Jason Terry: Thunder ‘little brother’ to Mavs
Dallas guard Jason Terry pumps up the home crowd.
Throughout the 149-day NBA lockout and the first week of an abbreviated schedule, the entire Western Conference universe seemed to rotate around the Thunder. When OKC jumped out to a 5-0 record after seven days, it simply added to all the fawning.
Now the Thunder is riding a two-game losing streak and people are either jumping off the bandwagon, insisting they never liked the team in the first place, or are simply pleading ignorance.
After Portland manhandled OKC in its own refurbished building on Tuesday night, Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge was asked if he was getting tired of all the Thunder talk. “Nah, I don’t read papers or watch ESPN, so I haven’t heard nothing,’ ” Aldridge lied.
Dallas Mavericks sixth man Jason Terry says little has changed from a year ago. The world champion Mavs are still the team to beat in the West.
OKC is 183 miles north on Interstate 35 from the Metroplex and the teams met in last year’s Western Conference Finals. “It’s a big brother-little brother scenario,” Terry told ESPNDallas.com after the Mavs manhandled the previously unbeaten Thunder 100-87 on Monday. ”It is what it is. They’re good. They’re up and coming and they’re dangerous. When you got guys like (Russell) Westbrook and (Kevin) Durant on your ballclub, it’s tough any time. They’ve beaten us a number of times. Now, if you want to say in a series, that would make some intensity come to the rivalry.”
ESPN.com’s John Hollinger was among those to heap praise upon the Thunder during the lockout, but not lately.
The Thunder began as favorites to win the West and seemed to back up that impression with a 5-0 start, but I’d argue that the start was a lot less impressive than the win-loss record made it look,” Hollinger wrote. “They’re 5-1 after Monday night’s loss in Dallas but have scored only 14 more points than they’ve allowed. Were it not for a miraculous shot from Kevin Durant a week ago, they’d be looking at a five-game losing streak to the Mavs — an odd circumstance for a favorite, to say the least. All the attention is swirling around last week’s dustup between Russell Westbrook and Durant, and certainly Westbrook has seemed off his game in the early going; he has more turnovers than assists and is shooting 37.5 percent.
“Yet I’d argue the focus on those two masks deeper and perhaps more immediately relevant concerns. Such as whether the frontcourt will ever score a basket, for instance. OKC’s perimeter trio of Durant, Westbrook and James Harden is an outstanding foundation, but Durant is also outscoring the entire frontcourt group, 27.3 points per game to 21.9. I don’t mean the starters, I mean all of them. In fact, no Okies average more than eight points a game outside of their big three. I’d be less concerned about the frontcourt scoring if the Thunder could leverage their defensive talent into something more than an average defense. OKC was 13th in defensive efficiency a year ago and 17th this year, which basically requires the Thunder to have a league-leading offense or close to it to legitimately contend for anything important. They may very well tighten the D, get some extra juice from the frontcourt and justify all our preseason pontifications, but it might be a bumpier ride to that point than expected.”
With its huge win on the road against the Thunder, Portland already is 2-0 in the Northwest Division while heavily favored OKC is 1-1. Asked if players would still concentrate on division play in a shortened, 66-game schedule, Aldridge said, “Yeah, you do. I think you’ve got to think about it all. But the season is going by so quickly, you have to think about winning all your games.”
Where to next for Nate Robinson?
Guard Nate Robinson cleared waivers Tuesday, which means anyone can claim the 5-foot-9, 27-year-old, three-time NBA slam dunk champion.
It was no surprise OKC and Robinson parted ways at the outset of training camp earlier this month. Robinson’s me-first attitude didn’t mesh at all with the Thunder. What’s surprising is there has been little, if any, interest in Robinson’s explosive offensive game.
Sam Amick of SI.com tracked down Robinson a few hours after he was waived by the Thunder. Robinson insists he has matured and would not be a headache for the team that took a chance on him.
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News didn’t think the Knicks will be offering Robinson a return trip to their roster, which turned out to be true. The Knicks signed Jeremy Lin on Tuesday to replace injured rookie Iman Shumpert.
The condensed 66-game schedule figures to take its physical toll, so don’t be surprised if someone eventually offers a roster spot to Robinson to replace an injured player. But under no circumstance will that team be the Thunder.
Ricky Rubio To Debut Against Thunder
After two topsy-turvy years, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio will finally make his NBA debut tonight at 7 against the Thunder. There was a time when Rubio was an international sensation, a can’t-miss prospect. But the NBA lockout has overshadowed Rubio’s arrival. Recent Blockbuster trades and on-going trade speculation, coupled with the continued love-’em-or-hate-’em obsession with the Miami Heat, have pushed Rubio further out of the NBA limelight. It also doesn’t help that he plays for the Wolves. But starting with tonight’s game, we’ll soon find out whether Rubio has been all hype all these years or is a legit addition to a league filled with extremely talented point guards.
As you prepare for tip-off, here’s a piece I wrote on Rubio back in 2009 leading up to the draft. The Thunder, if you remember, had Rubio on its radar as he began sliding down draft boards and ultimately became the biggest mystery in that year’s draft class.
There was a time when Ricky Rubio was considered a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick whenever the teen-age Spanish point guard sensation decided to cross the waters.
A can’t-miss prospect, they said. A future NBA star.
Twelve months later, Rubio has made his long-awaited jump, only to land in the U.S. as the most puzzling player in this year’s NBA Draft. You’d have a better chance solving a Rubik’s Cube than cracking the complex Rubio case.
No longer is Rubio, 18, perched comfortably atop draft boards as the consensus No. 1 prospect. Blake Griffin tugged at that crown with each rim-rattling dunk and 20-rebound performance he registered during his sophomore season at Oklahoma. Rubio has been meeting with teams like the Sacramento Kings and the Oklahoma City Thunder, teams with the third and fourth picks of the draft. Thunder officials reportedly flew to Los Angeles to meet with Rubio on Saturday.
Still, Rubio enters Thursday’s draft widely regarded as the second best prospect behind Griffin and the only other player regarded as a franchise-changing talent.
So how is it that in a weak draft the mop-haired playmaker who has drawn comparisons to Pete Maravich could fall as low as fifth to Washington?
It’s a phenomenon best explained by a wacky finish to last month’s NBA Draft Lottery, an ugly and pricey buyout with his Spanish club team that only a lawsuit can settle now, stringent demands from his representatives and lingering questions about how good the kid really is.
“All of that is sort of the perfect storm to say we don’t know where Ricky Rubio’s going to go,” said Chad Ford, who covers the NBA Draft for ESPN.com. (more…)
Thunder should reap rewards of this summer
Thunder backup center Nazr Mohammed, shown here against Dallas on Sunday night, said the Thunder's character will be extremely beneficial in a shortened season. (Photo by Sarah Phipps)
Getting a group of NBA players to gather on one spot during the offseason frequently is a futile quest. The Oklahoma City Thunder did it three times in the lockout summer of 2011, an achievement that has veteran center Nazr Mohammed still shaking his head.
The Thunder held voluntary camps at the University of Texas in Austin,the University of Kentucky in Lexington and at Southern Nazarene in Bethany. Mohammed said those four-day sessions meant something at the time and could mean even more with an abbreviated regular season about to start.
“As far as what we did, we were fortunate,” Mohammed explained after Tuesday’s morning shoot-around session in preparation for the second and final preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks. “Guys were working out (during the summer), everybody came in pretty good shape, but what it did was sell team chemistry. Anybody’s who’s been in this league, or been around this league, knows how hard it is to get 10-11 NBA players from the same team to a gym in Kentucky to work out on their break – and we did it three times where we got 10-plus guys. That just shows the character of our team (more) than what we did. Everybody was working out, everybody was in shape, but it’s great to know you can call your teammates up and say, ‘Hey, we’re working out,’ and everybody shows up.”
The condensed training camp no doubt will hurt several teams, but not the Thunder, which has only two new faces on its roster in rookie Reggie Jackson and second-year forward Lazar Hayward, plus camp signee Ryan Reid. However, Mohammed said there are still subtleties and intricacies that must be ironed out.
“In everybody’s mind we all think. ‘Hey, it’s basketball. We’re ready. Couple of practices. Put us on the court,’ ” Mohammed said. “The timing of it and getting used to guys’ tendencies again, and the fact they’ve worked on their game so much in the summer and guys want to implement that into the game, and you’re a player who hasn’t seen that in a game … So there’s going to be some turnovers. There’s going to be some timing issues at the beginning. But as far as being in shape, being on the same page, I think we’re ready. Everybody’s got to get into their role.
“One thing that coach (Terry) Stotts told me (while coach Atlanta) was, ‘Nazr, I don’t need you’re ‘A’ game. Just give me your ‘B’ game. Don’t show me all your moves,’ ” Mohammed said. “That’s going to have to be something we have to implement on our team. ‘Hey, you worked on your game during the summer, you’re a better player, but for this team you’ve got to sacrifice and give us what we need for us to win.’ ”
Mohammed said having a talented bench also will be a great benefit.
“For a season like this, depth is huge,” Mohammed said. “It’s going to be nice (for) when guys get up out of their bed after their naps and you’re not going to want to play. That happens. We get paid a lot to do this, but that happens. Having a lot of depth, knowing you can depend on another guy, from coach’s (Scott Brooks’) standpoint is going to be huge because he knows he can just go down the line and put somebody else in the game.”
Ranking The NBA’s Top 10 Headband Guys
In honor of Lazar Hayward’s arrival, and thanks to a passing comment during a conversation I had with my editor Wednesday, I’ve decided to do some hardcore investigating.
I’m examining the best headband wearers in the NBA.
Hayward, if you don’t know by now, is a card-carrying member of the headband fraternity. He has been since his high school days at Notre Dame Prep. And after getting traded to the Thunder on Tuesday, Hayward immediately bumped Oklahoma City up the league’s headband hierarchy. James Harden is the only other Thunder player who rocks a headband somewhat consistently. Serge Ibaka has tried it at times as well. But Hayward is all in, which got me to thinking. Should he be? Some guys definitely should not be. Hayward gets the green light solely because of his consistency and commitment to the headband. But he’s not cracking this top 10 list. It takes much more than just a consistent effort to be among our best of the best.
But before I get into the list, it’s important to establish some ground rules. First and foremost, the headband has got to be a part of what defines a player. That means it’s got to be consistent, both as a player’s on-court attire and the manner in which he sports it. In other words, the headband-halfway-up-your-head look ain’t cutting it and will automatically get you tossed from the list. Being too sometimesy, like Elton Brand for instance, won’t work either. Secondly, the headband has got to look good on you in any color, in any uniform, at home or on the road. Since longevity is key, the look has got to stand the test of time and player movement.
Next, you can’t be new to the headband brotherhood. This is a gang you’re born into. We’ve got no room for headband band-wagoners. Take Mo Williams, for example. Anybody recall him rocking the headband in Milwaukee? Teaming up with LeBron James shouldn’t lead you to the headband lifestyle. The headband also can’t seem forced. It’s not here to help you garner attention (Eddie House, Brendan Haywood). You also can’t come off as trying too hard. We’re talking to you Jermaine O’Neal. The headband was cool when you had braids and could ball. It’s not so cool now that you’ve lost all your hair and your skills. Let it go. LeBron, you get lumped into this category, too. Because if you’re under 30 and we can see your receding hairline while you’re wearing a headband, it ain’t for you, bruh. And if you’re bald — Drew Gooden, Corey Maggete — fuhgeddaboudit. Do us a favor and lose the headbands. Al Harrington, you, my friend are worthy of a pass in this department.
Now, after hours upon hours of hardcore analysis and rigorous research, let’s get into the top 10. (more…)
New Deadline For Westbrook Deal
The NBA has set a deadline of Jan. 25 for teams to come to terms on contract extensions for players entering their fourth seasons.
It gives the Oklahoma City Thunder slightly more than six weeks to hammer out an extension for All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook. If no deal is reached by then, Westbrook will become a restricted free agent next summer, meaning the Thunder would have the right to retain him by matching any offer he might receive.
Westbrook and Thunder management, however, have both expressed their desire to get a deal done, and negotiations are not expected to spill into next summer.
Under new collective bargaining rules, Westbrook is eligible for a four-year extension that would kick in at the start of the 2012-13 season. The new rules, though, allow teams to designate one player who is eligible for a five-year extension at the maximum salary, which would be 25 percent of the salary cap. But Westbrook could be eligible to earn up to 30 percent of the salary cap if he is named to one of three All-NBA teams for the second consecutive year this season.
Prior to the lockout, teams had until Oct. 31 to extend rookie contracts before players would hit the market as restricted free agents in the following summer. The league will revert to the Oct. 31 deadline next season, when Thunder players James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Eric Maynor and Byron Mullens will be up for extensions.
Other prominent players from the 2008 draft class who are now eligible for extensions include Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, Danilo Gallinari, Brook Lopez, Roy Hibbert and JaVale McGee.
-DM-
The New CBA: Limits For Taxpaying Teams
Today’s topic in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement:
LIMITS FOR TAXPAYING TEAMS
2005: No additional limits for taxpaying teams.
2011: Taxpaying teams have a smaller mid-level exception, can acquire less salary in trade and cannot use the biannual exception. Starting in 2013-14, teams more than $4 million above the tax level cannot receive a player in a sign-and-trade transaction.
Winners: Players. This is all the owners could get after seeking a hard cap and later a “flex” cap. Taxpaying teams now have less access to exceptions. This will give small-market teams a competitive advantage. For example, instead of weighing equal $5 million offers in Los Angeles and Minnesota, a free agent might have to choose between a $3 million offer in Los Angeles and a $5 million offer in Minnesota.
The New CBA: Luxury-Tax Distribution
Today’s topic in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement:
LUXURY-TAX DISTRIBUTION
2005: Teams that did not pay tax each received 1/30th of the total tax fund. Taxpaying teams forfeited their tax distribution and their money was used for “league purposes” such as the revenue-sharing program.
2011: No more than 50 percent of the tax funds can go exclusively to teams that did not pay tax.
Definition: The money collected from escrow and luxury tax may be distributed to teams or used for league purposes, subject to certain rules. Note that in some cases, taxpaying teams receive more than enough money to offset the luxury tax they pay. The distribution rules are different for escrow money and tax money. Escrow: Some or all of the escrow money may be reserved for league purposes. This is likely to be a small percentage of the total escrow amount, but there is no cap on the amount that is used for league purposes. The league could, at their discretion, use all of it. Tax money: Teams under the tax level receive a full share (1/30) of the tax money. (Note that if the league expands, the fraction changes.) Any remaining tax money that is distributed to teams must go to all teams in equal shares.
Winners: Economical owners. A team that previously was $1 under the tax line received a full tax distribution (about $2.4 million in 2011), but a team $1 over the tax line received nothing. This “tax cliff” no longer exists. The new system softens the blow for teams that exceed the tax line by just a little. Teams near the tax line would have pay the amount in tax, but could still be eligible for a payout to offset their tax bill. The new agreement stipulates that no more than 50 percent of the tax funds can go exclusively to teams that did not pay tax, but does not specify what happens to the other 50 percent. It is possible the remaining tax money will be distributed to all teams in equal shares, but it’s also possible the NBA will reserve this money for “league purposes.”
What’s Not To Love About Super Teams?
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh didn't form the league's first super team. And they clearly won't be the last.
Count me in.
Today, I officially got on the super team train.
Bring ‘em on, I say. The more the merrier.
Some people say they weaken the league. I say that’s hogwash. A trio of stars on one team is nothing but interesting. For everyone. The fans, the league, the networks and, yes, for competition.
This is now a topic because less than two weeks after the NBA lockout was lifted, star players went right back to throwing around their weight and orchestrating their way out of their small towns and on to big-market teams with other big-time talents. I’m speaking, of course, about Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Though the scenario was originally floated by Mark Heisler 10 days ago, trade rumors that would land both Howard and Paul in Los Angeles to team up with Kobe Bryant are now heating up and seemingly becoming more realistic by the hour.
And you know what? I would pay to see that team. And most of you who are NBA fans would, too. Whether you’re rooting for them, against them or perhaps just want to see what they’re capable of, you’d be glued to the tube. Television ratings would go through the rough for Christmas games and the All-Star Game and the NBA Finals. Which, isn’t that the point of sports to begin with? To entertain us? To give us an outlet? To provide something we can come together with as a community to share and support?
Put arguably the league’s best point guard (Paul) with arguably the game’s best shooting guard (Bryant) with undoubtedly the world’s best center (Howard) and you’ve created 82 games (or 66) of non-stop excitement. We’d be talking about a season filled with alley-oops and game-winners and 20-assists nights and triple-doubles and a six-month-long block party. More than that, we’d be talking about championships. Plural. A trio like that would immediately have the makings of a dynasty-caliber team. Howard and Paul, both 26, could easily carry the 33-year-old Kobe for three title runs.
But here’s the best part. The Lakers wouldn’t be guaranteed anything. There’s enough quality teams throughout the league, including right here in Oklahoma City, that L.A. could combine those three All-World players and still fall short. Take a look at some of the core units that have blossomed throughout the NBA.
Atlanta: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford.
Boston: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
Chicago: Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.
L.A. Clippers: Eric Gordon, Caron Butler and Blake Griffin
Memphis: Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.
Miami: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
New York: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and (reportedly) Tyson Chandler
Oklahoma City: Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka
San Antonio: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan. (more…)
New rules will directly affect Kevin Durant
Because of new rules interpretations that will be a point of emphasis in the 2011-12 season, it will now be a little tougher for Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant to get to the free-throw line with the same frequency. Durant has attempted 2,487 free throws his first four seasons in the NBA — the third highest total in history for a player his age, trailing only LeBron James and Dwight Howard.
More than a few of Durant’s free-throw attempts have come off the so-called “rip” move, when the shooter swings the ball into a defender’s outstretched arm and attempts to shoot once contact is made. Durant excelled at the move, much to the delight of OKC fans and to the disdain of opponents. These will now be considered non-shooting fouls if contact begins before a player starts his shooting motion.
Here is a story on Durant’s “rip” move published last season in The Oklahoman.
Durant and others also draw multiple free throws while driving to the basket. Shooting fouls will now be called only if contact occurs after the player has begun his shooting motion and not after he has initiated his leap.
Several other rules changes will be introduced this season, as reported by Ric Bucher of ESPN The Magazine:
- Traveling in the post and on the perimeter will be a point of emphasis, with a player hopping off of and landing on the same foot viewed as an automatic violation. Referees will also consider locking or clamping an opponent’s arm or hand under the basket while battling for a rebound and discontinued or hesitation dribbles as automatic violations.
- Substitutions will only be allowed before the final free throw of any trip to the line that is not for a technical or flagrant foul.
- Two horns will be sounded 15 seconds apart after every timeout. Teams whose players are not moving toward the court as soon as the second horn sounds will receive a delay-of-game warning.
- Instant replay will be utilized only during full timeouts, not 20-second timeouts, when necessary.
- Whether a player’s foot is on the 3-point line or midcourt line will be determined by where it last touched the floor, meaning a player could have a toe on the three-point line but if he leans back on his heels before he releases the ball a successful shot would be deemed a three-pointer.
- The eight-second backcourt violation will occur when the shot clock reaches 15 seconds, rather than 16. This is necessary because the 24-second shot clock will now be equipped to show 10ths for the final five seconds and work as a “true” clock. From a technical standpoint, the old shot clock began with 24.9 seconds and expired with .9 left. Now the clock will switch from 24 to 23 seconds after .1 second has expired.
- Referees will be vigilant about defenders making contact with offensive players when they’re in the air and fully extended attempting to score. In most cases, expect this kind of foul to draw a Flagrant Level 2, which is two free throws, possession of the ball and the defender being ejected. “That type of contact was a trend last season and it’s really dangerous,” said NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson.
