John Rohde with a nice story on how awesome you fans are: ”To celebrate the Thunder’s rise from the dead this season, roughly 100 people assembled early Easter Sunday outside a private hangar at Will Rogers World Airport. Fans lined a chain-link fence to greet the Thunder upon its return from a playoff-clinching victory Saturday night in Dallas. Roughly 18 hours later, a sellout crowd of 18,203 showed up at the Ford Center, and the rejoicing continued with the Thunder’s 116-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.”
ESPNLosAngeles’s Laker blog broke down the Lakers most favorable matchups: “I don’t know that OKCwill go far in the playoffs, because they are too young to be counted on, but I’d rather not see that type of youthful exuberance in the playoffs. A matchup with them is like Russian Roulette. They’ll probably kill themselves, but if not you might be dead.”
From Howlin’ T-Wolf: “But what probably makes [Durant] more enjoyable to watch besides his fluent style of play and game-changing abilities is the fact that Durant seems like just a good, genuine guy. He appears nice and is cool-headed on the court while keeping to himself as he does his thing. Watching Lebron jaw back-and-forth with Kevin Garnett earlier today in the Celtics-Cavaliers match-up made me feel dirty inside. It’s surprising how many cuss words you can read off a person’s lips while watching television. But see, Durant doesn’t do that. He is a stern guy who takes his job seriously but still knows the appropriate time to crack a smile and think, “Man, I’m having a good time.” And that is why I will be rooting for the Oklahoma City Thunder in this year’s NBA Playoffs. Also, I hope K.D. knows that if I were to have an MVP vote, it would be going straight to him.”
Did you know Oklahoma City is just 1.5 games out of second in the West. AND controls its own destiny to win the Northwest Division?
A good story from Darnell Mayberry on the turnaround for Eric Maynor: ”Brooks’ breaking point came early in the second quarter. Maynor tossed up a running jumper with 10:34 to play in the first half and let a 3-pointer fly two possessions later. On the next dead-ball, starter Russell Westbrook made an unusually early return with just less than nine minutes remaining in the second quarter. The next time it was Westbrook’s turn for a breather, Kevin Ollieassumed the backup role with 1:31 left in the third period. Maynor never saw the court again. He played just six minutes that night. He went 0-for-3 from the field and 0-for-2 from 3-point range. Maynor had zero assists, zero rebounds and two fouls.”
Mayberry’s thoughts on the game: “Thunder coach Scott Brooks talked after the game about how the Thunder needs to get its defensive tenacity back. He acknowledged that having some versatility in their winning ways is beneficial. But he reiterated that the way this team is going to be successful will be from locking down defensively. Durant joked afterward that the team’s hallmark has reversed from the start of the season. At the beginning of the year, the offense was what needed help while the defense stood out.”
A great piece from News 9 on a kid getting an Easter wish.
PBT: ”Thunder weren’t’ that good in this game. Kevin Durant was. Some nights, your star goes off and he gets the job done. That’s what happened.”
I hate to plead to the masses, but these are unique circumstances: Does anyone have an extra pair or know of an extra pair of tickets for Wednesday’s game against Denver ($10 tickets preferred… we’re poor)? It’s obviously sold out. One of Mrs. Daily Thunder’s good friends is singing the Star Spangled Banner that night and of course, she’d like to go in support.
The Lost Ogle was all over this little inaccuracy from last night’s broadcast.
Magic Number Watch: ZERO all around! You can OFFICIALLY buy you Why Not? shirt now and not worry about an awful jinx. So go get it.
So correct me if I'm wrong, but if the Thunder win out, do we then win the Northwest Division and lock up the 3rd seed in the West?
Are the division winners automatically seeded 1, 2 and 3. Or can a division winner be a 4th seed if a 2nd place team in another division has a better record than that division winner?
Also, if we were to beat the Nuggets, would we own the tie-breaker over them?
Royce Young :@GAP Don’t worry about it anymore. Someone had an extra set they weren’t going to use. So it worked out well. Really appreciate the offer though.
No problem bro, have a gud time because I will. :D
@Royce
thank you
Ben :
Found a good article, maybe you guys living in Oklahoma would appreciate it more than I would: http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/scott_howard_cooper/04/05/thunder/
Good article, really shows how the team in a lot of ways parallels the city.
astrorob :@MastrMatt
So you are saying that the Gilbert Arenas issue was just a sick ploy to eventually make room for Durant? He even might be encourged to put Green in his carry-on bag…. the end of the Thunder. I am getting on hold as we speak for the Trabster.
Where did I say anything relating to Gil or Washington?
@GAP
Don't worry about it anymore. Someone had an extra set they weren't going to use. So it worked out well. Really appreciate the offer though.
I never thought my ability to draw would take me to a place where exiting things happen 41 times a year. After completing my 4 hrs of drawing caricatures I can't help but be sucked into the Thunder exitment!!!! Go Thunder!!!!
KD won the WCP of the week
What I seen he looked like D-league material.... Maybe something more like a bench warmer for his whole career. Gotta say you can't teach size or athleticism. Hence.. what all us though Ibaka was just a guy with a lot of athleticism and that was it. Just like at Jennings whenever he was in Europe. Sometime guys with a lot of athleticism can not show it over there because of the style of play.
Found a good article, maybe you guys living in Oklahoma would appreciate it more than I would: http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/scott_howard_cooper/04/05/thunder/
Hey so I know this is not the time to be talking about the offseason
and the new additions to our team. We should be talking about the important stuff like the PLAYOFFS!!! I just came across on draftexpress an athletic big guy that would that is an overseas free agent right now.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Timofey-Mozgov-5161/
I just had to post something before I forget all about it. This guy is 7'1" and what I have found weight over 150. I know we got one big man names mullins. But this guy is the opposite from him. He is not a very good offensive player but is tough guy who can get some rebounds. I dunno just thought I would post this and see what people think.
Thought this was interesting. We are rebounding the ball much better lately. Remember when defensive rebounding was a problem?
The last ten games, our defensive rebound rate is 76.3. League average is 73.7. We're doing a fantastic job on the defensive boards. In the first half of the season, we held teams to sub 20% offensive rebound rate (what I'd consider a top quality night on the defensive boards) only six times. We've held teams at or less than 20% ORR seven times in the last fifteen games.
Not sure what to attribute this to. Even though the defense is slipping, our effort on the defensive boards has gotten better.
Knowing the nba, i'm sure the thunder playoff games will all be on NBAtv where half the country won't be able to watch. Its to a point where I kind of want them to fall to the 8th spot, just so they'll get a huge audience playing the lakers.
@Bryan
the last few weeks at work more people have been talking about them at my job.
@Bryan
I've mentioned before a friend of mine who manages a bar in NW OKC. His trouble with the Thunder games is that they are broadcast on KSBI and Fox Sports SW. Those two channels usually don't have anything worth watching other than the Thunder games, which means the TV's aren't tuned to those channels by default. I can't say that I blame them for leaving the TV tuned to ESPN or something more commonly appreciated during times other than Thunder games.
@MastrMatt
So you are saying that the Gilbert Arenas issue was just a sick ploy to eventually make room for Durant? He even might be encourged to put Green in his carry-on bag.... the end of the Thunder. I am getting on hold as we speak for the Trabster.
Outside of the ncaa tourney, what would they have on instead, it's not like the Thunder are a secret, or a horrible team.
@Bryan
Amen. I've got a column in storage for later about exactly that. I went and talked to a few folks about it and got some interesting thoughts on it.
I certainly hope that seeing the Thunder on national TV in the playoffs gets some of the people in OKC to finally take notice and become real fans.
There are plenty of dedicated fans, don't get me wrong. But, when I go to a sports bar and have to REQUEST that the put at least ONE TV on the Thunder game, something is wrong.
Come on people....
I think Denver loses in the first round if Karl is unable to coach them.
@justin
Totally agree with that whole post.
I think the West is really pretty wide open. There are the obvious favorites, but no one is head and shoulders above the rest. There are weaknesses in each team. I really think it will be determined by the seeding and whether or not those weeknesses can be exploited by their match up.
This years playoffs will be a real roller coaster. I'm just glad the Thunder are on the tracks.
On a side note, Durant tweeted about missing DC and how he would usually be packing up and getting read to head home and that he won't be doing that for a while. Royce replied that he could see a media over-reaction to that, due to the Jim / Nick Collision fiasco last year. (In my opinion, Traber came off like a complete jerk and an idiot) I really hope some of the local morons (not all of them are morons) don't jump on this and blow it out of proportion.
They will need Bynum if they want to win the title again. I can't see them beating Cleveland or Orlando without him. You're right, their bench is really awful when Odom is forced to start. Ron Artest has been a major disappointment for them, he's not contributing anything offensively and has been sporadic as a defender.
They are vulnerable. Kobe has over 44,000 minutes played right now. For comparison, Michael Jordan was at about 37,000 NBA minutes when he won his last title and he was practically sucking fumes at that point by his standards.
They'll need Kobe to be Kobe of last season, and Odom to play like he did last year in the playoffs. Even with Bynum, I could see them losing to Utah, a rejuvinated Denver (with George Karl on the sideline), or even San Antonio the way they are playing if they get Parker back.
Am I the only one who thinks the Lakers might not be able to just flip a switch when the playoffs start? They haven't looked good of late, and not just against us. Kobe's been playing more minutes than normal (as I recall, only against Oklahoma City did be play less), so you can't really say they're losing these games because they're on cruise control.
Don't get me wrong. I still think they are the prohibitive favorite in the West. But I'm not nearly as afraid of them as I was before. Maybe when Bynum comes back, everything will fall into place (they will regain their length, and have at least Odom coming off the bench).
@Royce Young
It's no problem I'd be glad to let you and your wife enjoy yourselves in my seats for a game. I have two seats, but don't always go with anyone else anyway.
As Bill Simmons implied in his book, it's a little sad that we had to see this happen posthumously. The criteria for the basketball hall of fame is sort of a joke (no Artis Gilmore, no Sidney Moncrief), but the fact that they let in Joe Dumars before DJ really bugged me. DJ was Dumars before Dumars, and in my opinion a better player.
Still I'm happy DJ got in.
Worth celebrating a historic moment today in ThunderSonics history: the first member of the '79 championship team was elected to the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Dennis Johnson, gone but not forgotten. I was just a kid that year and used to lie in bed with a transistor radio to my ear listening to Bob Blackburn call the games so beautifully I could see the action unfolding in my mind's eye. I was already a Sonics fan, and that scrappy, resilient, unlikely group of heroes cemented my devotion to the game. When I see a point guard streaking to the hoop, I still think of Gus Williams, and Freddy Brown remains the gold standard for shooters in my mind (sorry, Ray). The rest of the team may never make it to the Hall (players, that is--we haven't forgotten you, Lenny), but it's great to celebrate the election of DJ as rep for that championship team--only one by the franchise, only major championship in Seattle sports history. Now let's go win a few more and make more memories! (And indulge those of us who continue to grasp the thin thread of continuity between that team and this one. This bastard child of the Seattle Supersonics is all we have left!)
@Scott
Try this out:
http://www.nba.com/thunder/rumble/funstuff.html
Can anyone help me out? There's a little boy I know who wants his grandpa (who is kindof an amature artist) to draw him a picture of Rumble. The grandpa asked me if I could get him a picture of Rumble as an example. I know I've seen an animated picture of Rumble online somewhere but I can't seem to find it. Do any of you have any links or could you post a good picture like this on here to help me out? It's for a good cause and I didn't know who else to turn to but you guys. Go Thunder!!!!!
@GAP
Oh you don't have to give up your tickets. I'd hate for you to do that. I just meant if anyone had an extra pair or something.
@Royce Young
I got 2 tix in Loud City, pretty good seats I might add. I'll give em to ya, just let me know where to meet you.
Now is the time for Thunder fans everywhere to get ready to rock the Ford Center, any bar they are at, or any t.v. for that matter. To the people going to the games, PLEASE scream and shout and get loud for this team. They will respond everytime. Every play you have to get LOUD!!! This is huge for the team, the city, and the fans. Oklahoma has some great fans that support OU and OSU football, thats the kind of energy that is needed in the Ford Center. Ive seen it on t.v. this season, and I know it can get even better, and I think you know it too. I think we are ready to win the west. I'm serious, you don't think these guys know what is going on here, well they do and they ready. WHY NOT? Why can't we win a championship, next it now. I love it.
@DUST
im still waiting on my shirt
I kid, Dusty
Wah, I need pictures.
brian davis was off during the dallas game too, talking about playoff seeding and how it is reseeded each round which is totally wrong.
If anyone has some photos from the airport I'd like to feature them on the Tree & Leaf blog if anyone has a nice shot of a playoff tee in the crowd... just email me at dusty@treeandleafclothing.com!
justin :Kevin Pelton with another Thunder article: http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1060
very nice read
justin :Kevin Pelton with another Thunder article: http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1060
Of course I don't read Basketball Prospectus today and KP kills it with a great piece.
To see a Game 1 at Ford Center would say to rest of the league "You think we're pretty good now, wait 'til we get playoff experience."
at this point, I think I like our chances against everybody. I'd be least excited to see the Lakers & Nuggets - but if we're playing our best, we're going to be in every game and...who knows, we just might win.
WHY NOT?
Kevin Pelton with another Thunder article: http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1060
Doc Frazier :
u gotta be thinking about homecourt. if that happens they’ve got a real chance at the western conf finals. but 23wins last season to this…wow!
FINALS...I'm not going to say it can't happen because this team is all about defying the odds. Home court would definitely help with that though. Go Thunder!
I have to say I do like the shirts..I work at quail springs mall n on saturday I saw two guys wearing them..n I would check on craigslist for tickets.that's where I always get mine
u gotta be thinking about homecourt. if that happens they've got a real chance at the western conf finals. but 23wins last season to this...wow!
Jeff Allen :
Homecourt advantage is actually possible. This is crazy
i argue with myself whether i should just be happy to be in the playoffs, or really be thinking about the #4 (or better) seed...?
Homecourt advantage is actually possible. This is crazy