Let’s just start this out real simple like. Last season, Oklahoma City was 8-33 away from the Ford Center. That was good for (or bad for, depending on perspective) the third fewest road wins in the league last year.
Fast forward to this season. The Thunder won their eighth road game on Dec. 28 and already has 10 in their pocket. That’s like, improvement or something. OKC’s 10 road wins are good for (and this time, there’s no alternative) second in the Western Conference (tied with Houston) and fifth overall in the league (again, tied with Houston). The Thunder’s .555 road winning percentage is third in the West (behind Dallas and the Lakers, who have only played 11 road games so far) and fourth overall in the league.
To me, that’s amazing. We all expected this team to be better. We all expected some kind of turnaround. But that drastic of a turnaround on the road is astounding. That’s typically the last thing that comes for young teams, or really any team. Sure you can win at home, but can you take that same energy and focus on the road? In fact, some really good teams don’t.
Consider: Denver is 8-10 on the road. Portland 9-9. Utah 6-10. Phoenix 8-10. San Antonio 6-7. Obviously, there are still some 25 road games left for basically everyone so things could change. But at this point, OKC’s road production is nothing short of holy-crap impressive. In fact, it’s what separates them from other teams around them in the standings. Memphis is 16-16, but 6-11 on the road. Sacramento is a surprising 14-19, but 3-12 away from Arco. New Orleans 16-16, but 3-13 in roadies. Utah 18-16, but 6-10 in road tilts.
This is speculation that could obviously be wrong, but if early returns are any indication, I’d say OKC is a step ahead of all teams directly around it (Sacto, Memphis, NOLA, Utah, etc.) mainly because of the road wins. Maybe not, but I think the winning on the road means the Thunder is simply put, a better team. There are maybe a whole host of reasons as to why OKC is, but the road wins are an easy place to start.
Now before you look it up, I have it right here for you. The Thunder’s 10 road wins are against Detroit, the Clippers, San Antonio, Miami, Utah, Memphis, Phoenix, New Jersey, Washington and Chicago. That’s four wins against .500 or better teams, including Phoenix (13-3 at home), San Antonio (14-5 home) and Utah (12-6 home). And all those teams are a combined 96-64 (.600 winning percentage) on their own floor. So it’s not like the wins have all come against patsies.
The main problem so many young but talented teams face is yeah, they can win at home. But they stink when they take it on the road. You’ll see a squad with an overall record of 35-47, but they were 22-19 at home and 13-28 on the road. The way teams step into that next level is that they start winning away from home. Right now, Oklahoma City is finding that formula.
Sure, maybe you could look at it that the 9-7 home record is a bigger deal because that means the Thunder isn’t taking care of business at home like their around .500 counterparts, but road winning is the harder skill to master. Especially when consider really the only “bad” loss at home was to the Clippers. The Thunder’s home schedule has been incredibly tough thus far. The Ford Center wins will come. But the fact this team is piling them up away from it, is kind of a big deal.
My bad fellas. Even at 140k, $750 a month seems low. But DAMN! Nice deal he got.
i know where CP3 lived, it was in my parents neighborhood, $750 is possible, those houses 2 years ago were $140,000.
Jax Raging Bile Duct :
I think CP3 was exaggerating the price. I live here, houses like that are at least double that price for rent. Read the tweet again, and notice the …not
Ridin round okc n its bringin back SO MANY memories…look at my old house for 2yrs…payd $750 a month…not http://tweetphoto.com/8079977
Regardless, it’s cool he’s taking a stroll down memory lane. I always heard he was a big fan of Charlestons. There’s one about 10 minutes from my house, and I always wondered if that one was the one he liked.
Actually, his full statement was "...not now"--read the caption on the pic.
The best thing CP3 could do is bump OKC some more. If players get that you can live in OKC for cheap and they are the chill out and relax type of guys(KD) opposed to the I carry guns in the locker room type (too soon?) and also assuming they will fit the 'system', that's good pub.
@Jax I think at the end he says '...not now lol' meaning not in NO, but either way
Vega :@dorkHe’s a rebounding PF/C. He’s a half-decent player, and we could get him for free, which would be nice.
I watch a few of his games this year and he seemed kinda lazy.
@GAP
I play it on the 360. I'm hooked on the superstar mode. A few little tweeks in next years edition like contract signings, and being able to complaing to the media/sign agents, and I would only leave my house for Thunder games.
I think CP3 was exaggerating the price. I live here, houses like that are at least double that price for rent. Read the tweet again, and notice the ...not
Ridin round okc n its bringin back SO MANY memories...look at my old house for 2yrs...payd $750 a month...not http://tweetphoto.com/8079977
Regardless, it's cool he's taking a stroll down memory lane. I always heard he was a big fan of Charlestons. There's one about 10 minutes from my house, and I always wondered if that one was the one he liked.
@crick
750 a month for that house... wow! Who wouldn't want to live in OKC thats chump change for these guys. Heck I could afford to live in that house.
Sorry if this has been discussed but does a sign and trade deal including JG for Chris Bosh sound even better now?
also, gotta look at CP3's twitter page...
Oneandonlycp3
he's in town and reminiscing about OKC - posting a pic of his old house, heh
just finished watching
Scott Brooks interviewed on NBA-TV
on the phone, not in person, but whatever. says what he always says, but some good clips accompany.
You can just feel the OKC Thunder love in the studio. Go watch it.
Mully Mulls :I play 2K10 on the 360 (although I’m normally a Sony fan but I digress)… My GT is White Hazelnut if anyone is interested in gettin balled on… although you gotta play with someone other than OKC cuz they’re all I play with (Assoc mode).
Pretty funny how West is talking about goin to the rack more early and that’s exactly what I do on the game! My team is like 15 games on the good side of .500 too with D-Money (I HATE “Durantula”) avging 31.8/game. Seems pretty realistic to me!
Yeah, I play with the Thunder on PS3 and Russ is avg 12 assist a game, good enough to lead the league!
I play 2K10 on the 360 (although I'm normally a Sony fan but I digress)... My GT is White Hazelnut if anyone is interested in gettin balled on... although you gotta play with someone other than OKC cuz they're all I play with (Assoc mode).
Pretty funny how West is talking about goin to the rack more early and that's exactly what I do on the game! My team is like 15 games on the good side of .500 too with D-Money (I HATE "Durantula") avging 31.8/game. Seems pretty realistic to me! :)
crick :here’s one nice thing about this season:
I like to read opposing teams’ blogs before (during/after) games. The fan posts are very interesting. Last year, whenever the Thunder came to town, there was a lot of mockery of the team name, uniforms, of OKC, etc. There were a lot of comments of the type “Thunder tonight? Alright, mark this down as a W”
Now… it’s a whole different thing. Fans comments read like “don’t go to sleep on OKC, they’re pretty good this year” or “watch out, this is going to be a tough one tonight”. I’m even starting to see (from some sub 500 teams) comments such as “I’d like to think we can win this one tonight, but probably not. KD is a beast”
It’s delicious!
you don't ask for respect -
you earn it . . .
@MartzMimic
me neither!
Time for a totally off-topic comment...
I was checking out some of the links from TrueHoop, and I haven't seen another blog out there that has the interaction of DT.
I'm annoyed with Roko Ukic for getting waived by the Bucks per his request. I kick butt with him on 2K10. I can get to the bucket with no effort with him, and I have mastered his shooting stroke, which is very handy because defenders hang back when I'm behind the three-point line, leaving me to drain three after three. We need to sign him next season just so I can use him in 2K.
@f5alcon
yea i want to get a crew game going with the thunder players vs some of us here on the forum...
...also noticed the other day i'm horrible in a normal non-myplayer game but rock it when I only have to play the big man :)
i really wish eric maynor would post his GT for 2k10
@crick
none of the other thunder players are following him so i bet its fake
@Mark
yeah really, carer he is in the 40s but still his job is to play basketball, and missing 3 out of 4 times when shooting free throws is horrible, probably should just close his eyes and throw it in the direction of the basket, would probably make more
.
Serge on Twitter!!!
I hope it's legit.
(does he know enough English to post stuff?)
@crick
You are nominated for "Most Positive Poster" (see also: homer)
Anyone care to second?
@f5alcon
How is ANYONE a 27% free throw shooter? Heck, I might be able to make 27% with my off hand!
here's one nice thing about this season:
I like to read opposing teams' blogs before (during/after) games. The fan posts are very interesting. Last year, whenever the Thunder came to town, there was a lot of mockery of the team name, uniforms, of OKC, etc. There were a lot of comments of the type "Thunder tonight? Alright, mark this down as a W"
Now... it's a whole different thing. Fans comments read like "don't go to sleep on OKC, they're pretty good this year" or "watch out, this is going to be a tough one tonight". I'm even starting to see (from some sub 500 teams) comments such as "I'd like to think we can win this one tonight, but probably not. KD is a beast"
It's delicious!
yeah we are not so far off of the elite teams, just a little better on offense or defense and we will be a great team.
@DSMok1
Ah, very nice.
This is speculation that could obviously be wrong, but if early returns are any indication, I’d say OKC is a step ahead of all teams directly around it (Sacto, Memphis, NOLA, Utah, etc.) mainly because of the road wins.
You could just look at the Pure Power Rankings that Basketball Geek put together to know that!
I think his rankings are the best--he explicitly takes into account pace and opposition efficiency. He even includes the standard errors of the estimates!
crick :
just 4 more wins to equal last season’s win total…
gosh, I hope we make it!
lol, i hope we make it next week against the spurs.
I would trade etan for boone at the deadline if we cant get anything better, he only costs 3 million a year, but he would just sit the bench/be a trading chip as he is an expiring contract next season, but he is a horrible FT shooter only 27% this year.
just 4 more wins to equal last season's win total...
gosh, I hope we make it!
;)
OKC is unreal on the road - Chicago is not that good, but they had won four in a row, and OKC just SHUT THEM DOWN after the first quarter at Chicago. NBA runs usually happen, but it's usually the home team making that big of a run. Kudos to Brooks for developing that defensive mindset over the summer - it's really great to watch and breakdown . . .
we just friggin rock, that's all there is to it!
@Vega
oh then I agree with Kev on this one.
@dork
He's a rebounding PF/C. He's a half-decent player, and we could get him for free, which would be nice.
Vega :The Nets are shopping Josh Boone. Any interest?
As in.. interested in the "who dat" kind of way? hehe
Vega :The Nets are shopping Josh Boone. Any interest?
none . . .
The Nets are shopping Josh Boone. Any interest?
@dork
ewe that didn't come off correctly... ment to sound kind of Your right, but let me point this out... ahh language tis soo tricky!!
he should just do his rip move and get to the line.
@Bryan
You are correct since you included "at this stage of his career". I don't mind Durant taking the shots he is late in the ball game this year.. even if they are horrible looks. The reason is that hopefully he will realise how bad of a shot he just took at the end of a game. (although I had to remind you anytime takes a jumpshot I always think its going to go in he's just crazy accurate :))
Just think how good their record would be if they didn't wait on Durant to take a lousy shot at the end of every close game...the Milwaukee ending was just a fiasco (fading away from 30 ft??)...let Westbrook, Harden, or anybody else go to rack at game's end and draw contact (maybe you don't get the call, but maybe you do)...KD is a true talent, but at this stage of his career, he is just not a clutch player when the game is on the line and the clock is ticking down...he just settles for what's available, which is usually a long distance prayer.
Daaaaaaaaaaang. Nice!
I think this year the players just dont care where they play they bring the same game all the time which is good, being able to win on the road now means that we will be dominant in a few years, teamd will be scared to play us, rival blog will tremble
I also think that playing at the Ford center, even for the players on the Thunder, is SOOO much different than anyother arena in the league. So much more energy on any given night.... and by energy I mean really loud and supportive fans :)