John Hollinger of ESPN.com: “Durant’s 19-foot shot over Nene was the finishing touch on an amazing 
closing stretch, one that saved Oklahoma City’s bacon on a night when the rest of the team couldn’t find the basket with a GPS and a team of sherpas. Not only did Durant score 41 points on 27 shots, he did it without a single turnover. Compare that to his teammates: They were 16-of-55 from the floor (29.1 percent) and had 14 turnovers. Apologies for boring with you math, but the difference between Durant and his teammates on this night is startling once your break it down. The Thunder scored 59 points on the 84 “micro” possessions that weren’t used by Durant, and 41 on the 32 he did use. That’s 0.70 on the non-Durant plays and 1.28 on the Durant plays.”
Kurt Helin of PBT: “Is there a more fun team to watch play than the Oklahoma City Thunder? They are pure passion on a basketball court. It was true again Wednesday night as this game had everything a basketball fan (especially an Oklahoma City one) could want — a come from behind win (they were down 9 at the three minutes left), big shots from Russell Westbrook and James Harden, and bigger ones from Kevin Durant (he finished with 41). Durant helped the Thunder take the lead on running floater across the lane — how do you defend a floater that a 6’9” player releases with his arm over his head? But in the end, it was Serge Ibaka that won this game.”
Maybe Jenni was right. Chris Tomasson tweeted this quote from Kenyon Martin: “They got a young superstar in Kevin Durant and they treat him that way. The league treats him that way.”
Chris Tomasson for NBA.com: “Karl called Wednesday’s loss “tough to swallow” but said the Nuggets eventually will “wake up and realize we had one heck of a season.” Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin still wasn’t convinced the better team won. “They’re decent. They’re good,” Martin said of the Thunder. “But I don’t think they’re better than us.” One thing is sure. Every team was better than Oklahoma City 2 ½ years ago. But the Thunder since has earned the right to party as if it were New Year’s Eve.”
My postgame column for CBSSports.com.
Zach Harper of HP wrote a terrific piece on Durant and Westbrook yesterday: “However, there could come a day when they have to make a decision of whether or not Russell Westbrook is the right running mate for Kevin Durant, and it probably won’t come down to anything having to do with how good of a basketball player he is. His selfishness isn’t suffocating right now, but the potential is there. When he believes he’s the best option, it’s the riskiest game plan OKC can employ. He’ll win them plenty of games, but will his defensive decline and confidence to win ball games be the proper team basketball for this young team? More than likely, he comes out tonight and is a big part of closing out the Nuggets. But there could come a time in which Sam Presti has to decide between keeping a young star happy or jettisoning his ego for the greater good of this young and exciting Thunder team.”
Russell Westbrook is the Honey Badger. Tremendous.
Berry Tramel: “Clutch? Clutch is saving a team that’s about to lose at home, forcing a quick flight to Denver, where a bunch of mean people like Nene’ and Kenyon Martin and that goofball Sonicgate guy await. Clutch is saving a team from getting halfway to dubious NBA history. No team ever has won a series after going down three games to none, but give Denver this win, and who believes the Nuggets wouldn’t be back Sunday, tied 3-3? Clutch is making the last 10 seconds relevant in the first place. In those final 31/2 minutes, which began with Denver leading 91-82, Durant made five of six shots and all three of his foul shots.”
Darnell Mayberry: “Tonight was a classic example of why you cannot try to rein in Russell Westbrook. It doesn’t work. His effectiveness comes from playing without a conscience. Love it or hate it. That’s who he is. That’s how he plays. It was clear that Westbrook came out and tried his best to play under control. And it took him right out of the game. His aggressiveness was seen only in spots. And as a result he was rarely a threat in applying pressure on the defense.”
The Thunder are the Breakfast Club.
From Elias: “Kevin Durant scored 41 points in the Thunder’s 100-97 win against the Nuggets, sending Oklahoma City to the next round of the playoffs. Durant, who turned 22 last September, is the second-youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in a playoff series-clinching victory. The youngest was Magic Johnson, who as a 20-year old rookie scored 42 points in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals against the 76ers, helping clinch the championship for the Lakers.”
Bill Simmons: “I have some bad news for @blakegriffin … I hooked up with my ex Kevin Durant tonight. We might be getting back together.”
Andrew Sharp of SBN: “But my favorite moment Wednesday came when the final buzzer sounded, and TNT cameras caught Durant for a close-up. Reading his lips, it sure looked like he said, “THIS MY MOTHERF***IN TEAM. LET’S GO.” He was still on the court at the time. And on the court, Kevin Durant’s a whole different person. That what makes him so fascinating as an NBA superstar. He’s the perfect antithesis to LeBron. While LeBron sells himself as this larger-than-life brand off the court, when it comes to crunch time, he’s more unsure. With Durant, it’s the exact opposite. He doesn’t care about being any more famous than Westbrook or anyone else, but on the court, he wants the ball as badly as every other NBA star that’s ever been great. It’s his mother f’ing team.”
MartzMimic :@San-GoThat is precisely why I wore my “Living the Team” T-shirt from the Thunder’s 2008 season opener. For me, it was a reminder of how far they’ve come in three seasons, and I wanted to pair it with the shirt from the night we won our first playoff series.
Woot! I wore the same shirt!
10-29-08 baby!
You know, that Honey Badger clip is just so wrong in so many ways. If I could stop laughing long enough, I'd list them.
@mikel37
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ
In regards to the crowd energy. Unfortunately people are like sheep, all it would take is about 100 or so people sprinkled throughout the crowd who didn't give a damn about what anybody thinks about them, standing and screaming at the top of their lungs eventually everybody would follow suit. This would be a classic example.
@San-Go
That is precisely why I wore my "Living the Team" T-shirt from the Thunder's 2008 season opener. For me, it was a reminder of how far they've come in three seasons, and I wanted to pair it with the shirt from the night we won our first playoff series.
I have to agree with Kenyon Martin on this one... IDK if OKC is better then Denver... i mean any time you beat a team 6 out of seven times in one month you can't be to certain which team is better
I'm waiting for the Daily Thunder/Tree and Leaf Honey Badger t-shirt. I know they just did "Hustle Westbrook", but C'MON!
When Kenyon was asked about Durant I was surprised he didn't say
"Durant? Ya he's decent but I'm better than he is" lol!!
Breakfast club?
More like Tombstone
Westbrook is the Doc Holiday of the Thunder a deadly rough around the edges pistoleer who is feared by all except when he isn't throwing up blood from his condition
Wyatt (durant) Earp has an undefeatible determination to win and is easy going until pushed too far and then Wyatt must avenge his lost brother and destroy everyone in his path
As Doc says wyatt and his immortals ride on!
justin :
An easier way would just be to download a high quality recording of the games and work off of that, just don’t tell the NBA!
Yeah, myp2p.eu forums usually have links to download games.
@Royce Young
I'd suggest one of the EyeTV products. I don't know how much it would help getting stuff off your DVR, but you could just record straight onto the computer. The software that comes with it will let you schedule recordings. It takes basic cable input and/or over the air HD.
@Joel
I agree. They seemed tense to me. I think we all understood the Nuggets were no joke. I took it as nerves.
The Nuggets also did a good job of quieting the crowd every time it managed to get going (up until the last few minutes, of course.)
The OKC crowds seem to be really involved in the games. I think if the team is tight, so is the crowd. Likewise, if the team is loose and energetic, so is the crowd.
I expect an energized crowd (and team) to start round 2.
@Grolgar
Where I was sitting the energy was not good for most of the night. Now late when KD took over yeah then it was good but earlier it was pretty mediocre in my aree (sec. 327).
@Joel
I don't know that we'll ever replicate that feeling. It was a magical end to a magical season. There will be too many expectations from this year on to have that same feeling again. Remember last year we went from winning 23 games to winning 50 and pushing the Lakers. Magical
An easier way would just be to download a high quality recording of the games and work off of that, just don't tell the NBA!
@AD
I didn't go to Game 3, so I couldn't say how that crowd reacted (was in Thailand at the time). But I did make back to go to Game 6 and the crowd energy was just different. /shrug
Sammy :@justin
Oh, the review I read said 480p was possible, but, yeah, if the device is incapable of that that’s obviously a problem. Might be it’s possible to switch the set-top box to output 480i?
That's probably the best way to do it without buying new hardware, if it can't capture 480p.
From the SB article:
"This is where we remind you that Kevin Durant's only 22 years old."
If one's expectation is a crowd to match game 3 last year, then one will be disappointed. The 8-0 was something very special and very hard to duplicate.
@justin
Oh, the review I read said 480p was possible, but, yeah, if the device is incapable of that that's obviously a problem. Might be it's possible to switch the set-top box to output 480i?
Do you have the video of the corner camera after Harden made his 3? I heard it looked awesome but I was at the game so I couldn't see it.
Also, the moment that gave me chills was when they played the Bulls intro in the 4th quarter. I grew up in Illinois during the Jordan era, then moved to Oklahoma right after he retired the second time. That music with the team walking back out on the court, serious chills. Then KD did what he did, made it a surreal feeling.
ATH :
Rob Mahoney time-traveled back to yesterday and kicked Zach Harper’s ass with this one: http://bit.ly/lcpBx7
This confirms my suspicions. Great work by Mahoney.
jrichordieflyin :What are your guys’ thoughts on KD yelling, “This is my mf’in team!” when the camera panned on him after the final buzzer?
Love it.
Durant's always had a nasty side.
Let's not try to sterilize the world completely.
ATH :
Rob Mahoney time-traveled back to yesterday and kicked Zach Harper’s ass with this one: http://bit.ly/lcpBx7
That was great, i love people who can filter noise out of statistics instead of just looking at the simplest of box scores and making broad assumptions.
@Joel
club level isn't the best place to be for fan experience...
Great line from the HP article
" You see us as you want to see us… In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions."
out of context and vague, but I thought I'd bring it up anyway. :)
Grolgar :@Thomas
The crowd was pretty good last night. Why do you think we “were less than energetic”?
Where I was sitting (Section 222), it was definitely less-than-energetic. I should have known that I would be sitting next to old, curmugeoningly, people who A.)Don't cheer B.) Don't stand up and want everyone in front of them to sit down C.) Don't celebrate and just walk out afterward
Uggg.. it was depressing. The crowd had a very nervous, uneasy feeling to it. It was not the unbridled joy that we had against the Lakers last year.
And to be honest, we didn't have a lot to cheer for in the 1st 3 quarters. It finally started to get going the middle of the 4th. Everyone was on their feet and cheering... not so much during the 1st 3 quarters.
I can see how the ops people wanted to maintain the "best in the NBA" feeling to it, but I think the crowd failed. They had to try to fake it with the chants and such.
Maybe we're coming back down to earth and becoming NBA fans? Not just converted college fans.. I don't know.
@Sammy
Some reviews I looked at say it only captures in 480i, which is very strange since it comes with component inputs. That would cause interlacing issues I think if you're capturing from a progressive source.
@Sammy
It is definitely an interlacing issue.
Any good crowd POV vids out there?
Rob Mahoney time-traveled back to yesterday and kicked Zach Harper's ass with this one: http://bit.ly/lcpBx7
@Royce Young
Took a look at that Black Magic Recorder. Seems like it should be fine, but it's hard for me to tell without seeing the setup. I know that it's definitely not a mac/pc thing (plenty of people capture off their macs). It seems the problem is an interlacing one, but I can't really say much more without seeing the software and playing around with the settings and stuff.
What are your guys' thoughts on KD yelling, "This is my mf'in team!" when the camera panned on him after the final buzzer?
@Royce Young
Yes, it's tough to get high quality video off a DVR because of Digital Rights Management and other things... I know some PC solutions but I'm not sure if there are Mac equivalents.
Kenyon Martin: sour grapes.
You lose 6 of 7 in a 3 week span.....you aren't the better team, but whatever makes them happy. They are going home and the Thunder are moving on, thats what matters.
@Thomas
The crowd was pretty good last night. Why do you think we "were less than energetic"?
Harper makes a very good point on Westbrook maybe not being the ideal running mate for KD, the thing you need to do is decide before its too late. He's still young though so things may change but its a decision that needs to be looked at in the next couple of seasons. The same way they looked at Green this last season and a half is the way they need to look at KD. KD being better with Russ off the court is a pretty alarming to me.
Last year in the playoffs it became painfully obvious(if it wasn't already obvious) that Green at PF wasn't going to work and even off the bench was a waste since KD is going to get 38-40 minutes a game.
That said he's still young and he's obviously still learning the position given this is his 3rd year as a PG. This offseason is going to be huge for Westbrook in regard to his future with the team.
Nate Timmons :Crazy series. The better team came out on top and I give major props to the Thunder coaches, staff and players for what they did in Five games against my Nuggets.
Enjoy the rest of the ride fans, it can be a great one! And keep up the great work Royce!
Thanks for the kind words Nate. I know you guys have several issues with the way things went down. Regardless, you guys should feel proud. Your team has a warrior mentality since you traded in Melo. Expect improvement and better days.
Our crowd was less than energetic last night for one reason, it was damn near bedtime for many of us by the time the secind half got there. The late start times were a killer to crowd energy, especially with the team playing a bit uninspired for much of the game.
Sammy :BTW, I’m with Darnell on the piped-in noise. Listen to PDX’s arena tonight; that’s the way it should be done. No prompting for ‘De-fense’ chants. Very little prompting, period. Not a lot of arena music. Leave the fans to create their own noise; makes it a lot more spontaneous and enjoyable to be a part of.
This is what I was talking about going back to PDX-Dallas' game 4. That Portland crowd was loud and energetic pretty much the whole game. They start the chants themselves and sense when the team needs to hear them. I love how loud OKC gets when the teams is rolling on offense/defense and how they get on officials when there's a questionable call but I would like see them do some of the same things that Portland's crowds do. I think it'll come with time and more playoff success....
@san-go
Nice article find!
Great to re-read at this moment.
Royce you should start a Thunderchants twitter account like simmons did for boston last year.
DavyTheWise :@SammyWhen i get to go to games it always weirds me out when they start pumping in chants, it would be much more awesome to have the cheerleaders (hence the name) and/or the stormchasers (is that what they are called) lead the cheers instead of the loudspeaker. Its more organic that way, which is part of what makes the atmosphere at a game so awesome. People just choosing to do something all together instead of being forced/fooled/dragged/tricked into it.
This.
I hope they're listening.
Crazy series. The better team came out on top and I give major props to the Thunder coaches, staff and players for what they did in Five games against my Nuggets.
Enjoy the rest of the ride fans, it can be a great one! And keep up the great work Royce!
Our organizers need to watch more Boston games. They let their crowd be a crowd, not try to turn them into some kind of flash mob.
@Royce Young
Old school organ!!!
DO THIS!
@Sammy
I agree.
I wish they'd chill out with the music and PA-prodding the crowd. (get loud!)
We have a decent enough crowd. We don't need "cheering instructions" from the dude with the microphone. It really annoys me.
But yeah, it's a minor quibble given the big picture.
@Royce Young
I have a suggestion: get a PC... :)
of course i'm just ribbing you, but seriously compatibility matters.
@Sammy
I'm with you on prompts, but with the OKC chant, it's got to start somewhere. Like the Spurs have "GO SPURS GO!" and the only prompt to it is just the beat. So to get an O-K-C! chant started, it's got to be prompted for a little while. Maybe in a year or two people will get it and do it without the prompt.
(And I'm sure you guys know about my love for old school organ over rap music being played in game. I'd give anything for that.)
Late '09, Royce wrote this column:
***
"Soak up this season, because it might be your favorite ever"
Well, the point I’m trying to make is that I think this is the time to appreciate the Thunder. This is the time to soak it all up. You don’t want to be me, 10 years from now looking back and wishing you had absorbed and understood everything you were witnessing with this young team. It won’t be like regretting you decided to have a bowl of cereal with that milk that expired two days ago, but you’ll wish you would have valued it a little more. You will.
I don’t know if everyone in 1993 realized that Seinfeld would eventually take over the world. The cast had serious chops, the writers were great and there was an unwavering vision for the show. It all melted into the greatest sitcom ever and one of the greatest shows ever.
And while Season 3 of Seinfeld isn’t the best and doesn’t have the most memorable moments, the looming greatness is there. It’s really when the show started to turn the corner and become the monster that it is. And that’s something to really appreciate, especially if you experienced it first-hand. Episodes like “The Parking Garage,” “The Subway” and “The Boyfriend” could be like the Thunder’s win against Phoenix, the overtime loss to the Lakers and some other random game down the line. This season may not have a “The Contest” in it, which leads the list of Great Television Moments, but it’s going to have some wildly fun episodes within. Wait, are we talking about Seinfeld or basketball here? I think I’m lost.
I’m just trying to say appreciate this season because it might be the funnest ever. A season of no expectation, no cause for letdown, no idea of what could be.
***
Last year was great, but I think we've found a way to top it. But maybe it's the late night and all the honey badger talk. Best collection of Bolts I can remember.