Wanna Spend Christmas With The Thunder?
Could Oklahoma City get a Christmas game?
Before we explore that question, allow me to ask another. Do you even want a Christmas game?
If so, would you prefer it to be at home, where you can attend it, or on the road so you can watch from the comfort of your couch with your family?
Last season, the Thunder played its first ever Christmas game and everything worked out quite well. OKC beat Denver 114-106, Kevin Durant scored a game-high 44 points and a sold out crowd of 18,203 showed up and enjoyed a great night.
It’s possible that we could be in for a repeat performance.
The NBA will expand its Christmas lineup from three games to five, and the Thunder could be one of the four teams added to the slate. The league is expected to announce the Christmas schedule Friday and release the entire 66-game 2011-12 schedule next week.
But the scuttlebutt is the Thunder will host the Grizzlies at 7 p.m. inside The Peake. It would be the fourth game in the lineup, following Boston at New York, Miami at Dallas and Chicago at the L.A. Lakers. A fifth game would be played at 9:30 p.m. central time.
So who are the best possibilities for the Thunder? (more…)
What Could Pick No. 24 Get The Thunder?
Many Thunder fans are probably still recovering from a post-playoff hangover.
But the NBA Draft is now just three weeks away, and if we’ve learned anything about the Thunder on draft night it’s that it is a team liable to do anything. No one knows whether the Thunder will select a player, trade up, trade down or trade out.
Add to that, fewer fans seem to be paying attention this year. A deep playoff run and first-round positioning that inspires widespread yawning have taken away from the intrigue of the Thunder’s draft. Perhaps there is a growing awareness that whatever prospect the Thunder plucks won’t make an immediate impact. Heck, he might not even make the team. That’s what having a stable of young talent in place and possession of the 24th overall pick gets you.
But draft guru Chad Ford of ESPN.com held a chat today and wrote something very interesting. (Worth noting, though, that the words ‘Oklahoma City’ and ‘Thunder’ weren’t written anywhere in his hour long chat? Further proof that the Thunder is on the back-burner in this year’s draft.) Ford broke down the depth of this year’s class, and indirectly said the Thunder is in prime position to get a quality player. When asked about the draft seemingly being weak at the top but deep toward the end of the first round, Ford responded with this:
For sure. I think people misunderstand the criticism of the draft. The top two picks are really good … but they aren’t superstar caliber. The next 10 players in the draft are typically the sorts of players you get in the late lottery to mid first round. But after that, the draft is really loaded into the mid to late 30s. If I’m drafting anywhere between 15-35, I’m happy with the draft.”
Not saying Ford’s say should be taken as gospel. But that’s got to make Thunder fans feel pretty good, no?
If Oklahoma City stands pat, it’s sounds like the Thunder, at 24, can land a serviceable player with potential to grow into something special. That 24 range is where sleepers usually rest, and the Thunder could very well come away with the next great steal. A few of the more notable recent 24th overall picks include Serge Ibaka in 2008,Rudy Fernandez in 2007, Kyle Lowry in 2006, Delonte West in 2004 and Nenad Krstic in 2002.
Other players recently picked in the 25 to 30 range include Taj Gibson, Nicolas Batum, George Hill, Aaron Brooks, Shannon Brown, Jason Maxiell, David Lee, Tony Allen, Kevin Martin, Beno Udrih, Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa and Josh Howard and John Salmons.
So, historically, there’s clearly been plenty of talent to choose from in the 24 spot.
In its latest mock draft, NBADraft.net currently has the Thunder selecting UCLA swingman Tyler Honeycutt. The website DraftExpress.com currently has the Thunder selecting Duke forward Kyle Singler. And in his latest mock, Ford has the Thunder taking Serbian forward Nikola Mirotic in a select-and-stash strategy.
None of those names are likely to get you all that excited. But maybe one of them, or someone else in that cluster will prove to be effective.
-DM-
Thunder Takes Out Denver, Moves Closer To Northwest Division Crown
News, notes and observations from Tuesday’s 101-94 win over the Denver Nuggets.
- With this win, the Thunder’s magic number for home court advantage is now one. That means a win Wednesday night against the Clippers will clinch it. Or, a loss by Denver on Wednesday at Dallas will suffice. I’d rather see the Thunder control its own destiny.
- The Thunder’s victory also snapped a 10-game Nuggets home winning streak, the last nine of their victories coming without Carmelo Anthony. It also was the franchise’s first win at Denver since March 2007, a streak of seven losses. The franchise lost those seven games by an average of 19.2 points.
- I really liked what Brooks said about the franchise’s recent history inside the Pepsi Center. “The way I look at, we lost to them in the first game here by five and we played a good game. Carmelo was on fire,” Brooks said. “Who cares what we did two year ago, three years ago and in Seattle? We’re focused on what we’re doing now.”
- Give Eric Maynor the game ball. He was the player of the game tonight. In a nine-minute stretch from the end of the third quarter until late in the fourth, he saved the Thunder from another second-half letdown. His decision-making, poise and control turned a three-point deficit into an nine-point lead by the time he sat. Maynor had seven points and three assists in that stretch. Brooks said he thought Maynor was “flawless” during that stretch. That is of course an overstatement, but Maynor wasn’t far from it.
- The most encouraging aspect of tonight’s game has to be how the Thunder controlled the pace. OKC didn’t let Denver turn this into a track meet and it didn’t get have to win a shootout. If the Thunder can do this in the playoffs, advantage Thunder.
- Denver had just eight fast break points. The Nuggets are capable of getting that many in a quarter. One thing that helped the Thunder was that it didn’t have a lot of bad turnovers that led to run out opportunities.
- Another thing the Thunder deserves credit for is controlling the glass. OKC out-rebounded Denver 50-41. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins combined for 25 boards. Ahem, did Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic ever do that? Did they ever come close?
Thunder Makes Quick Work of Minnesota T-Wolves
Nuggets from my notebook from Friday’s 111-103 win over Minnesota.
- Sort of a predictable game. The Wolves stayed close. The Thunder went up big. Minnesota battled back. And OKC ended up blowing them out before it got respectable by the final buzzer.
- That third quarter was disturbing, though. The Thunder was up 16 before the Wolves mustered a 22-8 run and pulled within 82-80 with 33 seconds left. Minnesota made made 10 of 13 shots while the Thunder missed eight of 11 and turned it over three times.
- Kevin Durant’s two 3-pointers turned the tide. KD was 4-for-13 before hitting two 3s in the final 11 seconds of the third quarter. But those were big-time shots. They helped the Thunder lead by six going into the fourth.
- Nazr Mohammed picked it up from there. His contributions in the fourth quarter came out of nowhere and maintained the momentum that Durant’s shots had created. His defense (the charge he took, the deflections and steals he came up with, the interior resistance he supplied) we’ve come to expect. But his offense (10 fourth-quarter points) was unexpected. Nazr scored 10 of the Thunder’s 13 points during a 13-5 run in the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter that bumped OKC’s lead to 101-87. Ball game.
- The entire bench played beautiful basketball tonight. Eric Maynor, James Harden, Mohammed and Nick Collison played their roles to perfection. They shared the ball on offense and created turnovers on defense. At one point in the second quarter, the starters had scored 29 points and the reserves had 27 points.
- Collison was scary good offensively. He made his first six shots before missing his final attempt. But Collison wasn’t just scoring. He was scoring at will. He had a sick crossover on Anthony Tolliver. He hit mid-range jumpers. He scored on running hooks and finished feeds with dunks.
- Kendrick Perkins, for one, thinks Collison should be more assertive on the offensive end. “One thing about Nick that I’ve been telling him a lot lately is I don’t know why he don’t be being aggressive a lot,” Perkins said. “He can play offensively. I think sometimes he gets a little passive and gets caught up in his role, which is good. But he can put the ball in the basket and he can make plays. And I think going into the playoffs we’re going to need everybody. Every night in the playoffs, it’s a certain guy that wins games for you, that has a big night.”
- Perk had his best scoring game since joining the Thunder, chipping in 13 points on 6-for-6 shooting. He said he’s been working on his offense a lot lately and it’s starting to pay off. “I’m starting to feel a little bit better out there on the court,” Perkins said. “I’m starting to get my rhythm back.” Perk also said he was upset at himself for how he played Wednesday against Utah so he used that performance as motivation to have a better showing offensively tonight.
Monday Morning Mailbag
It's plays like this one by Russell Westbrook, surrounded by four Raptors defenders, that have fans calling him a ball hog.
Good Monday, Thunder heads.
Much has happened since our last mailbag. Kendrick Perkins made his Thunder debut. The Thunder went on a season-long six-game winning streak…then saw it snapped by Toronto, which swept the season series. And James Harden has become a player.
In this week’s mailbag, we discuss ball-hogs, buried assets and Byron Mullens’ future.
And as always, join the conversation if you’d like. Our mailbag is always open.
Enjoy!
How do you think the Rockets are finishing up the season? – Myron M.
Resiliently. After all they’ve been through they’re still in the hunt for a playoff spot. And they might actually make it! Five of their final 11 games are against teams below .500. And six of their final 11 come at home. Of their remaining road games – Miami, New Jersey, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Minnesota – only the Heat game looks like a guaranteed loss. The Rockets are only a game and a half behind Memphis for the eighth seed and the Grizzlies have a tougher home stretch with road games at Boston, Chicago, Portland and home dates with Utah, San Antonio and New Orleans remaining. I suspect it will come down to the wire between the Rockets and Grizzlies, maybe even the final day of the regular season.
Hey Darnell. Not to be overly critical because RW is clearly awesome and a work in progress. But clearly someone has not told this guy that he is incredible when he gets his teammates involved. I understand the need for him to be aggressive, but it seems like he can get his whenever and he doesn’t really need to “look for his offense.” Anyway, hopefully he can figure it out because I don’t think it bodes well for the playoffs for Russ to ball hog (a la Kobe) down the stretch. What do you think? – Marc.
We give players so much attention and adoration for scoring that few want to do anything else. Westbrook has proven he can be a great playmaker. But it always seems like there is a moment in every game when he’s just like, ‘Forget this. I’m scoring.’ You’re right, he’s awesome. But he’d be great if he was a threat to both score as well as make his teammates better at all times. It’d keep the defense off balance and improve everyone’s efficiency. Finding the right balance and consistently being able to play with it should be Westbrook’s focus this summer. His takeover-ability, however, actually should help the Thunder in the playoffs. It did last year. And if things get bogged down this postseason, it’s great to have an option that can create something in a hurry.
Hey Darnell. I’m a huge Thunder fan. Watched every game the past two years. Regarding this year’s draft, if Kawhi Leonard is still there when the Thunder picks, which is 50/50, we need to take him. He’s very athletic. A great rebounder and ball-handler. Solid defender, passer and shooter. He was a double-double machine all year. Please tell Presti or Scotty or anyone really about this kid. – Jeff S.
Sorry, Jeff. I highly doubt he’ll be around. I haven’t watched a second of San Diego State this season so I’m honestly not familiar with his game. I’ll have to take your word for it. But the Thunder is on pace to pick in the mid-20s. Leonard is projected to be a lottery pick. With Presti running the show, there’s always a chance of the Thunder trading on draft night, perhaps even trying to move up to get him or someone else. But if Leonard is as good as the scouts and so-called draft experts say he is, it’d be hard for the Thunder to get its hands on him.
The Search For A 15th Man
Shaun Livingston served as the 15th man for a time with the Thunder. Who might it be this year?
Days after Thursday’s trading deadline saw four players shipped out of Oklahoma City and only return three, effectively creating one open roster spot, speculation about which player might join the Thunder began to run rampant.
Corey Brewer and Jason Kapono were two of the early names the Thunder reportedly had interest in.
But on Tuesday, the team’s plans for the 15th position became a little bit clearer. And those plans don’t sound like they include Corey Brewer or Jason Kapono types.
“That 15th spot, nothing against that 15th spot because I was that 15th spot a few times in my career, it’s very slim that that spot plays,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. “It’s usually a high energy (player) that makes practices very competitive.”
Look back through the Thunder’s history and you’ll see that precise pattern.
During the 2008-09 season, the Thunder signed center Steven Hill to man that spot, then waived him when Nenad Krstic agreed to an offer sheet. Point guard Chucky Atkins was then acquired as part of a mid-season trade with Denver and assumed the role. Late in that season, Shaun Livingston was signed as the 15th man when Joe Smith was waived on March 1.
Last season, the Thunder started the year with Ryan Bowen as its 15th man. Bowen logged just eight minutes in one game before being waived. He was replaced by Mike Wilks in late November. Wilks played just 59 minutes over four games. When the Thunder acquired Eric Maynor, it had to take on Matt Harpring’s contract as well, forcing the team to waive Livingston and Wilks. The Thunder later waived Harpring (who was injured and never reported to OKC) and signed Antonio Anderson from the D-League’s Rio Valley Grande Vipers as the 15th man. Anderson played 15 minutes in just one game while lasting on two 10-day contracts. In mid-March, the Thunder replaced Anderson with guard Mustafa Shakur, first inking him to a 10-day contract, then for the rest of the season. Shakur never appeared in a game for the Thunder.
Going off the Thunder’s history, the current spot would seemingly be filled by a lesser known player, perhaps from the D-League or a veteran who can provide a stabilizing presence. A few of the more realistic names include: Leon Powe, Elijah Millsap, Dominic McGuire, Jannero Pargo, Devin Brown, Trenton Hassell, Da’Sean Butler, Kyle Weaver (yes, that Kyle Weaver) and Ime Udoka.
That’s all just more speculation, of course, as there is a chance, albeit remote, the spot goes unfilled.
“We’ve talked about it,” Brooks said. “It’s always a spot that can stay available. I don’t know yet. I’m still trying to figure out how we can integrate our players that we have now. I’m not sure if we’re going to use that or not. But if we do, I know it’s going to be another player that we can know what to expect from him. He’s going to be a good kid. He’s going to be a worker. And he’s going to have some good skill sets.”
And just because the Thunder now has a logjam at point guard, shooting guard, power forward and center doesn’t mean a more natural small forward is the target, Brooks said.
“We have a lot of options with our team that we can throw different lineups out there,” said Brooks. “Kevin (Durant) does not really have a true backup, but Daequan Cook can play there, Thabo (Sefolosha) can play there, we can throw James (Harden) there, we can throw Kevin at the 4. We can throw different lineups on the floor that if we pick up somebody it doesn’t necessarily (have to be) a 3.”
-DM-
Lakers 90, Thunder 87
Nuggets from my notebook from Sunday’s loss to L.A.
- The Thunder played an excellent opening period. OKC jumped out to a 12-2 run and showed early it was ready to compete for 48 minutes, whether shorthanded or not. A 28-22 lead was the result.
- Thabo Sefolosha’s defense on Kobe Bryant was outstanding. Sefolosha made Bryant work for everything he got. He forced him into an air-ball, which ended up in a Lakers shot clock violation. He stripped Bryant following a pump fake. And he was a pest in the passing lanes, coming up with another steal on an entry pass into Kobe at the high post. What shouldn’t go overlooked is the job Thabo did on Kobe off the ball as well. Sefolosha denied entry passes extremely well, and once Kobe gave it up Thabo rarely allowed him to get it back. It took Bryant right out of the offense.
- My question is where has this level of defense been from Sefolosha all season?
- Bryant finished with 17 points on 8-for-22 shooting. He had seven assists by also four turnovers.
- Here’s a shocker. Kobe didn’t attempt a single free throw. That happened only once this year, in the Lakers’ road loss to Cleveland. You’d have to go back to last season to find the last time Bryant didn’t take at least one foul shot and the Lakers won. He pulled that feat in back-to-back games against Washington and San Antonio on March 21 and March 24
- The Thunder scored 31 points in the second half. OKC made 12 of 40 shots (30 percent) and turned the ball over 10 times. The turning point came early in the third quarter. The Thunder came out of the locker room playing selfish basketball. The ball movement dried up, and too many players went into hero made, taking bad shots and forcing one-on-one plays. It completely killed the team’s rhythm.
- The Thunder scored just 13 points in the third quarter, when it made just five of 22 shots. There was a stretch late where I would have loved to see Nate Robinson get some burn. The guy can be instant offense and is capable of igniting a team and the crowd.
- Once again, late game execution on offense was a problem. The Thunder scored just three points in the final 3 1/2 minutes. Over that same span, the Thunder had three turnovers. The one bucket the Thunder did get was a 3-pointer from Russell Westbrook.
- The final minute was discouraging. Kevin Durant had a Ron Artest strip the ball from him with 49.9 seconds left and the Thunder down three. And when Bryant missed a jumper, Serge Ibaka secured the rebound to give the Thunder another chance. Westbrook then dribbled around like a chicken with his head cut off before barrelling down the lane for a charge. And when Lamar Odom missed two free throws, the Thunder wasted two more chances to tie when Durant missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key and James Harden misfired on a trey following a tap out by Nick Collison.
Magic 111, Thunder 88
News, notes and observations from Friday’s loss at Orlando.
- With four players shipped out and three players yet to report, Thunder coach Scott Brooks was forced to use 10 different lineups according to my count. And some of them looked like preseason units at best. Maybe even summer league. Eric Maynor, Daequan Cook, James Harden, Thabo Sefolosha and Cole Aldrich. Really? What can the Thunder possible do against the Magic with that mix and match bunch?
- Oddly enough, the team’s bench played better than the more decorated starters. Maynor was the distributor Russell Westbrook decided he didn’t want to be tonight. Cook provided the shooting Kevin Durant couldn’t. And Harden, with a strong all-around game, made yet another case to supplant Sefolosha as the starter.
- If you’re wondering whether the loss of a few teammates played a big factor in this one, Durant comes through with his opinion. “It’s real tough,” Durant said. “Those guys were like brothers to us here. Not to see them out there on the bench clapping for us, in the locker room speaking up, it’s tough.” Durant was then asked if their departures disrupted the flow of the team. “It felt a little different going out there and playing, not having our guys out there,” Durant said. “But hopefully next game we get back into the flow and be all right.”
- In my eyes, Dwight Howard spoiled a spectacular game by remaining in the game to ensure he got 40. I put most of the blame on Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who you otherwise will never hear me say a bad word about. Van Gundy should have taken Howard out of the game during a timeout with 2:27 left on the clock. Instead, they showed up the Thunder and showed little class. Dwight’s 40th point came on a lob pass from Hedo Turkoglu with exactly 2:00 left to play. The Magic were up 20. His basket put the Magic up 22.
- I doubt Howard and the Magic would have been so strident had Kendrick Perkins been on the court. I can’t wait to see Perk’s scowl.
- Speaking of, the trio of new players are expected to practice with the team Saturday and meet the media following the session. I’m told all three players were in OKC on Friday taking physicals. If all goes well, I’d expect to see Nazr Mohammed and Nate Robinson in uniform Sunday. Perkins is out at least a week with a left knee injury.
- Does this bit from Howard ease the sting of Howard’s monster game and boastful final bucket?
Five Quick Thoughts On OKC’s Deals
1) I love both deals. In one trade, the Thunder essentially packaged its out of position power forward (who is probably better suited as a sixth man) and its token starting center for a proven championship caliber center who can anchor its defense. In the other deal, OKC dealt spare parts for additional size, shot-blocking, experience and frontcourt depth. And the Thunder did it all without blowing up its budget in the short or long term. That about sums up the day. Yeah, the Thunder came out a huge winner.
2) I hope Perkins is healthy. The team’s medical staff already has pored over the particulars in Perkins’ history. No red flags were raised during that process, which ultimately paved the way for the Thunder to agree to the deal. Perkins must now pass a physical, and his knees will be the biggest question marks. Perk missed this season’s first 43 games after tearing the MCL and PCL in his knee in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. And he is currently sidelined for at least a week with a sprained MCL in his left knee. If even the slightest sign of something fishy appears during the physical process, we could see the Thunder rescind the deal. I highly doubt that happens. But Thunder general manager Sam Presti has proven in the past (see Tyson Chandler) that he listens to and trusts his medical staff. He’d nix this deal as well if need be. All indications, however, are that the Thunder organization believes Perkins is good to go and ready to be a cornerstone in OKC.
3) The Thunder just got tough. How many teams will want to to pick on a starting frontline of Perkins and Serge Ibaka? The answer is zero. The Thunder won’t be bullied by anyone. Not now. Not in the playoffs. For 2 1/2 seasons, the Thunder has been more of a finesse team. But both of today’s deals add more force and fire. Russell Westbrook is as tough as a point guard as you’ll find (ask Jermaine O’Neal), and Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed have much-needed meanness as well. Perk and Mohammed are a match made in heaven for the Thunder.
4) Don’t underestimate Nate Robinson. It’s easy to look at him as a throw in. Don’t. Robinson has value. And lots of it. Whether he matters in Oklahoma City, though, will all depend on Scott Brooks. If Brooks gives Robinson minutes, he could be a serious spark plug. He scores in bunches and poses problems for defenses. He might be small. But he’s quick, he’s strong and he can shoot. Robinson can also get to the rack. So forget about where he plays. What’s important is that he plays. He’s a point guard but can slide over and steal minutes at the 2 in some situations, or all0w Westbrook to move over at times. Robinson might not fit in OKC long term. But my eyes are locked strictly on this year’s postseason. A scorer like Robinson who can heat up in a hurry is never a bad thing to have coming off your bench. It’s players like Robinson who can steal a game in a series. Just go back and look at Game 4 of last year’s Finals.
5) Say hello to better defense. You’re tired of seeing it. I’m tired of writing about it. The Thunder’s defense just hasn’t been as good this year as it was last season. At least not consistently. Perkins and Ibaka could be great together. They present ideal size and a perfect blend of bulk and athleticism. Perk is an exceptional position defender. Ibaka is a great shot-blocker who’s at his best when helping off his man. Together, they should shore up the team’s D while making everyone else in front of them better. Now, the Thunder can rely less on helping the post, either on post-ups or penetration, and stay at home more on shooters. It should have a trickle down effect that leads to better 3-point defense.
-DM-
Thunder 111, Clippers 88
News, notes and observations from Tuesday’s win over the Clippers.
- The most significant thing of the night had nothing to do with anything on the court. The most intriguing action surfaced following multiple reports that claim the Thunder is actively searching for a center as Thursday’s trade deadline approaches. Denver’s Nene was at the center of the reports Tuesday, and the Thunder was linked to Memphis shot-blocker Hasheem Thabeet as well. I haven’t heard anything that suggests the Thunder is close to a deal for either player, and my feeling is what’s being reported is snippets of standard conversations. It’s no secret that the Thunder needs improved inside play so the organization is going to be linked to just about every player over 6-9. And the front office would be crazy to not be taking and making calls. So none of the reports come as a surprise. I’ve written that the Thunder has the assets to get a deal done. But I wouldn’t hold my breath for any sort of blockbuster.
- Now to the game. This is what the Thunder is supposed to do to bad teams. Lost in all the Blake Griffin hype was the fact that the Los Angeles Clippers are still the Clippers. They’re 15 games below .500, and the Thunder walked over them like the bottom feeder that they are. Very encouraging result, especially when combined with the Sacramento massacre just before the break.
- The real test comes Wednesday at San Antonio. Starting with the Spurs, and continuing in Orlando on Friday and back here against the L.A. Lakers on Sunday, we’ll get a true sense of where this Thunder team is in this home stretch.
- A huge key in the win tonight was the play of the Thunder’s role players. Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, James Harden, Eric Maynor and Daequan Cook all stepped up in a big way to overcome a poor shooting night from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Each guy chipped in something and made an impact.
- Who would have guessed Durant and Westbrook would combine for 34 points on 32 shots and Green and Harden would combined for 41 points on 23 shots? Not me.
- Give Green credit for this one. He started off in foul trouble but shook off those early struggles and bounced back with a nice offensive performance. What stood out early on is how Green was making the most out of garbage. He found ways to score and capitalized on opportunities when the ball was swung his direction. Classic game for the man known as Uncle Jeff.
- I thought Harden was exceptional tonight. Not perfect, but exceptional. He had only one assist (a beautiful drive and dish to Durant), but his playmaking was better than the assist column gave him credit for. At times, he made the pass that led to the assist. And his shooting touch was on target tonight. He was aggressive unlike he usually is, and his 12 shots tied Green for the second most tonight. More of this type of effort would be welcomed, I’m sure.
