him. When I met Bill Clinton in the White House… From the scoreboard to the 100,000 people, to just the brand of basketball that was played, there was just a lot of classy stuff.”
LeBRON JAMES: “This was unbelievable to be in front of 108,000. That was actually what it was. That was not a false number. You could look up in the stands and there was not a seat open. To be part of history is something that you always wish and dream for. I’ve been part of some historical events, being a part of the 2008 Olympics. When we played in China it was the largest international game in Olympic history. To be part of another historical event tonight it’s humbling.”
DIRK NOWITZKI: “It was an unreal experience and I’ll always remember this for the rest of my life and so will probably all the other guys. Just to compete and be in it at the end of the game, and have a chance to win, was great.”
CARMELO ANTHONY: “The whole game, when we were on the bench, we were just looking around, talking about how many people it is and how exicted we were, just to be a part of that situation. We were amazed by everything that was going on.”
MVP DWYANE WADE: “It’s a historical event. It’s going to be in our minds and our hearst and thoughts for a long time. Dallas is the real MVP. Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban really put o a fabulous event. To be able to perform in front of a crowd like that, I know I can do it. I’ve done it before.”
(LeBRON-WADE teammates?)
LeBRON JAMES: “He’s a great player. Tonight he showcased why he’s one of the best players on the planet. You want to play with guys that are great and want to win and want to compete at a high level every night. We’ll see.”
Coach STAN VAN GUNDY: “I don’t think you needed to see tonight to understand that would scare any of us in this league. But, yeah, incredible talents, both of them.”
Everything is bigger in Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas is the line Dirk Nowitzki used during pre-game activities at the 59th NBA All-Star Game Sunday night. It’s an old cliche. But it’s fitting.
The largest crowd to ever witness a basketball game, every one of the 80,000 seats appeared to be filled. Standing room only sections weren’t too packed but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was confidenct when the final tally would be announced tickets sold could approach 100,000.
One concern with Jones’ mammoth stadium is basketball games would be swallowed up. No worries.
I can’t speak for fans on the top row, hundreds of feet away from the court. But the world’s largest TV, nearly the length of two basketball courts, is plenty big enough to follow the action, even from the rooftop.
For basketball, or football for that matter, Cowboys Stadium essentially is eight different levels — a gigantic lower section, a club area, two concourse levels halfway up, another three levels of suites and the upper deck.
Cowboys Stadium is one of a kind. There are never enough tickets for big events like All-Star Games, Super Bowls or Final Fours. Jerry’s World at least provides an opportunity for more fans to attend.
Asked if he will pursue NCAA, NBA and NFL officials to become regular members of their big-event rotation, Jones said the venue speaks for itself. In other words, he’s confident his $1.2 billion palace won’t have to politick. Once you’ve been there nothing else compares.
NBA All-Star Game: From sea to shining sea
What’s unique about the NBA All-Star Game is it attracts fans from across the country. But unlike a Super Bowl or a Final Four, a lot of fans drive across the country.
Even if they don’t have tickets to the game — a lot easier this time since 100,000 might attend tonight’s game at Jerry World — fans want to be part of NBA All-Star weekend.
Remember that license plate game you used to play as a kid when making a long trip? The object was to try and spot more state license plates than your sibling. If the trip was long enough, or you were lucky, you might see 20 or 30 different states in one day.
In the Dallas area this weekend you only needed to travel to a few hotel parking lots or go downtown to the Jam Session at the Dallas Convention Center to find that many in one hour. Fans from Big 12 country, states like Missouri, Kansas or Missouri isn’t that big a deal. Nor is Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, New Mexico or Mississippi.
But when you start noticing license tags from Georgia, California, Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Michigan and South Carolina, that’s quite a commitment to drive that far. I even saw a license tag from Montana.
This is my first NBA All-Star Game. I was told it’s like a weekend-long, giant party that brings fans together from across the country.
If hotel, restaurant and downtown parking lots are any indication it might not be that difficult to spot a license plate from most, if not all, of the 48 states from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans.
I wasn’t even trying that hard and spotted 28 different states.
All-Star fun
The cool thing about All-Star games, in most every sport, is the average fan sometimes gets an opportunity to get a closer look at the sport’s legendary players.
The NBA is no different. Probably even has an advantage over most other sports.
At the All-Star Jam session Saturday, fans can test their vertical leap, shoot baskets at a goal on the back of ESPN’s famous traveling bus or partake in a myriad of exhibits sprinkled throughout the Dallas Convention Center.
For a few lucky fans, Center Court activities provided lifetime memories.
The East All-Stars “practiced” Saturday morning for 45 minutes. Practice is a loose term. It was more like LeBron James, Dwight Howard, the three Celtics stars and their teammates shooting baskets in front of the masses.
But during an hour-long break before the West All-Stars “practiced,” the entertainment was an NBA regular-season game times 10. An acrobatic, jump-roping, break-dancing team from Houston put on a show. A couple of Harlem Globetrotters performed tricks and broke Guinness Book world records for most half-court hook shots and spinning a ball for seven seconds on their head.
Free t-shirts and other giveaways kept the crowd screaming non-stop, in hopes of catching a prize. With music constantly blaring in the background, the DJ selected a few lucky kids out of the stands to soak in the excitement at court level.
By the time the three-hour session ended, after getting a close-up view of the world’s best players, Michael Williams, a 12-year-old from Dallas, was pumped.
“I got Kobe’s autograph and Dwyane Wade’s and Kevin Durant’s,” Williams beamed, holding his basketball with signatures like it was the Hope diamond. “Wait until all my friends see this. They’re not going to believe it.”
