After spraining his left ankle Wednesday against the Pacers, Kevin Durant did not practice Thursday and according to the team is listed as doubtful for Friday night’s game against Atlanta.
After that, he’s just day-to-day.
“Doubtful” doesn’t mean “completely out” but I would assume the Thunder errs on the side of extreme caution and unless Durant is totally fine, he won’t play. At practice Thursday, Scott Brooks said “you never know” in terms of KD playing Friday night but again, it’s very unlikely.
“It’s not in my hands,” Durant told reporters after practice Thursday. “As of right now, I want to play. I think I can play. If we started a game right now I could play.”
The ankle didn’t swell a ton following the game and Thursday morning, so there is reason to be optimistic about it. Still though, there’s no need to hurry back and though Durant says he can play, you can’t really go by that. I’m pretty sure if Durant had both legs amputated he’d say, “You know, I think I can go.”
Durant sprained his left ankle earlier in the season, causing him to miss two games. The Thunder went 2-0 without him with wins in Milwaukee and Boston.
If Durant is unable to go Friday night, James Harden will likely start in his place with Thabo Sefolosha sliding over to small forward.
So... are we going into panic mode today, too? Please say no.
@kfmsooner
yeah call center tech support, hence why i can be on here all day.
@gr8ball83
yeah it isnt like nate rob was going to be a regular in the rotation
@f5alcon
ah, THAT computer company. I don't know why people are getting depressed again, didn't you watch the Pacers game?
@f5alcon
a Call Center worker?...I did that for years...
@TempBoy Brandon
I agree, I like him in a Thunder uniform. I just hope we can keep him and hes happy with that roll.
On teh concerns of RW leaving. Ive wondered this too. It was teh Laker game where KD started jumping up and down for the ball at the end of teh first half and when the he came out in the second half I dont think Russ shot teh ball once. I wonder what happened, if there was a slight confrontation and if so if that could create some fissures. Im not sensationalizing, but specualting worse case scenarios. If Russ doesnt leave, which I really doubt he will, I think Maynors gonna try the market really soon. I think he could statrt for alot of teams and even average 7+ assists a game. So if Russ really intends on staying with us, we need to know how comfortable Maynor is at the back up role, cause I think he has trade value. Hope he stays though.
Nate wasn't a major piece. I know. But Damn. We have only had six combined minutes from our Blockbuster trade.
@gr8ball83
i work at the major computer company that has a huge building off of 44/40 intersection.
@Bryan
lol, nate was not the important part of that trade and perk will be back soon enough.
gr8ball83 :@Lefty
cus he’s a little person like Al
little people big basketball?
@f5alcon
what do you do? I guess I could technically do that too...
@gr8ball83
i do that during the offseason once basketball ends i switch to a noon-9 work schedule, i am not a morning person.
gr8ball83 :@Lefty
cus he’s a little person like Al
This
Man... I'm gonna resist the urge to go all Debbie Downer about the C's trade.
gr8ball83 :Bolts definitely taste better with coffee than with lunch
Si
@Lefty
cus he's a little person like Al
@f5alcon
haha, man i would love to sleep til 10 every day... noon would be weird.
The worst thing about Nate being injured is the overreaction the guys on WWLS are gonna have... *sigh*
Al might have a heart attack. He loves that guy.
I think Royce is probably looking into this...
http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-guard-nate-robinson-has-arthroscopic-surgery-on-knee/article/3545859?custom_click=headlines_widget
@gr8ball83
yeah my gf just got a job, though she lives in tulsa and im in okc but now i wont have to wait until noon to text her
Wow...just got the text on Nate...odd timing.
@f5alcon
haha, thats what my fiancee's going to be doing when we move in together...
@TempBoy Brandon
wow, well he will be back by the playoffs at least, going to be really shorthanded tonight though, mullens and aldrich both will be active for once.
@gr8ball83
i think she actually gets up and goes to work and leaves him snoozing
@TempBoy Brandon
Not really a loss, other than he won't be jumping up and down as much while cheering from the sidelines. Sad to hear of it though, hopefully he recovers soon.
Nate had surgery on his knee and is out 4-6 weeks. Had no idea he had an issue with it. Bummer, I liked seeing him out there.
http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-guard-nate-robinson-has-arthroscopic-surgery-on-knee/article/3545859?custom_click=headlines_widget
Mrs. DT, can Royce come out and play yet?
@gr8ball83
yeah, WAKE UP ROYCE
lol, i dont think it worked
Someone needs to check on Royce and make sure he's alright.
Bolts definitely taste better with coffee than with lunch :(
Sure. It's about the post-trade offense:
" ... the single biggest key, in my mind, to creating a little bit more space in the paint for the new Thunder offense is for Ibaka to develop a quicker trigger on his mid-range jumper. Krstic fired off his jumper as quick as you please, so even defenders who didn't sag off of him very much could be pretty demoralized when a teammate found the Chairman with even a little bit of space on the outside. Ibaka, not so much. He hits those shots at a high percentage, but his defender is able to cheat a heck of a lot more when he moves out of the lane. Remember how easily Andrew Bynum blocked Ibaka's baseline jumper in the second half of the Laker game Sunday? Bynum was right in Ibaka's face, and Air Congo shot it anyway. Bynum knocked the ball two or three rows up behind the Laker bench. Ibaka needs a lot of space for his jumper to be effective right now."
@Patrick James
While I'm waiting for the bolts, don't suppose you have a grabbing preview for your next article?
@f5alcon
I think it is going to be interesting to see how RFA changes, if at all. Owners want shorter contracts to limit injury and bad play issues, but they also don't want their good players walking away. The talk of a possible franchise tag (terrible idea IMO) seems to suggest owners have no intention of giving their young players any new leverage. Not to mention, I think a quality postseason with a healthy Perk gives Russ the confidence he can win here.
@Daniel
he is at least going to sign an extension with us so 3-5 years depending on new cba
@RWisMyFavThunder
Royce usually posts a link for a stream in the pregame primer.
@C_Dub
I can possibly see Russell going to LA, but not anytime soon. Kobe, Gasol, Walton, and Bynum are all locked up for the next 3 years. Kobe alone is making 30million in the last year of his contract (and has a no-trade clause so he can't be used as an expiring contract). I do think Russell's final contract will be in LA, however. Hopefully we can win a championship or two before then.
@justin
Roland dragged the release of info late last season too. From being busy or again reducing opponent use of his information. That he does it may suggest the league's StatsCube doesn't do everything his site does, which is surprising.
@justin
I thought those minute totals looked pretty small for this time of year. Thanks.
@Mark!
Yeah 82 games stopped releasing a few things that might be considered to be giving useful information to opponents of the Mavs, where the 82 games founder is on staff. I was somewhat worried they'd stop giving out other things or stop altogether, They might some day.
Pair +/- info can still be obtained here
http://www.nba.com/statistics/plusminus/plusminus_sort.jsp?pcomb=1&season=22010&split=9&team=Thunder
It doesn't have the player detail but you can back into close to the team offensive and defensive efficiencies.
82games hasn't been updated since 1/19. basketballvalue.com might be better.
Out of town and don't have League Pass, anyone know how I can catch the game tonight?
Off topic from the Thunder, but what a tragic story this is
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=6180469
82games used to produce player pairs stats too, but they discontinued it I guess. It was one of my favorites.
@Keith
Thanks for the explaination, i'm still a newb at all this contract business. I'm pretty good with numbers, but not at memorizing things... lol. I'll let my cousin know whats up (huge lifelong bulls fan of course) so he can set people straight...
Never mind. 'Doh. Found them on 82games.
Somebody help me out, I'm having a brain cramp today. I was looking at the statistics by lineup, I think on HoopData, the other day while I was pondering a column I'm writing this morning. Now I can't find them anywhere. Where are they?
@C_Dub
I think whether or not he and KD win a championship by then might influence that too.
My dad, who is a Laker fan since birth, also thinks RW will flee to LA once he gets the chance. Maybe in 6 or 7 years but right now, no way. He's getting very involved in the community and is doing ads for not only car dealerships and banks, but also Ozarka water soon. But I'm sure if you were to ask him if he'd love to one day play for the Lakers, he wouldn't deny it.
@justin
Shouldn't that have been expected given how little each team wanted to win at the end?
Wow what an end to that game. AK blew the layup.
Utah just does not want to win this game.
Maybe Big Al will be another Aldridge
Keith :@justin
I’m not too worried about either team long-term. Denver is playing with more heart than they ever have, but sooner or later the talent discrepancy between them and legitimate playoff teams is going to overcome that heart (and the guys will run out of some steam).
Yeah they both clearly miss their star players down the stretch.