Kings 104, Thunder 89
Don’t think this game didn’t matter. Not for a second.
If for some reason you’re still under the impression that Thursday night’s 104-89 loss to the starless Kings was simply a throw-away game, the last of this exhibition season, carefully chew on Kevin Durant’s words.
“It always means something when we step on this floor,” he said. “We’re a young team. We want to get better every time we step on the floor. Tonight was a tough one. We took some steps back.”
Steps.
Plural.
This was the third straight loss by at least 15 points. The third straight time a team has drained at least 10 3-pointers. The third straight game the wanna-be-defensive-minded Thunder allowed 104 points or more. The third straight game in which the opponent has shot better than 50 percent from the field.
In no way is it time to panic. It’s certainly way too early for that. But while the outcome doesn’t matter in these tune-ups, the performances and the trends certainly serve as warning signs.
After seven preseason games, the Thunder has demonstrated an inability to put together 48 minutes of quality basketball. It’s the same flaw that plagued this bunch last season. Some of this preseason’s blunders can be attributed to odd lineups and funky rotations, to subs closing out games and philosophy taking precedence over the outcome. But mostly, the Thunder showed the same imperfections during times its main unit was on the floor and times when the team tried to successfully close out a game with a win.
Have we forgotten Phoenix’s 26-9 fourth quarter on Oct. 12 that erased a 20-point lead before the Thunder prevailed by five in overtime? Lose that game and this exhibition season goes from 2-5 to 1-6, from decent to disappointing.
“It’s definitely a concern in our minds because we want to change it,” said Shaun Livingston. “That’s not how we want to come out and start the season. I know that we are going to come out better opening night. We know we are better than that.”
The Scene At Shootaround
I’ve been MIA lately, I know. Had to focus my attention on this little nifty thing we do before every season called a special section. I got a little bogged down with that on top of the regular load. But it gives me great pleasure to say that weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and our Thunder special section will hit newsstands and your front porch or driveway this Sunday. So let’s get back into the swing of things here shall we?
TINKERING WITH THE ROTATION
Thunder coach Scott Brooks at this morning’s shootaround sounded like he is done throwing out funky lineups and wacky rotations. I expect Brooks to play what mostly will be his main rotation in tonight’s preseason finale against Sacramento. But Brooks said he and the coaching staff are still trying to figure out who fits best with each other while giving different players an opportunity to adjust to playing with different teammates.
“It’s good for our team,” Brooks said. “It’s good to build chemistry on the floor. You’re going to be put in a position where you have to play with different guys…You try to figure out what a guy does with different guys. The game is impacted by who you’re playing with.”
DEJA VU
Rarely in the NBA will a team open the regular season against the same team it ended the preseason against. But that’s the position the Thunder and Kings are in this year. Cleveland and Boston have also managed to pull the scheduling quirk.
Brooks, however, said tonight’s game shouldn’t have any bearing on Wednesday’s season opener. Because of exhaustive scouting departments, he said, NBA teams, don’t have anything left to hide.
“We know what they’re going to run and they know what we’re going to run,” Brooks said. “We have to do a great job of executing it and using effort in our execution.”
Brooks did say Wednesday’s packages will be different than tonight’s because he plans to implement more wrinkles in the final few days of practice before the two teams meet again. He called the next five days of practice “pretty important for us.”
A FRIEND TURNED FOE
Perhaps a more significant advantage than the Kings’ ability to pick up on the Thunder’s strategy early is the presence of former Thunder forward Desmond Mason on Sacramento’s roster. Brooks expects Mason to share secrets with his new teammates. All players do once they change teams. Mike Harris informed Jeff Green of Houston players’ tendencies at the scorer’s table just before tip-off Monday.
“One of the things our coaches do when we have guys that play with other teams is (go over) their personnel’s tendencies,” Brooks admitted. “I think it’s important to listen to the players. They know, they feel it, they see it on the court. They experience it. So you always tap into their knowledge. And I’m sure Sacramento is going to be no different. Desmond knows what Kevin Durant does and how he does it. The bottom line is it takes five guys to make an offense work and it takes the same five guys to make a defense work.”
Durant Answers Reader Questions
The season is officially underway.
I just returned from media day, where optimism was high but cautiously tempered. Few players wanted to talk about the playoffs as an attainable goal this season but all seemed to have that destination in their minds. It was almost shocking how candid the players were in discussing what we all know to be true about the brutal schedule to start the season and how the silly mistakes of yesteryear can’t crop up again if this season is to be a success.
This will be the first of many posts from today’s thorough session of interviews. Bare with me as I sift through what seems like an endless amount of tape. I’ll update into the evening as I go, but I’ll start by giving your a preview of reader-submitted questions I asked Kevin Durant today. (And with Durant having so many obligations today I’d like to thank him again for taking the time to answer these, some of which might not appear in Tuesday’s paper.)
Q: Do you see the Thunder’s record improving, and if so by how much? And is there a specific goal for this year’s team that will define whether this season is a success?
A: I’m not big on that, but I think we’re a better team so yeah. But I don’t know how many wins we’re going to get. I can’t predict that. I think a lot of people outside of our organization want to see me say we’re going to the playoffs or we’re going to the second round of the playoffs. But I think if we just continue to get better the fans will see that if they’re watching the games. They’ll see we’re getting better and better so that’s the good part.
Paul Taylor, Oklahoma City
Q: Where do you see your basketball career with the Thunder in two years?
A: Hopefully we’re a playoff team by then and we’re recognized as one of the top tier teams. So I’m excited for what we have in store.
Gaudy Deleon, Oklahoma City
Q: Who do you see filling the void left by Desmond Mason’s departure?
A: James Harden and Thabo Sefolosha are going to fill that role. It’s on those two.
Dave Parker, Oklahoma City
Q: Does Velvet Hoop plan on making any more music videos this year?
A: I asked that myself, but as of right now I don’t know. I hope. I want to. That’s the goal.
Steve Jackson, Oklahoma City
Q: What’s your favorite restaurant in Oklahoma City and the most obnoxious thing an Oklahoma native has said to you about you being a UT alum?
A: Mickey Mantle’s. And they haven’t really said anything too harsh. They just always throw the horns down. That hurts me a lot.
Brian Downs, Edmond
Q: How dominant do you think you can be if you bulk up?
A: I think I’ll be pretty good. But the way my body is I don’t think I could ever be really bulked up. So you’ve just got to like what you see. But I try my best to be one of the best players to play this game.
Evan Eitzen, Fairview
-DM-
Desmond Mason, Thunder Part Ways
Desmond Mason’s days in a Thunder uniform have come to an end.
For now.
Oklahoma City has decided to go in a different direction and will not re-sign the former Oklahoma State standout and fan favorite, The Oklahoman has learned.
Mason, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, became a casualty of the Thunder’s commitment to developing its young talent and was the odd man out on a roster that is one player below the NBA maximum of 15 allowed.
The Thunder remained open to the possibility of re-signing the 31-year-old Mason throughout the summer and had ongoing discussions with his agent since the start of free agency on July 1. Mason made $5.3 million in the final year of his contract last season and is believed to have been seeking a deal in the same neighborhood this summer.
Contract negotiations were believed to have been more exploratory in nature, comprised of more casual discussion rather than concrete proposals. Mason’s camp is believed to have been seeking a multi-year contract of at least two seasons while the Thunder was willing to agree to nothing longer than a one-year deal.
But it appeared less likely Mason would return with each transaction the Thunder made since February.
