vs. 
Atlanta Hawks (0-1, 0-0 road) vs. OKC Thunder (1-1, 1-0 home)
TV: FS OK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 6:00 CT
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 101.9 (15th), Hawks– 104.7 (9th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 95.5 (7th), Hawks – 111.9 (28th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.2 (21st), Hawks – 97.4 (3rd)
View from the enemy: Hoopinion
After tonight, it’s either a winning record, or a losing one. And having a losing record is no fun at all.
The win over Portland certainly righted things, at least temporarily, in that people quit focusing on the negatives in losing to the Spurs and redirected at looking at the positives. Russell Westbrook sent a reminder that he’s a good basketball player and Kevin Martin continued on with his capable efficient scoring.
As of now, things feel OK.
But it’s a new game which means it’s a new opportunity to tilt the scale one way or the other. Both in the win-loss column, and in the overall outlook of the team.
Atlanta coming in: They’ve played once losing to the Rockets at home.
Three Big Things
1. No Josh Smith. The versatile power forward is out tonight, meaning a bigger role for Anthony Tolliver and likely Ivan Johnson. So if Perk plays, as expected, that means Ivan Johnson versus Perk. That’s a whole lot of scary.
2. Bench battle. In their opener, the Hawks got 37 from their second unit, including 22 from Lou Williams. OKC is obviously working in new things with its second unit, and is counting on Eric Maynor and Kevin Martin to continue to provide production. With Smith out for Atlanta, the Hawks are going to be in search of supplementary scoring.
3. KD, PG. Durant is clearly focused on playmaking and rebounding right now. I love watching him score more than anything, but Durant wants to create and distribute for teammates. And late against the Blazers, he ran the offense quite a bit. The Thunder are probably going to work on that even more tonight.
Tip at 6:00 CT. Go Kevins.
Have you guys seen any Rockets games lately? Their SG looks like a great candidate for the Thunder to make a trade for. He would fit well into OKC's system.
@holeydonut he doesnt solve russ hero mode, or the turnover or rebounding problems
@holeydonut FUNNY.
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/11/defenses-dooms-the-thunder-against-atlanta-104-95/#respond
my coaching idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBLaFjV9xTs
Coaches better then Scott brooks
Lionel Hollins
Scott Skiles
Alvin Gentry
Monty Williams
Kevin McHale
Mike Woodson,
Avery Johnson
Rick Adelman,
Frank Vogel
Doug Collins
George Karl---- i hate him though
Rick Carlisle
Erik Spoelstra,(yes im serious)
Tom Thibodeau
Glenn Doc Rivers
Gregg Popovich
@Lost Ones You left out both the Van Gundy's
I'll take a drunk Van Gundy just for the sheer entertainment factor and bald spot reflections
@Lost Ones Coach Nick!!!! Why does everybody always forget Coach Nick?!?
@Lost Ones Mike D'antoni, Phil Jackson...
@Lost Ones Larry Brown, Coach Krswkzwkzi, Jim Boeheim, Nate McMillan, PJ Carlesimo
@Lost Ones Hubie Brow, Eric Musselman
@ALL I WANT 4 MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG BOOTY GUL @Lost Ones Yeah bring back PJ!
@ALL I WANT 4 MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG BOOTY GUL @Lost Ones Or were you serious about PJ?
@ALL I WANT 4 MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG BOOTY GUL @Lost Ones I also think Nate McMillan coached the Sonics also
@ALL I WANT 4 MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG BOOTY GUL @Lost Ones My JV coach
@Lost Ones George Karl was already a Head Coach for the Thunder, when they were the Super Sonics. Spolstra has Lebron, he's just a year older then Brooks. And 5 names I don't even know them.
@thelaughingwiseman @Lost Ones then this conversation is above your head
@Lost Ones Aren't some of these guys under contract and unavailable?
@qrex I was asked what coaches are better then brooks
@qrex @Lost Ones He was just asked to name 15-20 coaches better than Brooks, not necessarily valid replacements.
ok..ive calmed down a bit, and this is just one loss but still. we win this game had brooks used his damn brain and taken perk OUT, and not waited till the 5 min mark of the 4th quarter to bring ibaka back. Plus russ HAS to start trusting people more.
@Legendary_Dork I think more Russ has to start taking better shots. This is unlikely to happen given we've let him take bad shots for 4 years now, but still. He can't keep having sub 33% shooting nights while still taking 15+ shots. He's not Kobe.
@Keith00 @Legendary_Dork He was making most of these shots last year. I wonder if beefing up has affected his accuracy.
@alvarex @Legendary_Dork That's patently false. He was only league average efficiency last year, and his mid-range shooting wasn't elite either. Russ made more shots last year, but not MOST of any shots except at the rim.
Russ is an incredible offensive player, but also not a very "smart" one. He gives defenses a free pass by pulling up for all the mid-range jumpers he does. I'm not saying cut them out completely, but he can't keep taking 70+% of his shots on jumpers - that was dumb last year too.
@ALL I WANT 4 MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG BOOTY GUL @Keith00 @Legendary_Dork True. So maybe he can get out of this funk.
@alvarex @Keith00 @Legendary_Dork He started out HORRENDOUS last yr too, was like 5+to and shooting low 30%s, until the "Russ-sell" chant at the Mavericks game and him signing his extension
God dammit I really miss the beard.....I love you Harden, please come back to us
@Koka_Da_Bauce we lose this game even if we have harden. just saying.
@Legendary_Dork It's not just about this game. This team just doesn't feel special anymore without Harden. You know it, I know it.
@Legendary_Dork @Koka_Da_Bauce It's not like this is the first game Russ has shot us out of or the defense has blown.
@Koka_Da_Bauce are you kidding me? they haven never looked happier to be honest. Kd is contributing more and Kmart is coming out guns blazing.
@Koka_Da_Bauce case in point
@Koka_Da_Bauce Martin played fantastic.
@Aren't I agree, and i like him a lot. My comment is not a knock on martin.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wuzumx04qukaqqs/IMAG1547.jpg
anyone jelly?
@Remify COD sucks.
Harden trade has got some of ya ll emotionally fragile
@OkcBaby I liked Harden, but the dude needs to work on his Defense and less on that beard. KD is doing some crazy evolution in front of our eyes, and everyone be bitchin about Harden
@thelaughingwiseman yes, he still changing his game. And its the 3rd game.
I don't think the Offense is the problem. I think we need a Defensive Coach. We had a very good one for one year and then he left for CHI
Just thought about it as I watched MWP hit a free throw...last year he said he doesn't shake a reserves hands....wonder what Harden would say to him now LOL...he has his own team now and MWP still sucks
Presti will trade Maynor while he still has some mystique about him
Brooks is a great personality manager. But it's hard to evaluate his role on the team when Westbrook, Durant, and Ibaka are so obviously hard workers. Maybe Brooks is like Doug Collins and the Bulls? He was great early on, but that team needed new leadership to win it all.
@alvarex Doug Collins always makes his teams better and implements his systems. He burns out his players by being so anal about rotations and playcalling. Brooks a great players coach in that he doesn't ask them to do more than they are capable. It's questionable that he is actually good for the team since our defense has consistently been sub-par without Adams and our offense progression was exactly in line with personal development from KD-Russ-Harden, rather than any implementation of a great system.
I'd hate to see him go and the team do worse. Under any other coach, I don't think Westbrook would be as good as he is. Of course, some on here would probably think that as a plus.
@alvarex I see him as a great motivational guy
replace brooks with about 15-20 other coaches and we are a better team
@Lost Ones "our wins/losses has nothing to do with brooks" - Lost Ones, 1 minute ago.
@Jooseppi @Lost Ones Kevin Martin cant sub himself in. Its Brooks fault this time
@Lost Ones Name them
@ALL I WANT 4 MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG BOOTY GUL @Lost OnesGreg Popovich
Phil Jackson
Pat Riley
George Karl
Doc Rivers
Jerry Sloan
Rick Carlisle
Mike D’Antony
Flip Saunders
Byron Scott
Scott Skiles
Rick Adelman
Stan Van Gundy
Tom Thibodeau
Erik Spoelstra