Timothy A. Clary/AFP/GettyImages
A pretty common theme you’ll hear during the Olympics is that Kevin Durant’s game is “built for international basketball.”
That’s actually completely wrong.
Because Kevin Durant’s game is built for basketball. Period. Anywhere you want to play it, under any set of rules. A guy 6-11 with that kind of handle, touch and ability to shoot is unfair, but even more so when you shrink the court, bring in the 3-point line and put players like LeBron James and Chris Paul around him to get him shots.
It’s becoming fairly routine for Durant to lead Team USA in scoring, which is what he did in Team USA’s opening demolition of France, 98-71. Durant finished with 22 points and eight rebounds, hitting 3-of-5 from 3, knocking down all seven of his free throws and scoring efficiently with only 13 attempts. It was kind of a typical Durant scoring night. The 22, which easily led all scorers, came fairly quietly as Durant methodically continued to score throughout his 28 minutes on the floor.
The other two Thunderers — James Harden and Russell Westbrook — played quality minutes with Westbrook seeing 19 minutes of action and Harden with 14. Harden was kind of seen as Team USA’s 11th man on the roster but with some early foul trouble he found himself on the floor with key first half minutes. He missed a couple open 3s, but was solid overall as he found a cutting LeBron with a nice no-look pass and fit in well. He finished with five points and an assists.
Westbrook was a touch erratic as he had one of those games where he appeared to have difficulty figuring out where he fit. He finished with nine points, three assists and four rebounds, but had a couple ugly turnovers and didn’t seem to be completely comfortable.
But late in the second half all three Thunder players were on the court, which was pretty special to see in an actual Olympic game. And in total, the Thunder accounted for 36.7 percent of Team USA’s points today. You’re welcome, America.
A few other thoughts:
- Westbrook committed one of the dumbest fouls I’ve ever seen. KD rejected a shot at the rim and with one on the shot clock, Westbrook lunged for the ball and fouled a French player who was chucking a halfcourt shot. It resulted in a 3-shot foul. Whoops.
- After the game, the entire team got in line and hugged Michelle Obama. After she hugged Harden, she patted his beard.
- KD’s shaved head completely threw me off.
- LeBron had a full court bounce pass between three defenders that hit KD completely in stride for a dunk. It’s one of the best passes I’ve ever seen.
Next up for Team USA: Tuesday against Tunisia.
I think we will resign james and serge,but IF we have to choose Im taking Serge!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsGlZD6rAcU&feature=related looking through thunder videos and I found this lol great interview. they seem like babies there compared to now.
Another work week has arrived. I must go to bed and be refreshed for whatever imbusal I will encounter tomorrow. Please remember, the day u genuinely don't want to go to your job is the day u need to look for another place to work. I'M LOOKING!!! Until that day arrives I will tough it out where I am and relax chatting with you all. Thanks for any likes u want to award to me tonight. Go Thunde and USA Basketball (minus Lebron). I know that's pretty shitty but I just don't like that guy.
@Jameswade99 i kinda like imbusal more than imbecile.
@thunderatom @Jameswade99
I thought he was trying to stretch my vocabulary. :)
@Jameswade99
imbusal? . . . imbecile?
http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2012/07/12/1226424/339593-dream-team.jpg Why OKC players don't get tatted up?
@DennisBerry wow james very pharaoh like.
@DennisBerry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiC5Ou9UFgQ
@supreme35 I know bro. I was joking. Kd got "business tattoos."
@DennisBerry KD is very tatted. Just not on his arms.
@supreme35 tramp stamp?
I do not get NBC sports or whatever channel that showed the bball game this morning. I don't give a rat's ass about synchronized diving or gymnastics. Show each & every bball game on NBC in primetime goddamnit!
@Tequila or Failure Technically it's also available online but the problem is the website has been laggy to the point of being unusable.
Who's down to try to hoop at OCU tomorrow?
@ElMexiThunderWhat time?
@Patrick OKC 7
I love how the ESPN headline for the game was Durant & Lebron lead US team, KD had like 25 and Lebron had 9...You know if the points were switched the headline would be Lebron leads US team.
@MisterJohnsonOKC KD's pts,rebs,steals and blocks were all team highest,but it is lebronn's game because he had 8 asts
@shiki @MisterJohnsonOKC NO NO NO you cant factor out lebrons AMAZING PASSING *sarcasm* seriously. lebron could of sit on the bench the whole time and somehow HE would of won this for team USA. uuugh. its so stupid.
they always say Lebron is leader of this team,but why does KD play the most minutes?
I missed the game this morning and have been trying to piece together the game based upon articles written. I have 2 questions about the game. Did we really suck in the first half? Was the US lucky France made only 10% from the three or did we contest their 3-Point attempts causing them to miss so many? If the answer to the first question is yes, then does anyone think a slow start against Argentina or Spain could spell disaster in the medal round? I'm hoping the answer to the 2nd question is we contested the 3 ball and forced all the misses cuz if not, the next time we might not be so lucky.
@Jameswade99 We just missed a bunch of open looks from 3 in the first half because they were inviting us to take them. Once we started hitting them it was all over for France. As far as their poor shooting we were contesting them well. Also cutting off driving lanes not leaving them a whole lot else.
@Old Man Game Well alright then. That makes me feel a little bit better. Hopefully Chandler stays out of foul trouble when we play a team that relies on inside play. I'd personally not like to see Lebron playing the center position all that much. If he does, then next year everyone will say he can effectively play all 5 positions on the floor instead of just 1-4. While he's on the Olympic team I can somewhat maybe kinda a little bit support him. But as soon as the games are over, he's dead to me.
@Old Man Game @Jameswade99
Just as long as LeBron is wearing the right clothes . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIN_bGE52SU
@Jameswade99 Absolutely, until these games are over he's one of "OUR" players. Once their over he's the enemy.
in which NBA season Jordan shaved his head? 3rd or 4th?
@ILikePancakes durant is trying to go next level on us, either that, or he doesnt trust the barbers in london.
@thunderatom @ILikePancakes Enjoyed TBJ's take on it: calling Lebron out.
Lenticular cloud covering Mt. Rainier...or the Mothership carrying my galactic brothers and sisters?
You decide...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/picturethis/2018799501_alenticularcloudformsovermtrainierduringtheramrodcyclingrally.html
@courtsense
And why are all those cyclists in the second picture an alien shade of green?
@courtsense come to vaporize all thoseSeattlites who speak ill of the Thunder and us fans
@DennisBerry That would be fine with me, as long as they take me with them when they go.
@courtsense @DennisBerry
But we'd miss you . . .
best part was after that KD dunk when you could clearly read his lips, "AND ONE MOTHER F**KER!".
@fearthebeard KD doesn't curse
@DennisBerry bwahaha!
Just got done hooping with @MisterJohnsonOKC ya'll need to come on out and play man. Bring your A game!!
@ElMexiThunder @MisterJohnsonOKC Yeah , ya'll should come with us next time so we can get a full team.
@MisterJohnsonOKC @ElMexiThunder I'm pretty good at being an assistant coach. Don't know enough about how to sit my star players during crunch time to be a head coach. Lol.
@DennisBerry @bmuelle21 We do, but I'm too cheap to play 5 or 10 bucks to hoop, lol.
@DennisBerry @bmuelle21 We do man but what i'm trying to say is we have a bunch of open out door court. Johnson and I have bad knees too man so i know what you mean.
@bmuelle21 Yall don't have gyms in OKC or YMCAs where we can pay 5 or 10 bucks?
@DennisBerry i like this idea
@DennisBerry @Jameswade99 @MisterJohnsonOKC man i'd be down bro but i can't drive.
@Jameswade99 @MisterJohnsonOKC @ElMexiThunder I still like indoors better and reserving the whole gym. I can getus the high school, but I live an hr South. Mofos could carpool down, hoop, stop by Boomer's and get some BBQ or we could grill at my house, good times
@MisterJohnsonOKC TeamDT
@ElMexiThunder I haven't played b-ball in so long I can't even remember my A game. My game might be so bad, a letter can't describe it.
And when I say my game is so bad, I am speaking about basketball only.
Iam diggin KD's new hairdo. At least he tan up there