Nice little story about Russ from Nike’s official site: “You know a coaches have a lot of different styles of play. And 
people like to say ‘that doesn’t fit the players’ or whatever. But I think it’s very important to stay focused on what the coach is trying to do with the team. Because the bottom line is: if you play within the team and achieve your goals together, all the individual stuff will come with that to. And if you want to make it to the next level, you’ve got to achieve those goals.”
In an SI roundtable the great Jack McCallum says the Thunder are one of his favorite storylines so far: “So as not to bring out the big storylines yet, I’m going to say the Thunder’s being above .500. Generally, a young team with one dominant scorer — Kevin Durant, at 28.3 points per game, is averaging 12 more than the second-highest scorer, Russell Westbrook — equates to a struggling team. But there the Thunder stand, just one game out of a playoff spot, even as people in Seattle remain angry about a franchise that was hijacked from under them. But “quarter pole” should be in boldface — it’s really early.”
A recap of KD’s Giving Tree from last night: ”First, Kevin Durant took on LeBron James. Then it was Carmelo Anthony. On Tuesday, he took on the challenge of providing a Christmas for kids who otherwise might have gone without one. In a brief break from a busy stretch of basketball for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant took three young boys on a shopping spree at Penn Square Mall, then delegated some holiday shopping to some fans willing to lend a hand. Durant, who trails only James and Anthony in the NBA scoring race after facing the two on back-to-back days, held a “Giving Tree” event for 100 kids served by Oklahoma City-based charities Sunbeam Family Services and Positive Tomorrows.”
The next batch of future rankings has OKC moving up a spot to three: ”The Thunder’s strong start propelled them to third in the rankings, as the good play of rookie James Harden and the continued progress of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook caused us to move the Thunder’s roster from sixth to third in our rankings. At this point the Thunder look like a playoff team, although that may actually hurt their score going forward. They possess both their own first-round draft pick and an unprotected one from Phoenix in June’s draft; while we haven’t downgraded them much yet, their draft rating is going to take a hit if both teams continue playing this well.”
There was already some discussion on it, but the Blazers might be shopping Steve Blake.
The Thunder’s fallen off in ESPN’s Award Watch, with KD out of the MVP race and James Harden out of the rookie race. But Scott Brooks is still the coach of the year and Thabo still in the hunt for defensive player of the year: “Few players bring more passion to the defensive end of the court than Sefolosha, who has been the league’s best perimeter defender this season.” But a vote has 55 percent saying KD should be in the MVP hunt.
NBA.com has its list of gifts for the NBA crazed fan.
Chris Tomasson of FanHouse on Shaun Livingston: ”Shaun Livingston hasn’t watched a replay. And he never will. On Feb. 26, 2007, Livingston, then with the Los Angeles Clippers, crashed to the floor while driving in for a layup on a fast break against Charlotte. His left knee twisted badly as he suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in NBA history. Before he was carted off on a stretcher, Livingston moaned in agony. Torn was his anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament and his lateral meniscus. He badly sprained his medial collateral ligament and dislocated his kneecap and tibia-femoral joint.”
Tomasson also had this on Twitter last night: “How much does Thunder coach Scott Brooks say Kevin Durant has improved as a defender? “He couldn’t stop me his first year,’’ Brooks said.”
Five things you might not know about Thabo: ”My dad is from South Africa. My mom is from Switzerland. My dad is black and my mom is white … I speak three languages — French, Italian and English. (Laughing) I think I can count English.”
@astrorob
But Serge speaks French, in Lingala.
@girlballer
I heard Thabo speaks French, in Russian.
@Anonymous
Agreed...If I could bring one play from them to us it would be Beidrens and CJ Watson to run backup pt after him.
Sorry that was me "anonymous"
justin :definitely has more of a chance than Jeff Green to be a successful PF in the league though obviously Jeff is a more polished overall player.
I don't think a majority of people would say that. Maybe if you're in the Randolph fan club, but I would think nationally more people would disagree with you.
Anthony Randolph is a good prospect, definitely has more of a chance than Jeff Green to be a successful PF in the league though obviously Jeff is a more polished overall player.
Randolph is suffering through some terrible coaching and management in Golden State. Whatever team acquires him, if any, will probably be thankful in the long run. I love the guy's skill set.
@kev
my point is “you are what you are”
I agree to a large extent.
But, in my mind at least, there is the possibility that Nellieball (plus dysfunction) exacerbates the problem. If I imagine KD in Golden State, I'm sure he'd be told to shoot first. Right now, in our system, KD is a willing passer, even though he's scoring option number 1. Would that be the same story if he played for GSW?
That was my worry for Curry (I realize that rhymes). Ball movement is a discipline, and it takes the whole team concentrating on that goal. I know Nellie used to move the ball really well, but the mess he has now is something different than in previous years.
Anyway, I'd rather have Beidrens a million times over Randolph, but I'm still impressed with Randolph's skill level.
I don't see how Randolph would fit in here. He's a floater, not an inside presence like we need. We might as well put Durant at the 4.
Jax Raging Bile Duct :@kev
Do you think a guy like Curry, in that system long enough, would turn to the dark side? Maybe not Curry, but Watson or Morrow?
Was Randolph a ball hog at LSU?
It’s just that we’ve never seen him play in a system other than Nellie’s “shoot first please” system. I just wonder if there is a coaching staff out there who could turn him around.
Curry - definitely not . . .
Watson or Morrow, possibly a little . . .
my point is "you are what you are" . . .
Randolph has played at several levels: elementary, middle school, high school, and 1 year of college . . .
at some point, I am sure some halfway decent coach told him that sharing the ball is how you win games. Now someone will come back with "well, most of the time he was the best player on his team, so the coach probably gave him the green light" . . .
I didn't watch him at LSU, but they are a legitimate Division I program - surely they coached him on how to play team ball . . .
Have I ever talked to him? No. I don't know what he is thinking - I just know what I see - he gets the ball, he drives, he shoots - it's a broken record . . .
@kev
Do you think a guy like Curry, in that system long enough, would turn to the dark side? Maybe not Curry, but Watson or Morrow?
Was Randolph a ball hog at LSU?
It's just that we've never seen him play in a system other than Nellie's "shoot first please" system. I just wonder if there is a coaching staff out there who could turn him around.
randolph only takes 9 shots per game, less then jeff green, 5 fewer then green and only is scoring 3 PPG less, but has no 3 point range and isnt a better rebounder then JG. He would be ok if we traded a draft pick or something for him, but i wouldnt give up any of our players
MartzMimic :You know who I’m going to miss tonight? Malik Rose. I just loved watching him bang on Dirk last year. You could tell it frustrated him, particularly in the win at the Ford Center.
I wish they would put Durant on Dirk - his length would bother Dirk - but they will probably put Green on him . . . Jeff did great last night, but Dirk would just shoot over Green . . .
You know who I'm going to miss tonight? Malik Rose. I just loved watching him bang on Dirk last year. You could tell it frustrated him, particularly in the win at the Ford Center.
Jax Raging Bile Duct :Everyone will ask themselves the same question about Randolph. “Can he learn to share, and is he willing to play in our system?”
Is Randolph the type of pro who would be willing to forgo his own agenda to play well within another system?
There is a possibility that Nellie’s system makes a guy look like a ball hog. I know it’s let Monte Ellis’ bad habits get even worse.
So is it Randolph, or Nellie’s system? Could Randolph adjust his game? Would he be willing?
Curry and CJ Watson are on the same team - both are very wililng passers - same thing for Morrow . . .
it's not the system, it's the player . . .
I bet it's really difficult for GMs to get a bead on what GSW has to offer.
Everyone will ask themselves the same question about Randolph. "Can he learn to share, and is he willing to play in our system?"
Is Randolph the type of pro who would be willing to forgo his own agenda to play well within another system?
There is a possibility that Nellie's system makes a guy look like a ball hog. I know it's let Monte Ellis' bad habits get even worse.
So is it Randolph, or Nellie's system? Could Randolph adjust his game? Would he be willing?
The one, the only, the incomprable: DON :
kev :Randolph = ballhog . . .no thanks . . .
you = wrong
I've seen almost every Warriors game this year - he shoots the ball almost every time he gets it - classic ballhog - there is a reason why he isn't starting . . .
--------------
even if you don't trust my ballhog assessment - why doesn't he start for an injury ravaged, losing team ?????
@Royce
I agree and why they are probally going to have a bit of a tough time unloading him.
The only way I like Randolph is if he gets a three-week seminar in team basketball and completely is able to wash his Nellie experience clean.
He's a heckuva talent that would be nice to have because he can really play the three, four and five, but I don't think he's a "Presti player".
kev :
Randolph = ballhog . . .
no thanks . . .
you = wrong
@Bernard
What about Anthony Randolph? he would be a hell of a pick up and might be able to be gotten for cheap considering their madness. I think he could be similar to a Beasley coming in but cheaper. Him and Harden in the second unit could straight out wreck I bet.
@kev
QFT.
Randolph = ballhog . . .
no thanks . . .
WHOA!!!! Did you guys see this about Randolph?
http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/63442/20091216/warriors_willing_to_trade_randolph/
WE NEED TO GET HIM ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Jax--I don't think it is as bad as what it says about how much time "I" am spending on this blog---seriously!!
But anytime I can open someones mind to the wonder that is "Twilight" I think it is as good thing? (thick with sarcasm)
@girlballer
I thought of you the other day. I was watching The Office, and Jim gave Kelly a Twilight poster. Funny scene. I know it sounds weird that something reminded me of an Internet person, but it's true. I don't know what that says about me, or the amount of time I spend on this blog.
@Bernard
I agree. This is the same front office that traded Jamal Crawford for Speedy Claxton's rotting corpse and a guy who is currently the fourth-string point guard on the Bobcats. Brain-dead is a good term to describe the GS front office.
dirk tends to rip us apart as we have nobody to defend him, maybe ibaka can.
we talked about getting biedrins from GSW and I just want to point out one thing.
for all those trades that we think [GSW would LOL and hang up], well their FO is not as clever as ours. let's just put it this way, We have one of the best GM in NBA, they have one of the worst. They have no direction, they are not sure where they are going. so I think it might cost us really little to get Biedrins if Presti works his magic, again.
@Jax--i'd pay quite a bit to see that. Charity auction idea Thabo? Are you out there?
***supposed to be longtime spurs fan
first hope we smash the mavs tonight, mostly as a longtime spurs thats the team i hate the most. that being said kd reminds me a lot of dirk, they have similiar langy bodies and can hit any shot, hopefully kd can come out with a fantasic hair style to rival dirks. lastly an idea for a shirt, since we're the team that cannot be named, put that in dark green on a black shirt around an image of kd or rumble in the style of the dark mark, yup that shirt would be killer
I don't know how much I would give to jam with Thabo, but it would be a freakin' lot.
@Vega--I would support that casting choice as well!
Sorry I was supposed to mention Steve Blake in there to make it sort of relevant to what was being talked about :)
Portland's in a weird place right now. They're not going to win a title with that core unless Greg Oden gets healthy and is productive. I think they missed a huge opportunity last season to trade Raef Lafrentz' expiring for a small forward, maybe Caron Butler? They kind of just coasted through and have put a lot of pressure on their youth, who they haven't really supplemented much with proven talent beyond a quickly fading Andre Miller.
This is a good example of what can happen when you put all your eggs in one basket. Rarely do teams develop all their talent and put a winning team on the floor just like that, most get to the top by maneuvering assets to supplement the core, or in some cases trading away most or all of the core for a new one (Boston).
I hope Sam Presti and the Thunder do not fall into this trap and are proactive about using their assets (cap space being one of them) to supplement and/or improve what's being built here. You look at Portland with the Roy and Aldridge contracts, and Miller, they are kind of locked in now to what they're doing.
well only playing 3 games then getting hurt for the season really helps out the PER, as does shooting 66% from the floor and 50% from 3.
@girlballer
Darn it, you stole my joke! I was going to say the same thing about Ibaka. :P
@shiki=4 seasons
Just to kind of carry over the discussion from last night. I don't think so either... just because I mention a player being available doesn't mean I support it.
@Matthew Chatelain
Oh my. That's awesome. I've got to put something up about that.
why do you mention Steve Blake,Royce?I dont think he can help thunder
@Matthew Chatelain
That is completely awesome.
Check this out, Kyle weaver is ranked the best player in the NBA by espn:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/rankings?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2fhollinger%2frankings
The fact that westbrook is our 2nd leading scorer is bad, it should be jeff green, but he has been the disappearing man this season, maybe he needs to come off the bench and start collison at the 4.
Thabo speaks three languages and is a master at chess? Are we sure he isn't "BOND.... James BOND!"
Also, I think he should replace the old guy on the DosXX commercials as the "most interesting man in the world" you know the one who doesn't always drink beer--but when he does--he drinks DosXX. Love that commercial.
Update for those who weren't up late last night . . .
the defensive breakdown on the Nuggets game is up on that thread . . .