It’s shopping day in America, so why don’t you head on over to Tree and Leaf and pick up a DT-Shirt today? The Thunder U shirts are re-stocked, plus everything is available online at T&L’s website. BUY BUY BUY.
ESPN’s award watch has a Thunder player at five, but not the one you think: “OKC is Durant’s town, but this season Westbrook has been doing a lot of the heavy lifting, including a 31-point, 6-assist gem in a win in Boston without KD or Green.”
Some good game notes from the Mavericks game from SLAM.
Scott Brooks doesn’t have to harp on energy and effort anymore: “They understand that if you don’t have those two things, you have no shot,” Brooks said. “I don’t care how good you are or how well you execute; the energy has to be there because that can cover up a lot of issues. And that’s good. No coach in the league should have to coach the energy and effort game. That should be within every player’s personal pride.”
Aron Phillips of Dime with a great Durant feature: “When you’re writing a story on Durant, everyone comes out of the woodwork. It’s like when Jay-Z works on a new album – everyone wants to guest on a track. So while sometimes it’s difficult to get in touch with NBA players during the offseason, a sacrosanct time normally spent with their family away from the media spotlight, guys were hitting us up to talk about KD. And there’s no one that knows Durant better than the people around him. From pickup games to All-Star Games, from workouts to shoot-outs, everyone I talked to for this story gave me a reason why they stop what they’re doing when the Thunder happen to be on TV, or Durant is tearing through “SportsCenter” highlights. And although he wouldn’t say it outright, one player even hinted that Durant was the primary reason he subscribed to NBA League Pass.”
Zach Lowe of the Point Forward on Collison’s deal: “He’s also a good example of sticking only to what you’re good at on offense. Collison does almost all of his work around the rim, through cuts and offensive boards. He’s consistently been a top-25 offensive rebounder, and you don’t see Collison’s trying to go off the dribble or jacking 18-footers with a hand in his face. Knowing your limitations is a skill, and Collison has it. All in all: great job by the Thunder.”
CBS Sports’ Ken Berger on the new CBA: “And the line often repeated by aspiring GMs — be Sam Presti – applies here, too. Presti, the shrewd GM of the Oklahoma City Thunder, this week negotiated an extension with Nick Collison that positions the team perfectly for the uncertain pay structure ahead. Picking up on a trend started by the Wizards with Andray Blatche’s extension, Presti took advantage of a clause in the CBA that allows teams that are under the cap to renegotiate the current year of a player’s deal. So Presti increased Collison’s salary this season from $6.75 million to $13.3 million. Next season, the first year of the extension, Collison’s salary plummets to $3.3 million and continues to go down every year until he makes $2.2 million in 2014-15.”
Thanks, qrex! That's a big help.
And Thomas, yeah, I've been to a few. The Thunder Girls show up, Rumble usually makes am appearance, and they give away a ton of stuff.
ill pass on terrence williams. tremendous athlete. not much more...
Terrance Williams sent to the D-League. Who wants him and Troy Murphy for a few expirings?
qrex :@TempBoy@Fox
Brandon
and Hound (on Memorial?)
Have you ever been to one of these? Is it worth going to or is it pretty much the same sports bar experience you would get anywhere else?
Durant, Westbrook and Green play a lot together so the team defensive numbers when they play together will affect each's total on the court results. By the match-up data Westbrook is by far doing the weakest of the 3 on defense against his match-up = or anyone else on the team- and thus is hurting the team defensive numbers of the other 2 more than anything else.
@TempBoy Brandon@Fox
and Hound (on Memorial?)
Last season Westbrook shot 13+ FGAs about 60% of the time and was below 40% on raw FG% that game about 40% of the time.
This season Westbrook has shot 13+ FGAs 100% of the time and has been below 40% on raw FG% about 45% of the time.
does anyone know if and where there is an official Thunder watch party tonight? everytime i click on the Thunderstruck link on the official website, my internet shuts down.. thanks!
Some teams will notice that opposing PGs are shooting 55% eFG% against him right now (up from an average 50% last season) and probably close to 60% TS%, some won't. His rebound edge is half what is was last season and his 3 assist edge last season is now a tiny deficit.
@qrex
I'd think the weak shooting from 5-15 feet and 3 point range would decrease his value some. That and his desire for a high usage would reduce the interest and bids especially from good teams, though few of them will likely be able to bid at all or feel a need to bid competitively. Weak teams will bid high, and probably higher than I would, if they get that chance.
Westbrook and Green may need to push their offense given the rest of the design and the current performance of some key teammates but not as far as they have and they still need to do way better on defense.
Does Westbrook's lack of an outside shot decrease his value?
What they pay Westbrook and what value he returns on offense and defense, individual and team-wise will be huge factors for the level of long-term team success.
Right now on raw on / off team +/- they are doing better with him off than on but on Adjusted +/- he is one of the leaders.
The only time Rondo's shooting from 5-15 feet was as bad as 3rd year Westbrook was his rookie season.
Rondo is often used for comparisons with Westbrook. Currently Rondo is at his career best from 5-10 feet and is actually one of the best in the league for big minute PGs. It has pretty much improved every season. He is league average from 10-15 feet and above average from 16-23 feet and ahead of Westbrook on that. His usage is little more than half of Westbrook's. He is on a team where that level of usage makes sense.
@f5alcon
I shouldn't have initially clumped Ibaka in with Westbrook and Green as much as I did. I tried to back of it and say that the main issue with him is that the defense has slipped. Not just rebounding but also blocks and match-up shot defense and help defense.
You can take the big picture and forgive Westbrook's eFG% based on his TS% and assists. His FG% from 16=23 feet has improved and currently is above league average for the first time but his FG%s from about 5-10 feet and from 10-15 feet are at career lows from him and way way below average. If he crosses the free throw line he better get to the rim, get foul shots or pass because he is hitting just 3 in 10 from 5-15 feet.
@OmahaOkcFan
russ could get max, but i think we could get him for 90% max and he wouldnt turn it down.
@OmahaOkcFan
there area lot of teams that could use green, nets are also a big spender that could use him if they cant get melo, nuggets if they lose melo, clippers, probably half the league will at least be interested.
@Crow
ibaka shots enough to keep the defense honest but doesnt over do it. I like his shot selection
qrex :@Doug
I am a big Uncle Jeff fan and hope the Thunder re-sign him. But, there is NO WAY he is a max player for ANY team. I don’t think Russell is yet either. (Russell can get there, but he’s not there yet.)
The question about Jeff is whether another team is willing to pay him more (or enough more than the Thunder) for being a starting 3 than we are for being an out-of-position 4 or backup 3. Most people agree he’s a good player; he is just on the same team with a much, much better player at his position (KD)
Russ could get max, he is top 5 point guard in nba right now, and the best/most important player on our team, players like calderon and ford have 10m a year deals, Russ would get offered max by a few teams imo
Ibaka could be a 2 way strong player. The defense isn't as good with him on the court right now as you'd hope. I don't think his focus is as much on that as it was before. But there are worse cases.
With Green the defense is 2nd worst, with unfortunately Durant being the worst. Westbrook is in a tie for 3rd worst team defense while on the court. You got to do more than they are doing to fix that. With the big 3 more than anyone else.
Jeff Green seems perfect fit for the Jazz, is AK47 a free agent this summer? If so we will be in a bidding war with Utah..Also does anyone else get sick to their stomach when CJ Miles put up 25 on 6-7 3pointers once a week
Ibaka isn't throwing up bad shots anything like the other two. He is still the team's best rebounder allowed to play any sizable minutes but he was also slipped to being only about 60th in the league on defensive rebounding rate among guys playing 20+ minutes. That means there are enough guys better on that for every other team to have an average of 2 of those and probably some bench scrubs who can do it too. That is contributing to a weaker defense.
Westbrook has the worst effective FG% of any player in the last 5 years with a usage real near or above 30. Over the last 20 years the guy who most often shot like Westbrook is shooting right now was Iverson. Some better names make that list too but it doesn't really make sense for Westbrook to be going for a 30 usage.
The 2009-10 Suns were about the most successful playoff team in the last 10 years with a really weak defense. It took a #1 offense by far to offset 23rd on defense and get that far and was quite rare to do so.
The Mavs over the last decade have bounced around between good, average and bad defense. The only 2 times they got to the conference finals or beyond the defense was 9th and 11th best. In each case the offense was #1. They lost one conference finals and one NBA finals with that combination.
6-10th on offensive efficiency and a defense in the 20s is unlikely to get to the conference finals. You'd have to get good match-ups and get hot on one or both parts of the game. Right now the Thunder are playing like a poor man's version of the Suns. That wasn't what the design was supposed to yield. But letting Westbrook and Green and now Ibaka pursue their offensive dreams basically unchecked that is what they've got right now.
anybody in okc wanna hook me up with an air congo tee since it won't be back online? I'll throw in a few extra bucks for shipping and your time.
@Doug
I am a big Uncle Jeff fan and hope the Thunder re-sign him. But, there is NO WAY he is a max player for ANY team. I don't think Russell is yet either. (Russell can get there, but he's not there yet.)
The question about Jeff is whether another team is willing to pay him more (or enough more than the Thunder) for being a starting 3 than we are for being an out-of-position 4 or backup 3. Most people agree he's a good player; he is just on the same team with a much, much better player at his position (KD)
Unless we make the playoffs and he stinks again.
@justin
Does anyone see Presti trading Green? What if they could get Chris Kaman (if healthy) or a big expiring contract such as Peja Stojakovic for much needed 3's? This team needs help with the 3 and help at the C.
The Collison extension is almost as a good as an expiring contract for some teams because he is useful, rotational big off the bench and his contract will be very reasonable after the $13M this season.
Chas :
Max seems a bit of a stretch, haha.
I am really curious to find out what Green is going to get offered and what position they hope he will fill for their team.
My guess: 5/50.
LarryLegend :@Greg
What is so funny about re-signing Jeff Green?
I’m constantly reading about people wanting to trade the guy. I don’t get it.
I think he was laughing at the prospect of another team offering Green the 'maximum amount' and OKC matching.
Nobody is giving Green the max.
Chas :
Max seems a bit of a stretch, haha.
I am really curious to find out what Green is going to get offered and what position they hope he will fill for their team.
yeah, I'm curious too... my guess is he'll get a 11/12 mi per year offer to play SF on a bad team (Kings, Cavs or something like that), and smaller offers from better teams (maybe the Jazz, Mavs if they don't make any moves this season, etc.)
@Greg
What is so funny about re-signing Jeff Green?
I'm constantly reading about people wanting to trade the guy. I don't get it.
thunder tim :hope we get back on track tonight against the Pacers. With their win against the Heat, I hope our guys don’t take them lightly.
Last time we went to Indiana they blew us out by 20. No reason we should take them lightly.
Doug :
A max free agent will be Green… someone will offer Green the maximum amount and OKC will simply match it. Therefore they will not get any new blood.
LOL
Max seems a bit of a stretch, haha.
I am really curious to find out what Green is going to get offered and what position they hope he will fill for their team.
A max free agent will be Green... someone will offer Green the maximum amount and OKC will simply match it. Therefore they will not get any new blood.
Love Zach Lowe's article on the Collison deal. I read the Stein article a few times over the past couple of days, but the Lowe article did a good job of explaining how the deal compares to others and (more importantly) how Presti took advantage of the current CBA to get long-term flexibility. Also, that note about actually being able to sign a max free agent this summer is good to hear too.
hope we get back on track tonight against the Pacers. With their win against the Heat, I hope our guys don't take them lightly.