Thunder still not best in West
NBA on TNT crew of Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley.
On Monday night on TNT, the Thunder beat the Boston Celtics for the third straight year inside TD Garden. For more than two hours, the telecast crew of Kevin Harlan, Mike Fratello, Chris Webber and David Aldridge heaped praise upon the Thunder, which has the NBA’s best record at 12-2 after its 97-88 victory at Boston. But when TNT joined its studio crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal outside Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Thunder quickly played second fiddle again.
Johnson asked the panel to pick a series winner between the Los Angeles Lakers and Thunder right now and all three without hesitation picked LA. The Lakers are too big and Kobe Bryant is simply too good for OKC to win.
LA then went out and nipped Dallas 73-70 on a 3-pointer from Derek Fisher with 3.1 seconds left. The Lakers scored seven total points in the third quarter, shot 38.2 percent from the field, shot 10 percent from 3-point range (1 for 10) and Bryant went 7 for 22 from the field and finished with 14 points.
Some excerpts from the TNT experts:
Webber on Thunder forward Serge Ibaka: “He is athletic, smart defensively. He’s a great shot blocker and a great inside presence.”
Fratello on Thunder head coach Scott Brooks: “He really knows his players and he knows which guys to let grow and develop and which ones he can get on a little bit harder. He wants players to grow and experience this learning process and by the way, they’re winning a lot of games in this process.”
Webber on Thunder sixth man James Harden: “The best teams that I played against had role players that were superstars. They took their role seriously and they knew the importance of their role to the team. (Harden) has embraced his role (as sixth man) and has made sure that the bench is better for that.”
Smith on point guards Rajon Rondo of the Celtics and OKC’s Russell Westbrook: ”They are the only two teams that have guards, besides (Chicago’s) Derrick Rose, that consistently get into the paint.”
Fratello on Thunder forward Kevin Durant: “He is a very unselfish player. He has the God-given ability to score the basketball whenever he wants to. He understands the team aspect of the game and is a willing passer.”
Barkley’s predictions on the best teams in the Western Conference: “The Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets are the two best teams I have seen in the West.”
O’Neal on the Thunder being 12-2: “They’ve had an easy schedule.”
As you can see from ESPNstats, the Thunder ranks No. 1 in the NBA in RPI and No. 8 in strength of schedule. O’Neal is partically right in that OKC often has played teams not at full strength such as San Antonio (no Manu Ginobili), New York (Carmelo Anthony), Memphis (Zach Randolph, Darrell Arthur) and New Orleans (Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza), but other teams also have enjoyed the same benefit. In addition, the Thunder also swept its back-to-back-to-back, won five games in six days and is on a seven-game winning streak.
Celtics Talk Kendrick Perkins’ Return
Kendrick Perkins will return to Boston as a visitor for the first time tonight.
BOSTON — There will be tons of emotions on display during pre-game introductions tonight.
Kendrick Perkins will make his first appearance in TD Garden since the Boston Celtics traded him to the Thunder 11 months ago. When he’s announced as the Thunder’s starting center, Perkins likely will receive a long and heartfelt ovation from the Celtics faithful. For 7 1/2 seasons, Perkins gave his heart and soul to the Boston franchise, and now this is the fans’ chance to express their gratitude.
It’s been extremely well-documented how tough the trade was on the Celtics.
Now, Boston will welcome back a one-time favorite who helped the Cs win a title in 2008. Perk has said he will have mixed emotions tonight. Players and coaches have spent the past two days opining about Perk’s return. Celtics coach Doc Rivers delivered the strongest sentiments.
That will be different, because Perk’s a Celtic. I don’t give a crap what uniform he has on — he’s a Celtic for life, and he knows that.”
Kevin Garnett, who is known as one of the league’s most intense players, also admitted tonight’s game will be gut-wrenching.
It should be emotional. It should be fun to see the big fella come in. Perk’s like my little brother. We speak quite frequently, to be honest. When he went out there, we spoke every day. I know he and Rondo speak damn near on the hour…Perk and I used to butt heads pretty hard, and it was very, very competitive. But when I got here, we embraced and became brothers like everybody in here. That’s a connection for life, and like Doc said, he’ll be a Celtic for life and he knows that. That’s in his heart. He may be in OKC, but in his heart he’s a C.”
Paul Pierce, who was Perk’s teammate the longest as the most tenured current Celtics player, watched Perk mature from an 18-year-old kid out of high school into a 26-year-old man, husband and father.
I’ll give him a high-five; give him a hug. I knew him when he was a 350-pound rookie to now, when he’s one of the slimmest centers in the league. It’s just an amazing transformation that he’s made to where he is now. He’s a leader now on an Oklahoma team that has the best record in basketball. I’ll just look at him as a little brother. He’ll always be that. We communicate. I see how he’s doing. It’s just that bond from playing with someone for so long and winning the championship.”
Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, who is best friends with Perk, admitted tonight’s game will be emotional but added “I didn’t lose him. It’s not like he’s dead.”
It’s a little emotional, but he’ll be ready to play. I just hope he doesn’t do too well.”
-DM-
Getting technical
The Thunder has been on a run of victories (19-6) since acquiring center Kendrick Perkins from the Boston Celtics on Feb. 24. OKC also has been on a run of technical fouls.
Perkins’ toughness and attitude have become infectious and the Thunder’s demeanor has noticeably become more aggressive. Since Perkins first stepped on the court for OKC on March 14 at Washington, the Thunder has been whistled for 15 technical fouls in 16 games (Nick Collison’s technical last Friday against Denver has been rescinded). Before Perkins took the court, OKC had 23 technicals in 65 games.
Center Kendrick Perkins, left, has given the Thunder an attitude adjustment since joining the team. (AP)
Even mild-mannered Thunder coach Scott Brooks has changed, getting his two technicals four games apart.
Here is a breakdown of technical fouls for Thunder players before/after Perkins first played for OKC (and their season total):
Perkins - 4/7 (11); Russell Westbrook – 7/1 (8); Serge Ibaka - 5/1 (6); Nate Robinson - 4/0 (4); Kevin Durant – 2/1 (3); Nazr Mohammed – 2/1 (3); x-Nick Collison – 0/1 (1); Thabo Sefolosha – 1/1 (2); Coach Scott Brooks – 0/2 (2); James Harden – 1/0 (1); Eric Maynor – 1/0 (1); Daequan Cook – 1/0 (1); Royal Ivey – 1/0 (1); Byron Mullens – 1/0 (1); Cole Aldrich - 0/0 (0). Also: Jeff Green – 1; Nenad Krstic – 1; D.J. White – 1.
x- Collison’s technical foul against Denver last Friday was rescinded by the league.
Thunder 110, Sixers 105 (OT)
Observations from the Thunder’s 110-105 overtime victory against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center:
– Don’t be stunned if center Kendrick Perkins is activated for the Thunder’s three-game road trip at Cleveland, Washington and Miami next week.
That doesn’t guarantee he’ll start or even play, but the 6-foot-10, 280-pound Perkins is expected to practice with his teammates for the first time Friday since being traded two weeks ago.
Presumably, the Thunder will try to let Perkins make his return on the road, where there is considerably less pressure than playing in front of your new fans at home after a trade.
Perkins has made steady progress rehabbing his sprained left knee and you can sense an excitement among Thunder personnel that he is close to returning.
Thunder coach Scott Brooks might share an official target date for Perkins’ return after today’s practice, but every player essentially is considered day-to-day until Brooks receives clearance from the team’s medical staff on an injury.
– The Thunder traded for Perkins and Nazr Mohammed to get bigger, but lately OKC has gone small to combat perimeter matchup problems while awaiting Perkins’ return.
At Memphis on Monday night, the Thunder lost 107-101 with a smaller lineup, but OKC was able to do a decent job containing the powerful inside duo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, who combined for 35 points, but just 12 rebounds. What killed the Thunder was poor decision-making on offense, plus being unable to stop the penetration of Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley. Memphis also got clutch play from former Oklahoma State guard Tony Allen and the predictable hustle from reserve Shane Battier, who had seven points and seven rebounds (five offensive).
At Philly on Wednesday, the Thunder went with even a smaller, four-guard lineup at the start of the second and fourth quarters with James Harden, Eric Maynor, Thabo Sefolosha, Daequan Cook and power forward Nick Collison.
In the second quarter, that lineup came from six down to forge a tie at 41 before All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook re-entered. In the fourth quarter, though the lineup struggled to score early, it set the defensive tone that eventually resulted in victory.
So while some Thunder fans have questioned Brooks for going with a smaller lineup, these past two weeks actually should be viewed as a good sign that OKC has shown the capability to go small, which can still be used as an alternative even when the team gets bigger with Perkins.
- Serge Ibaka isn’t the only player to step in and replace Jeff Green at the stretch 4 spot. Durant and Thabo Sefolosha have, too.
Perhaps the best way to explain is to have somebody smart tell it. Therefore, here is Nick Collison explaining Wednesday’s success while going small:
“We’re having a tough time with pick-and-rolls, and when we play a perimeter guy at the 4, we can switch (on screens). I think that helps us at times, plus it gives the other team a different look they have to adjust to. Thaddeus Young (four points, five rebounds in 29 minutes) really didn’t hurt us a lot individually playing against a bigger guy (Ibaka). Initially you look at that matchup and say he’s a tough cover for a traditional big, but he wasn’t really killing us, which helped us with the pick-and-rolls. KD can play the 4. It’s actually similar to what Jeff did. They’re different players, but they kind of overlap a little bit. And when they’re playing a perimeter guy like Thaddeus Young, Thabo can play the 4, too.”
- Cook obviously likes the smaller lineup because he has a better chance of playing, but there are other reasons. “You get a lot of ball movement. You get a lot of quickness. If you’ve got KD at the 4, it’s a big mismatch for the other team, plus he’s able to distribute the ball the way he can. It makes the offense flow a lot better.”
- The most omnipresent question asked of Thunder players and coaches this season no doubt has been having someone explain the team’s slow starts defensively.
“Man, you always ask me that question,” Durant said Wednesday night.
Sorry. Just looking for an answer.
Cook: “We’ve got to fix that. The championship-caliber teams are not going to let us back in the game, so we’ve got to figure out a way to not start out games like that. It’s just a learning process, but we have found ways to better ourselves as a team.”
Collison: “We wish we could be more consistent and play good defense all the time, but it’s good to be able to it late, I guess. I could definitely tell a difference in how it felt that last stretch (against the Sixers). Everybody was more engaged, a lot tougher.”
Sefolosha: “I really can’t figure out why, but I guess better late than never …”
Brooks: “… Or not at all.”
- Two members of the maintenance crew were overheard inside the Wells Fargo Center around midnight.
Worker No. 1: “Man, we blew it tonight. We had ‘em. Oklahoma City was dead.”
Worker No. 2: “Hey, as long as they have Durant, those guys are never dead.”
Had the Thunder indeed lost, it would be 39-24 right now – the exact same record it had through 63 games last season.
Monday Morning Mailbag
How will Kendrick Perkins change the Oklahoma City Thunder's rotation?
It’s that time again.
Our Monday morning mailbag is back.
Kendrick Perkins has yet to play a game for the Thunder after his trade from Boston. But questions about how his presence might impact the rotation are already prevalent. We also get a little history lesson on the dunk contest and some surprise talk of vuvuzelas.
Let’s get to it. And as always, feel free to join the discussion next week if you like.
Hey Darnell- With M. Daniels out indefinitely and P. Pierce getting an MRI for his foot injury today, rookie L. Harangody is the only thing resembling a SF left on the Celtics roster. Don’t the Cs NEED somebody like Jeff Green now? His salary is almost exact match with Perkins’, they have 2 O’Neals and Semih Erden under contract thru 2012, and Big Baby can play the 5 in need be. Am I crazy, or would this be a perfect trade for both squads? – Steve H.
Major props to you Steve. You sent this e-mail on Feb. 14. And you absolutely nailed it! Remind me to get you on speed dial next February.
Has a rookie ever won the dunk contest, and if so what year and who won it if you know? —- Jamie C.
Yes. Blake Griffin became the 11th rookie to win the dunk contest. Spud Webb won it as a rookie with Atlanta in 1986. Dee Brown won it as a rookie with the Celtics in 1991. Harold Miner won it as a rookie with Miami in 1993. Isaiah Rider won it as a rookie with Minnesota in 1994. Brent Barry won it as a rookie with the L.A. Clippers in 1996. Kobe Bryant won it as a rookie with the L.A. Lakers in 1997. Desmond Mason won it as a rookie with Seattle in 2001. Jason Richardson won it as a rookie with Golden State in 2002. Josh Smith won it as a rookie with Atlanta in 2005. Nate Robinson won it as a rookie with New York in 2006.
After the Boston trade went down there were some quotes from Rivers about how he and Ainge agonized over it. It makes me wonder how involved Brooks is with the FO decisions, especially since he had been playing Green so much, nearly to a fault. Insight? — Steven R.
I know that Brooks and Sam Presti talk about possible player acquisitions, whether they’re potential free agent pick-ups or trades, regularly. But at the end of the day, the Bull’s eye is on Presti for all roster moves. He’s the one who’s held accountable for player movement, so the final call is his. Brooks isn’t going to persuade or dissuade Presti from making a move if he feels it’s best for the team and its long term prospects.
(More) Celtics react to trade
- “I had a chance to talk to him at length (Thursday) afternoon, but he was definitely hurt. The guys around this locker room are definitely hurt to see Perk go.” – Celtics All-Star Ray Allen on Kendrick Perkins
- “I just said, ‘Sorry.’ There’s no words that can really describe the emotions that you feel. Perk is a tough guy, (but) he was very emotional. Like he couldn’t get the words out that he needed to get out. In my mind, he’ll always be a Celtic. He’s been here for eight years. I felt truly bad. That’s probably one of the toughest pills I’ve had to swallow of any player I’ve seen traded, because he was a part of what he was doing here. So we have to change that around and incorporate these new guys we got.” – Allen
- “You hope that Danny (Ainge) and Doc (Rivers) know what they’re doing. I mean, we put our trust in them, so it is what it is. We can’t use any excuses and cry over spilled milk.” – Pierce
- “Hopefully the guys we have coming in understand what we’re trying to do around here. It’s still a championship goal. But it is definitely a blow when you lose a guy like Perk who’s been in playoff battles, been tested, gives us size and defense – especially when you’re going against guys like Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol – if we make it to the Finals and play the Lakers. Hopefully we can make up for it in other ways.” – Pierce
- “I haven’t had a chance to assess (the trade). I hate to lose a guy, a teammate like Perk because he meant so much. And people don’t understand what chemistry is, from the bus to the plane, the locker room. It’s definitely blow there. It depends on how the other guys make the adjustment.” – Pierce
- “People underrate what chemistry brings. This is one of the tightest units, one of the most together teams that you could probably think of. It’s just how we roll on the plane and in the hotels, the camaraderie that we’ve been able to gather over the years. When you lose that, it’s tough. Hopefully we can integrate the guys that we have coming here and they can pick up things pretty quickly.”
- “Jeff Green is young. He can play. He can help our bench production out. He’s got tremendous upside. And Krstic gives us length. I look forward to having both of them.” – Allen
Sources: Boston Herald and Boston Globe
Celtics react to trade
Reactions from Boston concerning Thursday’s trade in which the Thunder sent forward Jeff Green, center Nenad Krstic and the Los Angeles Clippers’ 2012 first-round pick (which the Thunder owned and is protected to No. 10) to the Celtics in exchange for center Kendrick Perkins and guard Nate Robinson:
- “He’s taking it pretty hard because he’s been here eight years. He was real emotional, crying. I feel bad for him. I told him he’s not alone. ‘We’re going together. It’s not like you’ll be by yourself.’ ” – Robinson on Perkins
- “They (Perkins’ teammates) love him. Someone said before (Thursday night’s game at Denver) that it’s not personal and I said, ‘You’re wrong, it’s very personal.’ He’s a family member and you are going to miss a family member. Just because it’s business doesn’t mean it’s not emotional.” – Boston coach Doc Rivers
- “It’s a tough day to play basketball. It’s not even about a teammate. I feel like I’ve lost a family member … your brothers for life.” – Celtics All-Star Kevin Garnett
- “It’s a difficult time when you see one of your good friends and teammates go. That’s probably the most difficult thing about this business, seeing a friend and teammate go, but you have to understand it’s a business and things of that nature happen.” – Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce
- “It’s a part of the game. I’m eight years in, so I’m not really shocked by anything. Of course, we’re sad to see one of our brothers go, a couple of our brothers go, but they’ll be all right. You’ve just got to see them around.” – Celtics guard Delonte West
- “We need to get Shaq healthy. Shaq will be healthy, but if Shaq plays great, then this deal was obviously really, really good for us. That’s on Shaq, getting Shaq in great shape, getting him ready, getting him healthy. It’s really going to be important for us in the playoffs.” – Rivers
- “It’s tough to play the O’Neals and Perk at the same time. Shaquille O’Neal has proven to be better with our starters. We beat all of the top teams without Kendrick.” – Celtics general manager Danny Ainge
- “We want to win now. We want to win a championship right this second. I think Jeff Green is going to be able to back up Paul Pierce and help us at that spot. He’s a young, athletic guy we really like. We’re really excited about him. We think Krstic is a very, very solid player who can really shoot the ball from 15-18 feet, and he’ll be helped by the people we have around him. And, we think Shaq (O’Neal) and Jermaine (O’Neal) are going to be healthy and ready to play. So we think this makes us better.” – Ainge
- “We keep track of the numbers on our interior defense, and we feel we have it covered with Shaq, Jermaine, Krstic and Big Baby (Glen Davis). We feel fantastic about our interior defense for a playoff run.” – Ainge
- “We think we did pretty well today. Red (Auerbach) would always say, whatever the single-best player in the trade is, try to get it. But whether that’s Jeff Green or Perk, we don’t know that. Krstic is a good piece for us, as well. He spreads the floor, which I think is great for (Rajon) Rondo. Jeff Green does as well, which I think is great for Rondo. We needed to get a 3 and a 4 as far as a swing guy. This gives us the ability to do what I did the year we won it, which is at times we can go small with Green at 4 and Kevin (Garnett) at the 5, and Paul and Ray, and it spread the floor. We’ve been trying to get that lineup since (James) Posey left. I think people forget how many times we did that in the playoffs, which was every fourth quarter, for the most part. We haven’t been able to duplicate that. In some ways, that hurt Rondo. In this way, that should help.” – Rivers
Sources – Boston Herald and Boston Globe
